Turner, Dan

Was Dan Turner, aged watchman at the Carnegie Mine, located one mile south of Douthat Oklahoma, set upon Wednesday by persons who almost beat the old man to death? The old man, sprawled on the floor of the mine office, lying face downward in a pool of blood, a large gash on his head and forehead and his hands terribly lacerated, was found about 4:30 o'clock Wednesday afternoon by Sam McCleary, a farmer living a short distance from the mine. The old watchman was in an unconscious condition and when found was near death. He was later removed to the Miami Baptist hospital where his condition is critical and death is believed to be hovering close by. Newt Cox, deputy sheriff, conducted the investigation for sheriff Neil Harris forces. Other members of the sheriff's office continued the investigation Thursday in an effort to ascertain the mystery surrounding the finding of the watchman in a condition so near death.

The office clock, wrenched from its place on the wall, was found lying outside the door. The office furniture was wrecked; the rug in the office was torn and the old man's bed was broken and upside down. A look of intense agony reflected the fact that Turner had undergone a terrible ordeal. In the opinion of Sheriff Cox, if the old man was attacked the attack had occurred several hours before as the blood on the floor had almost dried up and the fire in the stove had long since died down.

Cox, in company with Roy Mitchelson, a Commerce Oklahoma butcher, was in the north end of the county Wednesday serving legal papers. He was driving past the mine when McCleary rushed out and requested haste be made to secure a doctor as he believed an attempt had been made to murder the watchman. Cox went into the mill office to investigate. It was first believed the old man was dead. The gash on his head and the lacerations on his hands caused Cox to believe the old man had engaged in a bitter struggle with his assailants. He was unconscious and the condition of the furniture caused the investigators to believe that a crime had been committed. A revolver was found lying nearby, Cox said he examined the weapon and found none of the cartridges had been exploded. A shotgun was also found on the floor but it had been broken. Cox hurried to Commerce where he notified Dr. J. B. Hampton and directed him to go to the mine office. Dr. Hampton examined the old man and on account of his serious condition he arranged by an ambulance to transport him to the Miami hospital. Cox said Thursday morning that the fact that over $25 in currency was found in the old man's clothing made the mystery more complicated. Several bottles which had contained some kind of a patent medicine with alcoholic contents were found in the room.

Dan Turner, the aged watchman at the Carnegie Mine, located a mile south of Douthat Oklahoma, who was found lying in a pool of blood in the mine office Wednesday afternoon, sustained a slight concussion of the brain, according to Dr. J. B. Hampton, Commerce Oklahoma physician, who is attending him. At the Miami Baptist hospital Saturday night where Turner is being treated, officials said his condition had reached a favorable stage. He regained consciousness Friday morning but when questioned as to what had happened said he could not remember. The furniture in the office was wrecked and Turner's hands were lacerated. The sheriff's office have been requested to investigate the matter further by Turner's son who arrived here Saturday morning.

Dan T. Turner, 61 years old, night watchman at the old Carnegie Mine, died Friday night in one of the company houses near the mine. Turner's death was caused from pneumonia and the aged watchman, who was one of the best known of the pioneer mining men, had been ill only a short time. Turner died at 10 o'clock Friday night, and friends believe that the old man's death was a result of the terrible experience which he underwent at the mine office several weeks ago. At that time a farmer living near the mine notified New. Cox, deputy sheriff, who was passing the place, to accompany him to the mine office where, he said he believed foul play had been committed on the aged watchman. Cox investigated and found the old man lying unconscious on the floor in a pool of blood which had somewhat dried. The watchman's forehead had been cut and his hands were terribly lacerated. The furniture in the office was badly wrecked and, the officer said, there was evidence that a struggle might have taken place. Dr. J. B. Hampton of Commerce Oklahoma was called and, following an examination of the man, he ordered that he be taken to the Miami Baptist hospital. At the hospital Dr. Hamp-ton made a more detailed examination and he declared that Turner had suffered a slight concussion of the brain. The man lay at the hospital for almost 48 hours before he regained consciousness and when he became normal he declined to answer any questions which might have tended to throw light on what had occurred at the mine office.

Turner remained at the hospital for three or four days when his condition became such that the hospital authorities said they could no longer manage him. He was detained at the Ottawa county Oklahoma jail for a few days and his son, C. L. Turner, who is a government wireless operator at Dallas Texas, came here and started an investigation in an endeavor to learn what had occurred at the mine. The watchman improved and he returned to his work a few weeks ago.

Friends said Saturday that whatever occurred in the mine office and the fact that he had sustained a concussion of the skull at the time, undoubtedly made his condition so weak that when he was stricken a few days ago with the flu that his vitality could not repeal the shock of the disease and pneumonia developed. He is survived by his son and a brother, Charles Turner, who is a resident of Joplin Missouri.