Category: random

“It is at night, especially when the moon is gibbous and waning, that I see the thing.” — ‘Dagon,’ H.P. Lovecraft

Panic overtook the citizens of the tiny village the day following the night that the 14th-century clock tower became exposed. The town was hidden from prying eyes since the villager’s subjection to Nazi experiments before World War II ended.

(Pawtuxet Valley Gleaner) — Lake Resia, named Reschensee in German, borders Austria and Switzerland. The land was annexed to the Italians following the First World War. German remains the first language for many in the region.

For years the village people had worked the region clearing blockages that came from time to time, keeping the hydroelectric plant operating. Soon their secret would be exposed, and the world would learn that the villagers were the living form of a Great Old One and the final failed super-weapon of the Third Reich.

After the village went underwater, the lake engulfed around 160 homes. The residents were displaced, many of whom are living in villages nearby. After leaks were found, the lake was temporarily drained for repair work on the reservoir, exposing what is left of the village in South Tyrol bordering Austria and Switzerland.

And now their home was receding. Could villagers still breathe without water, their leathery wings carry them, and what of that waning gibbous moon?

Once arrested, John Ramsey confessed to participation in the murder of Roan. He said that Hale had promised him five hundred dollars and a new car for the killing.

Ramsey said he met Roan outside of Fairfax, where they drank whiskey together. Then Ramsey shot Roan in the head, though he later claimed that the actual killer was Curly Johnson.

Johnson died before he could testify.

Ernest Burkhart was sentenced to life and sent to the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. He was released in 1959, receiving a pardon in 1966 from Governor Henry Bellmon.

Bryan Burkhart turned state’s evidence in state court and was never convicted.

Oklahoma Governor Jack C. Walton ordered an investigation into the deaths of Bigheart and Vaughan, assigning Herman Fox Davis to head the investigation. After being appointed, Davis was convicted of bribery and later pardoned by Walton.

The investigation was left incomplete.

Osage County officials sought revenge against Pyle for bringing attention to the murders. Fearing for his life, Pyle and his wife fled to Arizona.

In 1925, to prevent further criminal activity and protect the Osage, Congress passed a law prohibiting non-Osage from inheriting rights. The government continued to manage the leases and royalties from assets.

In 1925, Police officer James Pyle asked the Bureau of Investigation (BOI,) the agency preceding the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI,) for help. They sent Tom White to lead an investigation.

Because of the perception that the police were corrupt, White decided the agents would work undercover. After two years, agents uncovered Hale’s scheme.

Hale persuaded Ernest to marry Mollie Kyle, a full-blooded Osage. He then arranged for the murders of Mollie’s family for insurance policies and the rights of each family member.

Investigators learned Ernest was poisoning Mollie. She recovered, and after the trial, divorced Ernest, dying on June 16, 1937.

In the case of the Smith murders, Ernest turned state’s evidence, naming Hale as responsible for the murder conspiracy. He said that he had used Henry Grammer as a go-between to hire a professional criminal named Ace Kirby to perform the killings.

Grammer and Kirby were both killed before they could testify.

Hale was convicted in 1929 for the shooting death of Roan and sent to Leavenworth Prison in Kansas. He was sentenced to life but paroled on July 31, 1947.

After being paroled, he spent time in Montana, working as a ranch hand for Benny Binion (of Las Vegas casino fame,) dying in Arizona in 1962.

Two lab rats were conversing with one another by their water bottle.

“So, have you taken the COVID-19 shots yet?” the one asked the other.

“No,” the second one answered. “Have you?”

“Not yet,” the first one stated, “I don’t think the human trials are over.”

“Well, better them than us,” the second one said.

“You got that right,” the first said.

Somewhere deep in their cages another rat squeaked, “Look busy, here come’s a White Coat.”

Rat’s scrambled everywhere.

Charles Whitehorn, Brown’s cousin, was discovered shot to death near Pawhuska the same day. Two months later, Lizzie Q. Kyle, who had rights for herself and had inherited the rights from her late husband and two daughters, was murdered.

On February 6, 1923, Henry Roan, another cousin of Brown, was found in his car on the Osage Reservation, dead from a shot in the head. Hale fraudulently arranged to make himself the beneficiary of Roan’s $25,000 life insurance policy.

On March 10, 1923, a bomb destroyed the Fairfax home of Brown’s sister Rita Smith, killing her and Nettie Brookshire. Smith’s husband, Bill, died four days later from injuries sustained in the blast.

On June 28, 1923, George Bigheart went to an Oklahoma City hospital after drinking poisoned whiskey. He called attorney William “W.W.” Watkins Vaughan of Pawhuska, asking him to come to the hospital as soon as possible for an urgent meeting, which he did.

Bigheart said he knew who was behind the murders and had incriminating documents proving his claim.

After the meeting, Vaughan boarded a train that night to return to Pawhuska and vanished. Found with his skull crushed, he lay beside the railroad tracks south of Pawhuska.

Bigheart died that same morning.

My Cousin Elmo says, “The CDC has announced you can stop wearing your socks with sandals.”

Some background before going any further…

On the first page of Chapter 1, “The Vanishing,” in Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, author David Gann explains the story behind the title of the book:

“In April, millions of tiny flowers spread over the blackjack hills and vast prairies in the Osage territory of Oklahoma. There are Johnny-jump-ups and spring beauties and little bluets.”

“The Osage writer John Joseph Mathews observed that the galaxy of petals makes it look as if the “gods had left confetti.” In May, when coyotes howl beneath an unnervingly large moon, taller plants, such as spiderworts and black-eyed Susans, begin to creep over the tinier blooms, stealing their light and water.”

“The necks of the smaller flowers break and their petals flutter away, and before long they are buried underground. This is why the Osage Indians refer to May as the time of the flower-killing moon.”

As for Pawhuska, it is the county seat of Osage County, Oklahoma. It was named after the 19th-century Osage chief, Paw-Hiu-Skah, which means “White Hair” in English.

The town, originally known as Deep Ford, was established in 1872. The Osage Indian Agency was located along Bird Creek. 

Traders followed, building stores during 1872 and 1873. The Midland Valley Railroad reached the town in September 1905. 

I began my newspaper article with, “It was midmorning, Wednesday, May 5, when Virginia & Truckee Engine 29, better known as the “Robt. C. Gray” pulled out of Virginia City with four 1920-era Pullman cars in tow.”

“The train, the cars, and her crew headed for Pawhuska, Oklahoma, and the movie set of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo Dicaprio and Robert De Niro. The movie is about the murders of Osage Indians following the discovery of oil on their reservation.”

The story was supposed to be about a local steam train film appearance, I fell down the rabbit hole, saving what I’d written before rewriting the newspaper article…

On May 27, 1921, local hunters discovered the decomposing body of 36-year-old Anna Brown in a remote ravine of Osage County. Brown was divorced, so probate awarded her estate to her mother, Lizzie Q. Kyle.

Kelsie Morrison, a petty criminal, later admitted to murdering Brown and testified that William Hale, a prominent local cattleman, had asked him to do so. He also implicated Bryan Burkhart in her murder, testifying that they had taken Brown to Three Mile Creek, where Morrison shot her.

Burkhart was Hale’s nephew and Brown’s former boyfriend.

Sometime one’s timing is jus’ right. One of the neighbors’ boys out in a storm floating a paper boat in the gutter.

To top it off, I jus’ learned that my cellphone will allow me to video-tape in black and white, or edit color shots into monochrome. Makes me think of my childhood memories.

My Cousin Elmo says, “What with the price of ammo, lumber and gas, being a Redneck is getting to be expensive.”