Gun Fight Fatal to City Pair; Two Hurt

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Daily Oklahoman
Friday, June  7, 1940

A man and a woman were killed and two more persons injured this afternoon in a shooting affray at 522 West Harrison avenue which was the climax of an argument over coal.

County Attorney Paul Gotcher and Sheriff Walter Haggard said that the dead man was J.S. Herndon, 73.  The dead woman was Mrs. Sallie Compelube, 65.

The wounded: John Hernandez, 28, was shot through the groin, and his wife, Ruby Hernandez, 23, wounded in the arm.

Gotcher said that Herndon was killed by McAlester Policeman Arthur Phelps, called with other officers to the scene, after Herndon had shot Mrs. Compelube and the Hernandez couple.

He and Haggard reported that Herndon owned the house at 522 West Harrison avenue, and that the others rented from him.

Herndon lived in a southwest corner room.

Authorities said that Herndon, the Hernandez couple, Mrs. Compelube and a daughter, Glennie Compelube had an argument over coal. It started when Herndon and Hernandez got in a dispute and others of the family took part.

They said they learned Herndon called Mrs. Hernandez a "liar," and that he, himself, was called one in return.

Herndon, it was reported to authorities, suddenly turned and went to the back porch that led off his room.

Hernandez shouted "run," but apparently too late.

Gotcher said that he learned Herndon first shot Hernandez who fell at the southwest corner of the house, by a tree.

Next, Herndon is believed to have fired at Mrs. Compelube, who fell to a huge shotgun wound in her back.  She fell near her back door, apparently killed instantly. Glennie Compelube and Mrs. Hernandez both ran but a shot from the automatic shotgun caught the latter in the arm. However, both of these women escaped.

Horrified neighbors saw the shooting; one, Warner Crouch, a schoolboy, called officers.

Phelps with Policeman Pat Powers and Jack Gabbert, city treasurer, responded. All were armed.

Coming around the back of the house they saw Hernandez lying on his back. They investigated. Suddenly Phelps, who had traded his revolver for Gabbert's shotgun, shouted "jump."

He had seen Herndon in the house where Herndon had fled.

Herndon fired point blank at Gabbert, but the city treasurer jumped behind a tree, the shot burying itself in the trunk.

Phelps and Powers started firing, one of the blasts from the former's shotgun taking effect in Herndon's chest.  Herndon dropped, instantly killed.

A Chaney's ambulance took the wounded pair to Albert Pike hospital.