March 15, 1935

With only three working days and one Sunday to go, the city political campaign swung into its final strides today. Every lick must count double from here on out. Charges and counter charges fly thick and fast in the two major races, mayor and chief of police. Issues are still mentioned occasionally, but both campaigns have developed into a matter of personalities.

While both Mayor J.N. Harber and Chester Gates, who seeks to unseat him, personally are conducting clean campaigns, followers in both camps have permitted their enthusiasm to overcome their judgment and some mud slinging is being done on both sides. In the chief of police race the battle is between Jake Sims, incumbent, and George Snider, deputy sheriff. This race reached the violent mud-sling stage early this week.

Talking on the importance of athletics and their proper relation to school’s activities, John G. Mitchell, Superintendent of Seminole schools, gave a 20 minute talk to the Chamber of Commerce today at its regular weekly luncheon at the Majestic Café. “I don’t want to be misunderstood,” Mitchell told the group, “I am an athletic enthusiast, but too often schools put an over stress on athletics and let them overshadow the ‘main show’ of an education.” Mitchell said he wanted his teams to be winners but he placed clean living and clean sportsmanship above victory. “Anyone who will lie and cheat to win, is unworthy of the smallest trust,” he said.

At 12 o’clock tonight the cast of “The First Mrs. Fraser” will step onto the stage at the Rex for their first stage rehearsal and ten women’s dream of bringing the “Little Theatre” movement to Seminole will be one step nearer realization. Two other things each of which will be one step nearer are: A night of splendid entertainment for the people of Seminole and a municipal tennis court.

Lovely shades of orchid, yellow, green, and pink were used throughout the appointment when Mrs. J.W. Pipkin entertained Le Mardi club and additional guests at her home. Guests included Mrs. Edgar Mason, Mrs. John Dorris, K. Thomas and Mrs. Arthur Currey.

March 16, 1935

W.A. (Blackie) Smalley, 42, well known Seminole County character, died Saturday in his jail cell in Mena, Ark., where he was awaiting trial on an armed robbery charge. Homer Bishop, Seminole attorney, and Smalley’s wife, Marie, of Wewoka were with him when he died. “Smalley’s death was the result of willful and deliberate neglect, and maltreatment on the part of the jail officials,” Bishop, who was representing Smalley said. Under his protest and the protest of his family physician, who had advised against stimulants, the Mena jail doctor gave him a doc of strychnine. Fifteen minutes later he was dead.

Smalley, who was a brother-in-law of the famous Adam Richetti, partner of Pretty Boy Floyd, was linked with several crimes and criminals but only tried on one count (possession of whiskey) in Seminole County, and strangely enough was prosecuted by Homer Bishop. The case resulted in a hung jury.

Bill Smith, 32, brother of Dan Smith, trucking and pipe line contractor and labor trouble storm center, was in a local hospital Saturday night suffering from a skull fracture from which he is not expected to recover. He was injured in a fight which ensued when about 25 oil field workers went to Dan Smith’s home seeking pay allegedly due them. Eight men were held in the city jail and were being questioned by Assistant County Attorney R.E. Criswell.

Jim Wright, secretary-manager of the Seminole Chamber of Commerce, was named legislative representative of the Oklahoma Association of Commercial Organization Secretaries at their board of directors meeting.

The wild boom days of 1923 that followed completion of the first profitable oil well in the Greater Seminole area was recalled this weeker4 in Wewoka in a gala 2^th anniversary celebration. Oil men from over the Mid-Continent area, many of them now executives of large petroleum companies who were given their first start from production of wells drilled in Seminole County, were here for the occasion. It was on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1923, that the late Roland H. Smith found oil in paying quantities in his No. 1 Betsy Foster wildest well.