Death Records

The El Reno American

El Reno, Canadian Co. OK 

FrontPage 4 Jul 1918

CHARLES JOHNSON KILLED

Dies In Hospital As Result of Shooting, Friday

An unusually cold-blooded and unfeeling attempt at murder occurred Friday evening about 8 o'clock, when Jesse Inman shot Charles Johnson. The shooting occurred on the sidewalk at 109 South Admire and was done with a revolver, which was held so close to the victim's face that he was badly powder-burned. The men had walked from Johnson's house, which is about one and one-half blocks south of where the shooting was done. Inman had gone to the house and called Johnson out. He had a gun in his hand at the time and kept Johnson covered with it while they walked up the street, during which tine they were quarreling. At this place Inman put the revolver up to Johnson and fired. The bullet struck him just under the point of his chin, a little to the left side, and went clear through the neck, so that it could be seen under the skin on the back of his neck. When the wounded man fell Inman looked down at him, evidently to see if he was dead, and then went out in the center of the street and walked north to Woodson, down which street he ran in a westward direction.

People in the houses on Admire street had heard the men quarreling and when the shot was fired they hastened to the scene and the wounded man's face was bathed and he was made as comfortable as possible. At first, the shock of the shot had rendered him practically unconscious, and when water was applied to his face, he roused up and immediately inquired if he was going to die.

Officers were notified at once, but no trace could be found of the would-be murderer after he had fled in the direction of the railroad, and it is thought he made his escape by leaving the city on some train. The injured man was taken to the sanitarium and at last report was doing as well as could be expected. He showed much reluctance to talk about any prior circumstances that might have occasioned the shooting, even though he and the bystanders thought that he had received a fatal wound. He has a wife and two young children.

Sheriff Carter has been investigating the affair and it appears that the men fell out over a poker game. Later: Johnson succumbed to the results of the wound, passing away about 11 o'clock Monday night. No trace has yet been found of the slayer. A contribution was taken for the benefit of Johnson's widow and children.

The body was taken to Watonga, where his stepfather, Mr Maxwell, and his mother reside. Mrs. Maxwell has been here for several days and the stepfather arrived Tuesday morning.

Watonga Newspaper - 11 July 1918

KILLING AT EL RENO

The El Reno American gives an account of the shooting of Chas. Johnson, formerly of Watonga, at El Reno about two weeks ago by Jesse Inman.

This paper states that it was an unusually cold blooded and unfeeling attempt at murder. Inman escaped after the shooting presumably boarding a train as the shooting occurred near the railroad track. Johnson died in the hospital on Monday of last week, three days after he was shot. The body was brought to Watonga and buried from the home of his mother and stepfather Mr and Mrs Tom Maxwell. The young man left a wife and two children. It was claimed by relatives of the dead man that the quarrel was over a small sum of money and that he was shot because of the quarrel.