The DAVIS NEWS:   NOV. 3, 1932

MRS. OLIVER KILLED WHEN CAR OVERTURNS

Just as we go to press, Mrs. ______ Oliver, who lives north of Davis, was
killed  when the Ford roadster in which she and two relatives were riding
missed a culvert and overturned into the ditch.

The accident happened three miles south east of Davis and was said to have
been caused when the driver ran off the bridge while looking to see if he
had a flat tire.

Mrs. Oliver jumped, the car falling on her and killing her instantly.

THE DAVIS NEWS NOV. 10, 1932

MRS. CLAUDE OLIVER

Mrs. Oliver, who was killed last Thursday afternoon in an auto wreck near
the Brassfield home south east of Davis, mention of which was made in last
issue, was Mrs. Della Ring Oliver, aged 15, wife of Claude Oliver.  His
cousin, George Oliver was in the car with them at the time of the accident.

She was the daughter of T. L. Ring of Wynnewood, was born in Emery, Ark.
and moved to Wynnewood in 1923.  She was married to Claude Oliver last
August.

THE DAVIS NEWS: NOV. 17, 1932

GIRL-WIFE MURDERED FOR INSURANCE; HUSBAND AND NEPHEW CONFESS

Mrs. Claude Oliver, who was reported killed in a car wreck 2 1/2 miles
southeast of Davis on Nov. 3, met her death at the hands of her husband and
his nephew, George Oliver, according to their confession to Murray County
Officers Sunday.

It was first asserted her death was due to injuries when the car
overturned off a bridge into a creek.

As the woman was insured for $5,390, which had been in force only a few
weeks, the insurance company sent a man here to ascertain if the death was
accidental.

Investigation by Sheriff Johnson, Deputies Rowe and Samples and City
Marshall Ramsey soon showed evidence that the  young woman  had been slain,
within 100 steps or more from where the car was wrecked, clotted blood,
hair and parts of her skull were found.  Blood in the car indicated the
woman had not been killed by the overturning of the car.

Claude and George Oliver were arrested Saturday and placed in jail at
Sulpher.  Sunday afternoon they confessed to County Attorney Fagan in the
presence of other officers that they plotted and executed her death for the
purpose of obtaining the insurance.  Both men were interviewed separately
and each told practically the same story, the officers said.

They stated they plotted the matter in the summer, and Claude married her
in September, then took out more than $5000  insurance on her life.  On
Nov. 3, the three went riding in a car, drove to a selected place south of
Davis where the nephew struck her first and as she appealed to her husband
for protection, he finished the job with a rock, it was stated they
confessed.

The car was then overturned into a ditch and the men went to the home of
Jas Brassfield, a short distance away, phoned for help, saying the woman
had been killed when the car ran off the bridge.

A Wynnewood undertaker was called and came for the body and arranged for
the funeral, no suspicion having aroused them.

A file, piece of car spring and rock with blood and hair on it, said to
have had a part in the killing, were found by the officers near the scene.

Signed statements later have been made by the two men, confessing their
guilt and giving details of the crime.

The murder is a horrible affair and has shocked the community.  The
murdered woman, who was 15 years of age last April, was the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. T. L. Ring of Wynnewood and had lived in that city about 9 years.
The Olivers live 2 or 3 miles northeast of Davis on Mrs. Howard Martin's
place.

Bird Atkins and Vinah Ervin, both colored, were arrested Tuesday and
placed in jail in connection with this case.  They are wanted as witnesses
and officers state they may be otherwise connected.

The preliminary hearing will be heard before Justice Shaffer at Sulphur at
10 a.m. Friday.

Nov. 24, 1932   Davis News
"Two Olivers & Negro Plead Not Guilty; Taken to Pen at McAlester"

Not guilty, said Claude and George Oliver who waived preliminary hearing when
arraigned before Justice Shaffer at Sulphur Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock.

The complaint, charging them with the murder of Mrs. Claude Oliver, wife
of one of the defendants, on Nov. 3, was read by County Attorney Fagan, after
which they were asked if guilt or not.

Neither was represented by counsel.  They will be held to the district
court which starts the criminal docket on Dec. 12.

Bert Adkins, colored, also is charged with being an accomplice in the
murder of the Oliver men and asked for a continuance of his preliminary
which was granted.  He is represented by Holmes Colbert, Sulphur Attorney.

Mrs. Claude Oliver, aged 15, was killed at a point about three miles
southeast of Davis on Nov. 3.  The husband, Claude Oliver, and his
nephew, George Oliver, confessed to officers that they plotted her death
to obtain $5,300 life insurance taken out on her a few weeks ago.  in a
signed statement, they confessed to killing her, then placing her body
in a car an overturning the car into a ditch in order to make her death
appear an accident.

When arraigned in justice court last Friday morning, they asked for an
extension of time in which to plead.  The hearing was then postponed
until Tuesday morning.

Great crowds were in attendance at both hearings and the case has
attracted wide attention.

IN DISTRICT COURT

Tuesday afternoon the case was transcripted to the district court and the tow
Olivers taken before Judge Long; each plead not guilty.

No attorney was assigned to represent them, but the Court stated if they
failed to get an attorney he would appoint them one to represent them in
the case that is expected to be called during the week of December 12.

Immediately after the plea in district court, Judge Long ordered the two
Olivers and the negro, Bert Atkins, taken to the pen at McAlester for
keeping until their case is called.

Dec. 1. 1932  Davis News

Bird Atkins, Col., Pleads Not Guilty

Bird Atkins, colored, charged with George and Claude Oliver, in the murder
of Mrs. Della Oliver, preliminary was heard Monday at 2 o'clock in the county
attorney's office.  The defendant plead not guilty and the state pout on
J. D. Ramsey of Davis, Earl Rowe, Bose Johnson and Venah Ervin as
witnesses.  H. H. Colvert, representing the defendant, demurred to the
testimony.  Justice Shaffer ordered the defendant held to await the
action of the district court.

Atkins along with two Olivers had been held in the penitentiary at
McAlester since arraignment of the Olivers last week.  Sheriff Bose
Johnson and Deputy J. H. Samples drove to McAlester and brought Atkins
back for the preliminary hearing Monday.  He was returned until the 12th,
when the three defendants are to be tried.

DEC. 15, 1932  Davis News

Olivers Get Death Sentence on Plea of Guilty of Murder

Death in the electric chair is the fate awaiting Claude Oliver, 28 and his
George Oliver, 18, according to the sentence passed on them Wednesday noon
by District Judge W. G. Long at Sulphur.  The extreme penalty was
pronounced after both plead guilty to the murder of Mrs. Delia Oliver,
age 15, wife of one of the defendants.

Claude Oliver, with his attorney, J. L. Pullen, appeared n district court
Monday morning, withdrew his plea of not guilty and entered a plea of guilty.

Tuesday morning, his nephew, George Oliver, jointly charged with murder,
appeared with his attorney J. H. Dunn and with drew his former plea of not
guilty and confessed his guilt.

The two Olivers were to go on trial at this term of court for the murder
of Mrs. Claude Oliver on Nov. 3.  They lived a short distance north of
Davis and according to their signed confession, they plotted that one of
them should marry  the girl, daughter of T. L. Ring, Wynnewood, insure
her life for a large sum then kill her.

The marriage took place in August, then $5,300 life insurance was taken
out and on Nov. 3, she was reported killed in an auto wreck two miles
southeast of Davis.  Her husband and nephew were with her when the
supposed accident occurred.

Later the Olivers confessed to having killed her with a tire tool and
pushed the car off the bridge into a ditch to leave the appearance of a
wreck.

Her death so soon after taking out the insurance, caused an investigation
and county and city officers soon unearthed one of the foulest murders ever
known in this vicinity.

Public sentiment seems to be that the sentence of the court was merited by
the character of the crime.

Bird Atkins, 36 year old negro, is in jail charged with being an
accomplice in the murder.  He has refused to plead guilty, a demurrer was
offered yesterday by his attorney Holmes Colbert, but same was
overruled.  Motion for a continuance was granted.


DEC. 16, 1933   Davis News

Oliver Brothers Asking Mercy

Claude and George Oliver, who confessed they murdered the former's bride to
collect insurance, Thursday appealed to the state criminal court of appeals
from death sentences passed upon them when they pleaded guilty before W.
G. Long, Pauls Valley District Judge in Murray County last December.

Their attorneys contended the penalty excessive in view of the guilty plea.

Claude Oliver, 28 years old, is an uncle of George Oliver, 18 years old.
They told a strange story of how they agreed that Claude should marry and
that the bride's life would be insured and that she would be murdered
for the money, according to attendants of Murray County officers when the
guilty pleas were entered.

The bride, Mrs. Della Oliver, was killed near Davis, Nov. 3.  The appeal
will stay execution, set March 10, pending outcome of the plea.


JUNE 22, 1933  Davis News

      High Court Affirms Death Verdict for Oliver Brothers

The death sentence of Claude Oliver, 28 year old Murray County farmer and
his nephew, George Oliver, 18, for the killing of Claude's 15 year old
bride to collect her insurance, was affirmed by the criminal court of
appeals last Friday. Execution date was set for Aug. 26th.

The Olivers formerly were engaged in farming a short distance north of
Davis.  They plead guilty before District Judge Long last December and now
are in death row at McAlester penitentiary.

After pleading guilty and getting the extreme penalty placed on them, an
appeal to the higher court was made in their behalf.

Reciting the testimony in the Oliver case to the effect the nephew struck
Claude's bride with a file, beat her to death while her husband held her,
then upset a car on her body to give the death the appearance of
accidental; Thomas H. Edwards, presiding judgewrote:

"The plea is more in the nature of one for clemency than one for a legal
right.......the facts here show a heartless murder, coldly planned and
deliberately and cruelly executed.  The motive - a procuring of money for
the life of the victim.

"The age of the defendant, George Oliver, appeals to this court , as no
doubt it did to the trial court, but under the admitted facts, if this
crime is not deserving of the death penalty, then indeed few crimes
justify it.  It is not a province of this court to extend clemency.  That
belongs to the chief executive."

JULY 20, 1933 Davis News

Oliver Boys Denied New Hearing

Oklahoma City, July 18 -

Claude Oliver, young farmer and his nephew, George Oliver, sentenced to
die for the murder of the former's wife for her insurance, were denied a
rehearing by the criminal court of appeals today, leaving gubernatorial
clemency their only avenue of hope.


AUG. 24, 1933 Davis News

Olivers to Die After Midnight


Claude Oliver, 28 years old and George Oliver, 18 years old, confessed
slayers of the former's 15 year old bride, will die in the electric chair
at the penitentiary at McAlester shortly after midnight tonight.

Their only hope of escaping the chair was through executive clemency and
that fell yesterday.  when Gov. Murray stated, "I'm going to let them go".

Claude Oliver is an uncle of George Oliver.  Last December, they were
sentenced to the electric chair by  Judge Long after having confessed the
murder of the bride near Davis last November to collect her insurance.

In the confession, they told of the agreement to wed the girl (Della Ring
of Wynnewood) and have her life insured for $5,000, then kill her.  The scene
of the killing was two miles southeast of Davis, a short distance off
Price's Falls Road. She was attacked and killed with a file and piece of
car spring and the car overturned into a ditch to give the appearance of
an accident.

The Olivers were farmers and lived north of Davis.  The men had previously
borne good reputations, it is said.


AUG. 31, 1933 Davis News

Olivers Executed Last Friday Morning

George Oliver, 18, the youngest person ever to die in Oklahoma's electric
chair, was executed early Friday morning at the penitentiary at McAlester
with his uncle, Claude Oliver, 28 for the "insurance murders" of Claude's
girl bride, aged 15.

George was pronounced dead at 12:13 a.m. after telling the 227 witnesses
"I did a crime and now I must die for it.  I feel like I am going to
heaven".  He warned all that crime does not pay.

Claude went to his death mumbling to himself, but without any statement to
the crowd, said to have been the  largest ever to witness an execution in
Oklahoma.  He was pronounced dead at 12:19 a.m.

Della, Claude's bride, was beaten to death with a tire tool and file near
Davis last Nov. 3 and left under a motor car in a ditch to make it
appear she was killed accidentally.  Later, the Olivers confessed a
preputial plot to marry the girl, insure her life for $5,000 and kill her.

Bodies of the Oliver boys were brought to Wynnewood, where the funeral was
held last Saturday.  Large crowds viewed the bodies at the Coonrod Funeral
Home and also attended the funeral.

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