Ed O'Kelley is shot dead

Ed O'Kelley is shot dead

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 s__ of a b____". 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 as O'Kelley shot the gun, trying to kill Burnett. While discharging the gun and wrestling with Burnett, O'Kelley called him all kinds of names, and said he was going to muder him. Burnett called out for help repeatedly, as the fierce fight continued.

O'Kelly 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, from his gun, at the policeman, 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.

Chapin 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 policeman or not," and then ran away. Finally, 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 which killed him entered his head just back of the left temple and came out behind the right ear. O'Kelly'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.

January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Robert Arthur Douglas Ford (January 8, 1915 – April 12, 1998) was a Canadian poet, translator and diplomat. ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Downtown Oklahoma City The State Capitol of Oklahoma From The South Motto: Nickname:

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