POLICE TO HONOR
BROTHER OFFICER

Half of Force Given Leave
To Attend Joe Burnett's Funeral

Joe Burnett, Oklahoma City's oldest policeman in point of service who died Friday morning at St. Anthony's hospital, will be buried with honors this afternoon by the Oklahoma City police department; Chief Nichols has charge of the arrangements, and all members of the force are co-operating to pay their last respects to the man who served with them fourteen years.

Uniformed patrolmen will act as pallbearers, They are patrolmen Milan, Veazey, Orgon, Wilkie, Thompson and Carter. Chief Nichols announced yesterday that he had made arrangement for leave of absence for half of the force" during the ceremonies.

The funeral procession will form at the home at 617 East Poplar at 2:35 this afternoon, and proceed to the Capitol Hill Catholic church, where the services will he held. Burial will be in Fairlawn cemetery.

The order of the procession will be: traffic officers, detectives, uniformed patrol, motorcycle patrol. The Woodmen of the World, of which the dead man was a member, will furnish an escort, and will conduct the ceremonies at the grave. Oklahoma City livery car drivers have offered the service of nineteen cars to convey friends and relatives to the cemetery. 

Burnett leaves a wife and six children. His brother, Roe Burnett, is a patrolman.

On the evening of January 13, 1904, officer Joe Burnett was walking along his beat on the south side of First Street in front of the McCord & Collins building. Burnett encountered O'Kelley and said, "Hello O'Kelley". Immediately O'Kelley struck at the lawman, and produced a revolver. O'Kelley told Burnett, "You come with me. I'll arrest you, you son of a bitch". As O'Kelley struck at the officer, Burnett grabbed the gun with his left hand.

The two men began to wrestle in a life and death struggle. Several times during the struggle, O'Kelley discharged his pistol, trying to kill Burnett, all the while, O'Kelley repeatedly called him foul names, and said he was going to murder him. Burnett called out for help repeatedly, as the fierce fight continued. O'Kelley was not able to hit Burnett with any of the rounds from his gun, but received powder burns on one ear. Once empty of cartridges, O'Kelley used his teeth, as weapons, to bite off both ears of the policeman.

A companion of O'Kelley's came to his aid, firing one shot at the police officer, and then ran away. O'Kelley called out to him to come back, saying, "we will murder this fellow".

R. E. Chapin, witnessed the fight from the rear of the building at 325 1/2 West Main Street and telephoned police headquarters. Chapin heard officer Burnett call out to several men who were passing; "I am a police officer help me". Chapin stated one of the passing men replied, "we don't know whether you are a police officer or not," and then ran away.

Finally, A. G. Paul, a railroad baggage man, came running from the depot, and grabbed O'Kelley's hand, thus releasing Burnett's gun hand. The officer immediately fired two shots, and killed Ed O'Kelley.

It was then realized just how close Burnett came to death. There were two bullet holes in the back of his overcoat and the left hip pocket was torn by a bullet. Burnett's gloves were burned and his clothing was on fire when his friends reached his side after the conflict.

An ambulance was called and O'Kelley's body taken to the morgue at Street and Harpers furniture store. His body had a bullet wound in his left leg just above the knee. The shot that killed him entered his head just back of the left temple and came out behind the right ear.

O'Kelley's body remained at the morgue for approximately two weeks. This was for identification purposes and for any relatives to have the opportunity to claim the remains. A number of persons identified the dead man as the assassin of Robert Ford, who had killed Jesse James, including Otto Ewing. The warden of the Colorado State Penitentiary sent a description and photograph of O'Kelley, that left no room for doubt as to his identification.

On January 28, 1904, the body of Ed O'Kelley, age 46, was interned at Fairlawn Cemetery in north Oklahoma City. The casket was provided by the county at a cost to the taxpayers of $12.50. Joe Burnett continued with the Oklahoma City Police Department, serving as a Captain and later as assistant Chief of Police.

09-2008 Tombstone photo courtesy Find A Grave.

Eulogizing the work of Mr. Burnett, Rev, Mr. McGuire also paid tribute to the department, a majority of whom left their beats to attend the administering of the last rites for the oldest man in point of service with the Oklahoma City department.

After the church services automobiles conveyed the officers, W. O. W. members and others to Fairlawn cemetery. Forming at the gate of the cemetery the officers, led by Chief Nichols, marched in single file beside members of the Woodmen of the World, who were led by Capt. Willis Burnett. Oklahoma City livery car drivers furnished twenty automobiles for the officers.

Pallbearers were members of the department, wearing uniforms. They were Harry Thompson. J. F. Milan, John McCarty; Charles Wilkie, R. Organ and J. E. Veazey.

Services at the church and at the cemetery were among the most impressive ever held in the city.

Friends of Mr. *Burnett and of his family sent beautiful floral wreaths to the home. 617 East Poplar avenue, and to the cemetery.

Also see Edward Capehart O'Kelley; 

Photo courtesy of Teafor2

Sources: The Oklahoman; Teafor2 (photos)

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