Volume 11 , Issue 14

1917 Murder of Joseph Files Continues

So ... Do you want some more information on the 1917 murder in Alva, Oklahoma?

Kirk Trekell sent us some 1917 Alva news articles concerning that particular murder we mentioned last week. The first article is dated Monday, March 5, 1917, Alva, Oklahoma, with headlines that read: "Crap Game Results In A Cold-Blooded Murder." The other two articles are dated March 6th and 22nd, 1917. We will put the other articles in as different features in this weeks newsletter.

March 5, 1917 -- "Crap Game Results In A Cold-Blooded Murder" - "One of the most revolting crimes in the history of Woods County was committed about Two 0'cIock this morning at the Antlers Cafe, When Joe Files had his throat cut from ear to ear.

"A pool of blood on the floor, blood bespattered walls and broken and disarranged furniture and a streak of blood leading to a little room in the rear, caused Scott Keys, the day man, who works at the Antlers to make an examination as to the cause, when he discovered the horribly mutilated form of a man his head almost severed from his body, both eyes beaten out, his skull crushed and many gashes in his face.

"The dead body was that of Jos. Files, the night man at the Antlers, and the crime was committed about 2 o'clock this morning.

"Harrison Eller, better known as Nick Eller, was arrested this forenoon at about 10 o'clock by officers Farris and Reed, at the home of his sister in the west part of town, as suspicion pointed strongly to him as being the perpetrator of the crime, and lodged in the county jail where he later made a full confession of the murder to City Marshal Farris, and told of the details leading to the crime.

"In his confession young Eller said that the trouble arose over a game of craps. It seems that Eller, according to his statement had won a considerable amount of money from Files in the game. Files refused to pay and picked the money up and placed it in the cash register.

"Eller went to the cash register and undertook to take the money out. Files followed to prevent him from doing so. This enraged Eller and a scuffle followed. In the scuffle Eller secured a meat cleaver with which he struck Files cutting a gash in his scalp, but not seriously injuring him, Eller again went to the cash register and attempted to take the money and Files resisted him and again they engaged in a fight in which they reached a back room.

"Eller got hold of a heavy stone hammer used for breaking coal and struck Files on the head, crushing his skull. After Files had sunk to floor he used the hammer on his head and face until he had beaten out both eyes and crushed the bridge of his nose. He then took a long, bread knife and cut Files throat, nearly severing his head from his body.

"After the murder young Eller went to the old house across the river which stands on the Chidister place, where he burned his bloody clothes and placed his bloody shoes in an old cupboard where they were found this afternoon by Marshal Farris and Jailer Charley Reed. The money involved in the case -- $16.75 was found on the person of young Eller when he was arrested.

"The dead man's home was in Illinois and he had not been in Alva long. His relatives have been notified and will come here for the body. He was a young man of about 25 years of age, about six feet tall and much heavier than his assailant who is about the age of the murdered man. The body of Files was taken to the Howerton Undertaking rooms where crowds of people have flocked all day to see the horrible sight.

"Young Eller's mother has been confined in the insane asylum at Supply for a number of years and the most charitable thing that can be said in his favor is that he is tainted with a streak of insanity for certainly no normal person could have been guilty of so revolting a crime.

"Some years ago when young Eller was hauling a tank of water, his younger brother who was riding on the tank fell off and the wheels of the tank wagon passed over his head and killed him. It has been said that this accident seriously affected him and that he has not been just right mentally since that time."
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