Submitted by
Loyd Bishop

KILLED AT PONCA

Ben McGaslin is Mysteriously Murdered
CORONER INVESTIGATES
Crime Occurred in a Negro Lodging House
From the findings of the coroner's jury, a murder was committed last week at Ponca City. The victim was Ben McGaslin, a member of the Otoe tribe of Indians. Last Wednesday McGaslin had a check cashed at the bank, and that night he put up at a lodging house run by a Negro named Reeves. The next morning Reeves and his wife left for Topeka, Kansas, leaving the place in charge of a man named Eddy.
Nothing more was heard of McGaslin until a boy by the name of Ben James discovered that the door of McGaslin's room was locked. He notified Eddy who broke in the door and found McGaslin's body suspended by the neck from the bed post by a common black handkerchief with the feet and legs on the floor. Death had evidently occurred Wednesday night and as this was Friday, the body was badly decomposed.
The coroner was notified and a jury impaneled, which after viewing the body, and hearing testimony, returned a verdict that the deceased came to his death at the hands of unknown parties.
By order of the coroner, the boy James, who worked at the Reeve's place was held as a witness, and was taken to Newkirk to be held in jail default of a bond........