He Was a Killer An Account of the Career of Sam Morley, Outlaw Terrorized Three States One of His Chief Pleasures Was Killing Texans An All Around Bad man and Died in True Outlaw Style Submitted by: Mollie Stehno

Special to The Herald—Guthrie, March 23—Gov. Ferguson yesterday issued an order for the payment of he sum of $171.60 to Mrs. G. H. Coleman of Fort Smith, Ark., which closes a history of one of the most famous cases ever on record in Oklahoma. Mrs. Coleman is a sister of Sam Sorrells the United States marshal, who was killed in a fight to capture Sam Morley, the outlaw, whose deed once terrorized three states. Several years ago the territory of Oklahoma offered a reward of $500 for the capture of Morley, who was charged with the murder of Jacob Hartman of Cleveland County. Two hundred and fifty dollars was paid to Marshal Scargill who was with Sorrells when the attempt to capture Morley was made. Sorrells was killed and the object of this payment is to divide the remainder of the reward between Sorrells’ children and his wife and sister. The children are now in the custody of Mrs. Coleman at Fort Smith, Ark.

Morley was one of the most desperate, daredevil outlaws that the west has ever known. He was a very peculiar man. A lifetime spent as an outlaw it seems strange a man would ever do anything else; but at times he would leave the road and pursue the vocation of farming. He killed three men in Texas, one in Arkansas, and has killed several in Oklahoma. Having been imprisoned several times most of the prison officials and the marshal forces were acquainted with him. While in prison he was very vicious and always very much elated when he heard the news of the killing of an officer.

During his incarceration he once made out a list of officers that he intended to kill as soon as he was free. Chris Madden, a deputy United States marshal, and B. F. Wolf, county attorney of Cleveland County, were named as future objects of his vengeance. He was a dead shot and seemed to bear a charmed life. It was the delight of his life to kill a Texan. Once he broke jail at Chickasha and went to Enid. The officers ere hot on his trail and while stopping at a small boarding house jumped from the second story window and escaped while the officers were in the lobby of the hotel. He once broke lose from is captors by using his Herculean strength and wrenching a pair of handcuffs off that encircled his wrists.

About two years ago two outlaws rode up to the house of Jacob Hartman, who was a wealthy Swede and was known to have money on his premises. Morley knew that Hartman had money derived from the sale of some cattle. The outlaws rode up to his place and attacked him. In the fight Hartman was shot and almost instantly killed by Morley. Morley then attacked by two women and two large dogs. Having emptied his revolvers trying to kill the dogs could not shoot the women. The women fought desperately and when Morley was killed there were scars still on is head where he had been beaten by a club and on his face were the imprints of women’s fingernails. He afterwards made the remark:

“I don’t see why the hell they don’t hire those women on the United States marshal’s force, as they are better fighters than any--- ---- marshal that I have ever run up against.”

Officers were on the lookout all over the country for Morley and his pal and one day Scargill received a telegram stating that they had been seen boarding a train in Indian territory. They stopped the train at a small station and sure enough in one of the boxcars both of the outlaws were found. A desperate fight ensued. Morley sprung to the ground and was shot through the body with a 45 Colt’s revolver. He dropped but soon sprang to his feet only to receive another shot. He was stunned for some little time; but rose to his knees, hurriedly gabbed his revolver from the ground where it had fallen, and in an expiring condition steadied his nerves long enough to fire the shot that ended the life of Sam Sorrells and then dropped dead himself. His companion then ran after shooting Marshal Scargill who returned the fire and wounded the fleeing outlaw. He has never been found since. Scargill’s wounds came nearly being fatal but finally recovered. Marshal Scargill is about 22 years old.

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