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Death Takes Third Victim of Shooting
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Daily Oklahoman Saturday, June 8, 1940 Subtitle: Physician Fighting to Save Life of Fourth Person Hit in Friday's Bloody Shooting Affray With three already dead, physicians at Albert Pike hospital today were fighting to save the life of Mrs. Ruby Hernandez, 23, fourth victim of a bloody shooting affray yesterday afternoon on West Harrison avenue. The dead are: John Hernandez, Mrs. Hernandez's husband; Mrs. Sallie Pusley Compelube, her mother; J. S. Herndon. Herndon shot Mrs. Compelube and the Hernandez couple in an argument over coal. He, himself, was killed by Policeman Arthur Phelps called with other officers to the scene. Mrs. Compelube and Herndon died almost instantly, Hernandez, a deep wound in his groin, died about 6 o'clock yesterday evening. Mrs. Hernandez was shot in the left elbow as she fled from Herndon's repeating shotgun. The bone was shattered and today, her arm was amputated just above the elbow. Her condition is reported "fair." First Theory Correct Further details of the shooting corroborated the first theory that the trouble was over coal. Herndon owned the house in which the others lived, at 522 West Harrison avenue, retaining a small bedroom in the southwest corner in which to live. Relatives of the Hernandez couple and Mrs. Compelube said that late yesterday morning some of them had been conversing with Herndon, who was 73 years of age, and that the man had seemed in good spirits and friendly. Yet two hours later, around 1:30 o'clock, he was heatedly accusing his renters of stealing coal from him. This they denied and Herndon, suddenly reaching inside his screened porch, produced the death-dealing shotgun. Mrs. Compelube fell at her rear door, dead. Hernandez ran west and dropped, groaning, near a tree. Mrs. Hernandez and a sister, Glennie Compelube, ran. Only the latter escaped being wounded. Shooting Described Phelps, Policeman Pat Powers, and Jack Gabbert, city treasurer, answered the frantic calls for officers that neighbors put in. Powers said that he went around the east side of the house and found Mrs. Compelube at the back. The other two men went around the west side. They found Hernandez at the base of the tree. The officers believe that Herndon, by clearing his throat, saved at least one of their lives. He had managed to stay hidden from them. They looked around and jumped as Herndon fired, they said, the blast lodging in the tree. Herndon's gun then missed fire. Phelps and Powers shot, five buckshot from Phelps' gun hitting Herndon in the chest. Powers, Phelps, and Gabbert, going into the house found the aged man, his gun at his side, slouched down against the wall, his head drooping to one side. He was dead. Herndon Former Convict Deputy Warden Jess Phillips of Oklahoma State penitentiary said that Herndon was a former convict. He was received in prison in 1919 for murder from Greer county, sentenced to life imprisonment. He was paroled in 1922; pardoned in 1930. Since leaving the penitentiary he remained in and around McAlester. During the years he had acquired a home, the one at which yesterday's tragedy occurred. Herndon's body was taken, overland, to Quannah, Tex. today for burial. Funeral services for Hernandez are to be held Monday morning, while those for Mrs. Compelube will be held Sunday afternoon. Details of arrangements for both will be found in the death column. County Attorney Paul Cotcher announced today that his investigation was closed. |
