Volume 13 , Issue 4

Duchess & Sadie's Snowy Domain

NW Okie wanted me to make sure you check out some interesting Oklahoma legacies that she found at the Chronicling America at the Library of Congress website, which gives you access to America's historic newspapers. It allows you to search, view newspaper pages from 1860-1922 and find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. It is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress as part of the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).

One of the short little paragraphs we found in the Langston City Herald of October 1895, mentioned a NEW outlaw (White Horse Doolin) and his gang. I have never heard the outlaw Doolin referred to as "White Horse Doolin!" Did he ride a white horse?

In another paragraph further down it mentions Lily Langtry, the famous British actress and mistress of Edward VII. Have you heard the story of Lily (Breton) Langtry, born on the Island of Jersey, 13 October 1853, the daughter of Rev. William Corbet Le Breton, the Dean of Jersey Island. Emilie Charlotte Le Breton (Lily) was a British actress of renowned beauty, and had a number of prominent lovers, including the future King of England, Edward VII.

Lily Langtry made her first stage appearance in 1881 and soon obtained the reputation as one of Britain's most beautiful actresses. Lily was nicknamed the "Jersey Lily." Lily married Edward Langtry in 1874. Lily's husband, Edward Langtry, died in 1897, and two years later Lily married the extremely wealthy Hugo de Bathe. Lily died 12 February 1929.

Do not forget to check the notorious Buck Gang of 1895. In July and August 1895 the Buck Gang terrorized citizens of the Creek Nation, Indian Territory. Gang members Rufus Buck, Luckey Davis, Sam Sampson, Maomi July, and Lewis Davis joined forces after working individually as horse thieves and whiskey peddlers. All members were of American Indian or African American descent. It was said that Buck's motive was for revenge fueled by his hatred of white intruders in Indian Territory. Other gang members followed his lead.

It was on August 10, 1895, when a gun battle ensued at Flatrock Creek, 7 miles north of Okmulgee, between gang members and the law. After the capture of the Buck gang, they were transported to the Federal District Court of Western Arkansas in Fort Smith, which had jurisdiction over crimes committed against whites in Indian Territory. The Buck Gang was tried and found guilty on charges of rape. Judge Isaac Parker sentenced them to hang. After appealing to the Supreme Court, which issued no opinion, the gang was hung on July 1, 1896, in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Let this Duchess Pugster leave you with one of our favorite quotes from fifty years ago, made during the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. I believe we should all think profoundly, at length to remind us, "Ask not what your country can do for you; Ask what you can do for your country!"

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