Oklahoman Archives
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
September 11, 1922

Tragedy at Kiefer May Put Taboo On
        Joy Riding and Petting Parties There

Left to right, Cecilia Evans. internally injured; Mary Campbell and Delphia Evans who was killed by leaping from an automobile.

Kiefer, Sept. 10 (Special.)— Joy riding, petting parties and other indiscretions among sexes have been tabooed as a result of the-Evans tragedy which has shocked this town into the realization that something must be
done, not half-heartedly, but wholly. If the young of this city are trained as good men and women.

Nearly everyone In town attended the funeral here Sunday morning. of Delphia Evans, 16 years old; who leaped from the automobile in which she was alleged to have been insulted and feared she was about to be attacked. Injuries that she received caused her death :two days later; in a Tulsa hospital.

Her sister, Cecilia Evans, 19 years old, who also leaped out to escape similar treatment, is still under the care of physicians, and may recover. She was Injured Internally. Being stronger physically she may overcome  her injuries.

Mary Campbell, 17 years old, companion of the Evans girls and who was just ready to jump out when the automobile stopped is in a state of nervous hysteria over her experience.

The three youths, whose alleged atempts to mistreat the girls caused the tragedy, Ed Duff, R. E. Eastman. formerly of Tonkawa, and Lewis Todd. are in the Creek county jail at Sapulpa, awaiting preliminary hearing on a charge of attempted criminal assault. This charge has aroused Kiefer folk who contend that the complaint should be amended and raised to manslaughter, if not under.

The three girls had worked all summer in Tulsa to earn money to go to
school in Kiefer. They were on their way to the Evans uncle, living near here, when the three boys offered to drive then. It was on this trip that the boys were alleged to have made improper advances and the girls leaped from the machine. 

The news, of the death of Delphia Evans set Kiefer on fire and shortly after the youths were arrested and taken to Sapulpa, talk went around that a mob should he organized to lynch the prisoners. This caused Sheriff D. B. Livingston of Creek county to remove the men to Tulsa where they remained several days.

 

Complied and transcribed by Marti Graham, 2010.