from the January 11, 1895 Wynnewood Republic
Wynnewood, I.T.

Double Killing

News reached here Wednesday of a double killing six miles northeast of Wayne, in which Garland Vincent an ex-deputy Marshall John Swain both were instantly killed.  Trouble has been bruing between the Vincents and Swain for some time over some land.  Swain was a white man, his first wife was an Indian, but died and he married a white woman.  His Indian citizenship expired when his first wife died; but he has continued on 'gobbling' lands as though he was a full blood.  Charley Vincent is a citizen by marriage, and brought a place that Swain wanted, and his father was living on the place.  Swain had tried frequently to make them leave the place by threats and seeing they were not to be scared, met them in the road Wednesday and began abusing them and told Mr. Vincent he was afraid to shoot, at which instance Garland drew his gun and fired, the bullet taking effect Swains side.  Swain's horse threw him, and he was lying on the ground shooting when Garland ran up close to him, trying it is said to knock his pistol out of his hand, when he was instantly killed.  At almost the same moment, Charley, son of Garland's, fired the ball, taking effect over Swain's left eye killing him instantly.  Swain made the first attempt to shoot but Vincent was too quick and got in the first shot.

Garland Vincent was an old cowman of this country, though poor, was honorable and respected by all who knew him, and was a man of pure endowments of a fine family and leaves a large family to mourn with his aged mother his untimely demise.

His mother, Mrs. Vincent is a citizen of this place, an estimable old lady who is loved by all who know her.  She shares the heart of sympathy of the people here in bearing the stings of death that befell her son.

John Swain's history is one of no trifling record.  He has been heard to boast of killing sixteen men, and was one of these heartless defunct deputy marshals that had lost all manhood by his reckless career in this country and his demise was not unexpected by those who knew him and we dare say his mission on earth was not so essential but that his remains can be laid to rest with the assurance that mother earth gained more than we lost.  We believe in the preservation of our officers, but when man becomes so reckless as to boast of killing his fellowman, then there is a terminus to all honor and respect for such inhabitants.  We have heard many express themselves as regard John Swain's death, and instead of heralding the news sorrowfully, it seems to have been a relief.  'Tis sad that man born on earth could not deport himself so that the entire people could pass a worth tribute, but such is the life of many men in this country who are called to their eternal home unclean in the spirit that should have guided them.

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