Volume 17 , Issue 36

1893, Sept. 3 - The Battle At Ingalls

Where was Ingalls, O. T. located? Why was there a battle that took place in early September, 1893, a few days before the 1893 Land Run into Oklahoma Territory?

Reading "The Wichita Daily Eagle," out of Wichita, Kansas, dated 5 September 1893, Tuesday, we get some answers to those questions. The battle at Ingalls was a detail of conflict between federal marshals and outlaws.

Stillwater, O. T., Sept. 3 (1893) -- One of the most sanguinary conflicts that had ever occurred on the border outside of actual warfare took place at the village of Ingalls, twelve miles east of Stillwater, Friday morning. It was a pitched battle between deputy United States marshals and a gang of outlaws, resulting in the killing and wounding of at least eight persons, and probably two more among the outlaws.

Ingalls was a small village of perhaps 230 people, situated on the eastern edge of Payne county, and only a fumbles from the rocky retreats and wooded fastnesses of the Creek country. For some time it had been known that a gang of bandits, murderers, horse thieves and train robbers, composed of remnants of the old Dalton and Starr followers, was making it headquarters at that point, where they had many sympathizers and secret assistants. The officers and several times planned a raid on the gang, but their efforts were always thwarted by having information conveyed to the outlaws by unknown parties, so that they were always able to effect their escape. A few days since Deputy United States Marshals A. J. Shadley, T. J. Houston and Roberts received information that the gang was making a rendezvous of the Oklahoma hotel at Ingalls, owned by a man named Pierce, and managed by one William Hosteler, and of a saloon owned and managed by George Ransom, a man of unsavory reputation.It was planned then to capture the outlaws if possible, and the marshals mentioned decided to go in wagons to that place on Thursday night from different directions, surround the town and make the capture Friday morning. In accordance with this plan they, with their posse men, numbering in all fourteen men, reached the appointed place without detection.

The gang was located in the Oklahoma hotel at about 9 o'clock in the morning. This hotel was a two story structure, neither plastered nor veiled in the upper story, and commands an almost unobstructed view of the entire town. It was only about seventy-five yards from Ransom's livery stable and his saloon, which were to the southwest of it. The gang consisted of six men, supposed to the George Newcomb, alias "Bitter Creek," William Doolin, Tom Jones, "Tulsa Jack," "Dynamite Dick," and Bill Dalton. At about 9 o'clock in the morning the marshals arranged their forces north, northwest and east of the hotel, so as to cover the streets leading to and from it, and advanced cautiously. As assign as they were seen some of the gang's sympathizers fave he alarm. It was claimed that a woman named Anderson, commonly reported to be Newcomb's mistress, warned them of the marshal's approach. At this time five of the outlaws were in the hotel, while Newcomb was on his horse in the street near Ransom's saloon.

Immediately upon the giving of the alarm by the woman, four of them rushed down the street and across it into Ransom's saloon, leaving Tom Jones in the upstairs of the hotel to cover their retreat. The marshals immediately opened fire on Newcomb and the saloon which was returned by the outlaws. Almost at the first fire Dallas Simmons, a young man about twenty-three years old, who was imply a bystander, fell mortally wounded shot through the hips and bowels, dying about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Immediately afterward Richard Speed, a United States marshal from Perkins, fell fatally wounded, being almost instantly, being shot through the stomach. Owen Walker a hotel man from Cushing, and a bystander, was shot through the liver and would probably die. T. J. Houston, a marshal, was then shot in the left thigh and almost immediately afterwards was shot in the lower part of the abdomen, making a wound from which he died at noon on Saturday. A. J. Shadley, deputy marshal, was then shot three times in the lower bowels, raining upward into the body,and fatally wounded. Several others were slightly wounded. The marshals kept up a regular fusillade on Ransom's saloon until about 12 o'clock. At that time the four bandits in the saloon made their way into the livery stable adjoining where their horses were quartered, saddled them up and rode away toward the southwest. As they rode away a heavy firing was kept up by the officers, resulting in the killing of one of their horses and the severe wounding of another and the probable wounding of two of the bandits. The five bandits rode away on four horses.

After the escape of the five, attention was again directed to the bandit concealed in the hotel. The fatalities already suffered rendered the officers cautious, and it was determined to burn the building down unless the bandit surrendered. After a parley he surrendered at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, proving to be Tom Jones, alias "Arkansas Tom." Jones did mor execution than any one else. Concealed in the hotel, he had a complete survey of the entire town and every time a man exposed himself he picked him off. Proof was complete that Jones killed Speed and Simmons and fatally wounded Houston and Shadley.

A complete list of the killed and wounded was as follows: Richard Speed, marshal, killed; Dallas Simmons, spectator, killed; T. J. Houston, marshal, killed; L. J. Shadley, marshal, killed; Owen Walker, spectator, fatally wounded; N. D. Murray, bartender in Ransom's saloon, shot i right arm; large bone fractured. William Ransom, spectator, shot in calf of leg; flesh wound. Frankie Briggs, a boy 14 years old, spectator, ownd inlet shoulder, flesh wound.

Of the outlaws William Doolin was supposed to have his left arm broken. Bill Dalton was wounded two or three times about the abdomen, and George Newcomb was wounded in the left groin. Seven or eight horses and mules were killed during the melee. It was estimated that at least 500 shots were exchanged. Ransom's saloon was riddled with bullets, and the portion of the town where the conflict occurred looked like a scene of battle.

A large posse was organized by Sheriff F. M. Burdock as soon as the news reached here, about 1 o'clock. S. P. King, county attorney,a nd Freeman E. Miller, deputy, left at once for the purpose of gathering evidence. As soon as pursuit could be organized a large party of armed men followed the outlaws, who went in the direction of Cushing.

There were flying rumors abundant that morning about conflicts between them and the outlaws in various directions, but could not be traced to any reliable source.

The warrants upon which the officers were seeking to arrest the outlaws were for robbing a bank at Bentonville, Arkansas, another bank in western Kansas, and for some train robberies on the Santa Fe railroad.

Houston and Shadley were brought to this place for medical attention. The corpse of Richard Speed was taken to his home at Perkins, at which place the interment took place Saturday. Tom Jones, the captured outlaw, was brought to this place and placed in jail.

George Ransom, John I. Case and Al Case were arrested also for concealing, aiding and assisting in the escape of the robbers. Several others would also be arrested as sonar evidence could be secured.
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