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List of people executed in Oklahoma (pre-1972)

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The following is a list of people executed by the U.S. state of Oklahoma before 1972, when capital punishment was briefly abolished by the Supreme Court's ruling in Furman v. Georgia. For people executed by Oklahoma after the restoration of capital punishment by the Supreme Court's ruling in Gregg v. Georgia (1976), see List of people executed in Oklahoma.

Background

In 1915, Oklahoma adopted electrocution as its main form of capital punishment, with a designated execution chamber being added to the state penitentiary in McAlester. From that year to 1972, 83 prisoners (all male) were executed in the state penitentiary. 82 were electrocuted; one of the prisoners, sentenced to death by the federal government under the "Lindbergh law", was hanged instead at his request. (Hanging was retained as an alternative method.)

List of executions

Name Race Age Date County Crime Victim(s) Governor
Henry Bookman Black 28 10 December 1915 McIntosh Murder Richard Hardin, white Williams
Cecil Towery Black 22 6 November 1916 McIntosh Murder-Robbery Charles Vaughn, white
Chester Taylor Black 44 13 April 1917 Creek Murder
Charley Young Black 26 Tillman Murder
Willie Williams Black 35 Muskogee Murder
John Prather Black 26 3 May 1918 Pittsburg Murder Charles Chapman, black (cellmate)
James Brown Black 34 8 November 1918 Muskogee Murder
T. R. Braught White 29 23 May 1919 Creek Murder Otis Robbin, white Walton
Monroe Betterton White 48 9 July 1920 Craig Murder Elzadah Betterton, white (wife)
John Ledbetter Native American 31 25 February 1921 Muskogee Murder Robert Moreland, race unknown
Robert Blakely White 39 Effie May Allford, white
Eli Thomas Black 22 15 July 1921 Le Flore Murder
Steve Sabo White 50 17 March 1922 Coal Murder-Rape Sophia Sabo, 19, white (niece)
Sam Watkins White 39 5 May 1922 Atoka Murder-Rape Cora Jones, white
Aaron Harvey White 21 13 January 1924 McCurtain Murder Five persons, all white Trapp
Jack Pope White 45
Richard Birkes White 29 5 September 1924 Craig Murder-Robbery Frank Pitts, white
Leroy Scott Black 22 29 May 1925 Pittsburg Murder Frank Daniels, white
Johnnie Washington Black 29 4 December 1925 Jackson Murder
Theodore Bruster Black 21 29 June 1928 Muskogee Murder-Robbery William Heeman, white Johnston
Walter Wigger White 31 Ottawa Murder Ruth Harris, white (lover)
Willie O'Neil Black 27 Oklahoma Murder-Robbery Mark Hipscher, white
James Forrest Black 23 17 July 1930 Stephens Rape Female, white Holloway
Tom Guest White 48 Pottawatomie Murder-Robbery Bailey Browder, white
E. S. Hembree Native American 32 17 April 1931 Stephens Rape Leota Bosley, 23, white Murray
Paul Cole White 33 10 July 1931 Seminole Murder Ernest ..rby, white
Bennie Nichols Black 31 21 August 1931 Pontotoc Murder-Robbery Jack Hornton, white
Henry Lovett White 39 25 September 1931 Canadian Murder-Robbery Dee Foliart, white
Martin Keeney White 49 11 March 1932 Oklahoma Murder
A. M. Harris White 49 17 June 1932 Oklahoma Murder
Ira J. Adler White 50 19 August 1932 Blaine Murder Two relatives, both white
Charles Davis Black 42 Male, white (deputy sheriff)
Ivory Covington Black 25 27 January 1933 Choctaw Murder-Robbery
Nathan Rightsell White 27 24 February 1933 Choctaw Murder
Charles Lattimer White 29 24 March 1933 Comanche Murder Female, white (wife)
Proctor McDonald White 24 5 May 1933 Creek Murder-Robbery Raymond Butler, 8, white
Joe Martin White 54 Noble Murder Pete Von Uearop, white
Albert Ellis White 25 Carter Robbery John Weber and his family, all white
Luke Nichols White 44 19 May 1933 Alfalfa Murder Harriet Crawford, 26, white (lover)
Claude Oliver White 28 23 August 1933 Murray Murder Della Oliver, 15, white (George's wife)
George Oliver White 18
Ted Patton White 25 20 October 1933 Sequoyah Murder Robert Wall, 19, white
Charley Dumas Black 29 Coal Rape
William Johnson Black 28 10 November 1933 Muskogee Murder Mary Wolfenberger, white
Tom Morris Black 40 24 November 1933 Pittsburg Murder Mr. and Mrs. Joe House, both white
Earl Quinn White 29 Garfield Murder-Rape Jessie Griffith, 24, white
Frank Clark Black 60 19 January 1934 McCurtain Murder Dan and Anna Stiles, both white
Ernest Oglesby White 27 4 January 1935 Oklahoma Murder Douglas Gates, white (Oklahoma City policeman)
Robert Cargo White 21 24 May 1935 Oklahoma Murder-Robbery A. L. Luke, white Marland
Alfred Rowan Black 30 20 September 1935 Jackson Murder Roy Gentry, white
Bun Riley White 29 Pittsburg Murder Three persons, all white
Chester Barrett White 37 Creek Murder Three of his children, all white
Roy Guyton Black 25 20 March 1936 Oklahoma Murder
James Hargus White 26 24 April 1936 Tulsa Murder L. D. Mitchell, white (Tulsa police officer)
Arthur Gooch White 27 19 June 1936 Federal Kidnapping R. N. Baker and H. R. Marks, both white
Leon Siler White 22 11 June 1937 Comanche Murder J. E. Wilson, white (Grady County deputy sheriff)
Charlie Sands Native American 21
Roy Mannon White 38 1 March 1940 Wagoner Murder-Robbery Jake Skelly, 67, white Phillips
Roger Cunningham White 30 15 November 1940 Oklahoma Murder Eudora Cunningham, white (wife)
Warren Abby White 59 29 August 1941 Custer Murder Julia Abby, 78, white (wife)
J. D. Tuggle White 23 9 February 1942 Garvin Murder-Robbery Mr. and Mrs. D. Wilburn Jones, both white (uncle and aunt)
Finley Porter Black 40 16 April 1943 Pittsburg Murder L. Z. Beacham, black (cellmate) Kerr
Hiram Prather White 35 14 July 1943 Pittsburg Murder Jess Dunn, white (warden)
Amos Johnson Black 30 23 March 1945 Lincoln Murder Victoria and Martha Gorski, 38 and 3, both white
Cliff Norman Black 30 9 November 1945 Murray Rape Female, white
Alfred Bingham White 40 31 May 1946 Tulsa Murder Mary Bingham, 30, white (wife)
Mose Johnson Black 33 1 November 1946 Pittsburg Murder L. C. Smalley, race unknown
Harlan Broyles White 32 30 January 1947 Seminole Murder Eric Nicholson, 35, white (deputy sheriff) Turner
Lewis Grayson Black 31 25 May 1948 Muskogee Rape Female, white
Ben Gould Black 40 27 September 1948 Atoka Murder-Rape-Robbery Mary Lynn, 57, white
Max Kletke White 25 6 January 1951 Oklahoma Murder Carl E. Beach, 45, white
Jearell Hathcox White 38 27 July 1951 Oklahoma Murder Martin Lyle Shaffer, 67, white Murray
Melburn Mott White 35 21 September 1951 Tulsa Murder Mary Frances Mott, 6, white (daughter)
Carl DeWolf White 37 17 November 1953 Tulsa Murder Jerry St. Clair, 25, white (Tulsa policeman)
Hurbie Fairris White 22 18 January 1956 Oklahoma Murder Bennie F. Cravatt, white (detective) Gary
Otto Loel White 44 11 January 1957 Oklahoma Murder Elizabeth Jeanne Henderson, 31, white
Robert Hendricks White 66 5 February 1957 Craig Murder-Robbery Rheam Payton, 54, white
Edward Williams White 30 28 July 1960 Tulsa Kidnapping Tommy Cooke, 24, white Edmondson
James Spence White 32 31 August 1960 Cotton Murder Female, 19, white
Ray Young White 34 15 December 1960 Jackson Murder John Barter, white (highway patrolman)
Shelby Doggett White 29 1 January 1962 Comanche Murder-Robbery Jimmy Lee Lanman, 24, white
Richard Dare White 30 1 June 1963 Oklahoma Murder Ted Albert, 60, white Bellmon
James French White 30 10 August 1966 Pittsburg Murder Eddie Shelton, white (cellmate)

See also

Notes

  1. Sole non-electrocution, requested hanging.
  2. Murder committed in 1941 during life sentence for the murder of his wife in 1925.
  3. Committed two other murders prior to this one.
  4. Given life sentence for Cooke's murder, tried on kidnapping charge separately.
  5. Also admitting to murdering his 24-year-old wife Patricia Ann, her 17-year-old nephew William McCormick, and Ted Albert's wife.

References

  1. "Executions in Oklahoma - 1841-1966 - DeathPenaltyUSA, the database of executions in the United States". deathpenaltyusa.org. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  2. "Death Chair Ready In Sixty Days". The Perkins Journal. July 2, 1915. p. 3. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  3. "States adopt death-by-drug laws". The Day. December 6, 1979. p. 16. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  4. "Death Penalty Still Upheld". The Perkins Journal. March 12, 1915. p. 2. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  5. "Negro First Person Electrocuted in Okla". The Bakersfield Californian. 10 December 1915. p. 2. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  6. "Attempted Lynching Fails". St. Joseph News-Press. 9 August 1916. p. 2. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  7. Appeals, Oklahoma Criminal Court of (1918). Oklahoma Criminal Reports: Cases Determined in the Criminal Court of Appeals of the State of Oklahoma. Leader Print. Company.
  8. "Electrocution In Oklahoma". St. Joseph News-Press. 23 May 1919. p. 26. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  9. The Pacific Reporter. West Publishing Company. 1920.
  10. The Pacific Reporter. West Publishing Company. 1921.
  11. The Pacific Reporter. West Publishing Company. 1921.
  12. "Slayer Dies In Chair". St. Joseph News-Press. 17 March 1922. p. 20. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  13. "Man Went To Electric Chair". The Victoria Advocate. 5 May 1922. p. 1. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  14. "Two Die In Death Chair". St. Joseph News-Press. 14 January 1924. p. 11. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  15. "Murderer Goes To Death Calmly". The Telegraph-Herald. 5 September 1924. p. 1. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  16. "Negro Murderer Is Put To Death". The Telegraph-Herald. 29 May 1925. p. 1. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Three Executed In Oklahoma Prison". The Border Cities Star. 29 June 1928. p. 24. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Two Executed In Oklahoma For Slayings". The Southeast Missourian. 17 July 1930. p. 1. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  19. "Indian Is Executed For Attacking Girl". Eugene Register-Guard. 17 April 1931. p. 4. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  20. "Penalty For Murder". The Telegraph. 10 July 1931. p. 1. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  21. "Oklahoma Negro Dies In Chair For Murder". Warsaw Union. 21 August 1931. p. 1. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  22. "Young Farmer Dies In Electric Chair". The Telegraph-Herald and Times-Journal. 25 September 1931. p. 1. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  23. ^ "Denies Clemency To Pair - 30 See Deaths". The News-Sentinel. 18 August 1932. p. 12. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  24. "Man Executed In Wife's Slaying". The Southeast Missourian. 24 March 1933. p. 1. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  25. ^ "Triple Execution Held In Oklahoma State Penitentiary". The Victoria Advocate. 7 May 1933. p. 3. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  26. "Sorry At End". The Southeast Missourian. 19 May 1933. p. 1. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  27. "Boy, 18, Pays". The Southeast Missourian. 25 August 1933. p. 1. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  28. "Two Men Die In Oklahoma Chair". Reading Eagle. 20 October 1933. p. 34. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  29. "To Prison for Safekeeping After Confessing Murder". St. Joseph Gazette. 18 April 1933. p. 9. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  30. "To Die At Midnight". Lawrence Journal-World. 23 November 1933. p. 1. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  31. "Bootlegger Slayer Of Girls Executed". The Pittsburgh Press. 24 November 1933. p. 14. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  32. "Dies In Chair". The Telegraph-Herald and Times-Journal. 19 October 1934. p. 4. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  33. "Negro Electrocuted". The Evening Independent. 19 October 1934. p. 1. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  34. "Convicted Oklahoma Slayer Is Executed". The Telegraph-Herald and Times-Journal. 4 January 1935. p. 1. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  35. "Slayer Electrocuted". The Evening Independent. 24 May 1935. p. 1. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  36. ^ "Three Die In Chair For Seven Murders". The Pittsburgh Press. 20 September 1935. p. 3. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  37. "Slayer Is Executed". Spokane Daily Chronicle. 24 April 1936. p. 9. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  38. "Hang Kidnapper Under New Law". The Daily Times. 18 June 1936. p. 18. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  39. "Grin At Death". The Southeast Missourian. 11 June 1937. p. 1. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  40. "Desperado Dies Denying Murder". The Telegraph-Herald. 1 March 1940. p. 13. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  41. "Slayer Of Wife Is Electrocuted". The Victoria Advocate. 15 November 1940. p. 2. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  42. "Louisiana Farmer Executed In Chair". The Victoria Advocate. August 29, 1941. p. 2. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  43. "Slayer Pays With Life For Murders". The Telegraph-Herald. 9 February 1942. p. 11. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  44. "Negro Is Electrocuted". Lawrence Journal-World. April 16, 1943. p. 3. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  45. "Oklahoma Takes Life Of Warden's Slayer". The Southeast Missourian. July 15, 1943. p. 2. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  46. ^ Wilson, R. Michael (2014-01-10). Legal Executions in Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma Including the Indian Territory: A Comprehensive Registry. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-8909-1.
  47. "Oklahoma's First Execution in Two Years Set Tonight". The Altus Times-Democrat. November 8, 1945. p. 4. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  48. "Wife Slayer Blames Drink". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. May 30, 1946. p. 17. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  49. "Oklahoma Slayer Pays Penalty". The Windsor Daily Star. November 2, 1946. p. 6. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  50. "Man Dies in Electric Chair for Okla. Murder". Lewiston Evening Journal. January 30, 1947. p. 7. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  51. "Execution Is Set Tonight At State Prison". The Altus Times-Democrat. September 27, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  52. "Victim's Brother Sees Slayer Die in Chair". The Telegraph-Herald. July 27, 1951. p. 3. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  53. "Child Killer". Lawrence Journal-World. August 18, 1951. p. 2. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  54. "Gunman, 37, Dies In Electric Chair". The Spokesman-Review. November 18, 1953. p. 8. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  55. "Killer In Desperado Family Executed; Eyes And Aorta Go To Banks On His Bid". Toledo Blade. January 18, 1956. p. 3. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  56. "Woman's Slayer Dies In Electric Chair". Reading Eagle. January 11, 1957. p. 9. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  57. "Slayer Says Last Letters 'Doom' Others". The Altus Times-Democrat. February 5, 1957. p. 1. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  58. ^ "In The News". The Telegraph. July 29, 1960. p. 1. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  59. "Killer Goes Calmly To His Execution". Youngstown Vindicator. September 1, 1960. p. 9. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  60. "Young Stays Calm in His Death March". The Altus Times-Democrat. December 16, 1960. p. 1. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  61. "Dies for Slaying Young Golf Pro". The Fort Scott Tribune. October 4, 1962. p. 1. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  62. "Man Executed In Oklahoma". St. Petersburg Times. June 3, 1963. p. 13. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  63. "Two-Time Killer James French To Get His Wish - Death In The Chair". The Washington Observer. August 4, 1966. p. 9. Retrieved November 23, 2024.


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