Lucas, John

of Hockerville Oklahoma, found dead by five men across the Street from his home near the rear of the Lucky Jenny Mill office, of which he was a night watchman. The body was discovered by five workmen, Harold Hulsey, George Shoemaker, Bill Banstead, Cecil Handley and Chester Bryant about 11 o'clock Wednesday evening after they had gone to the Lucas home, as was their custom, and were informed by Mrs. Lucas, who is blind that she had not heard anything of her husband since about 5 o'clock when he went to make his usual inspection tour of the plant...the authorities said the slaying apparently took place about 6:30 o'clock soon after darkness, on the basis of a medical examiner's report. The watchman suffered five fractures of the skull, all on the right side of his forehead and top of his head, according to Smith, who said that part of the head was crushed by blows of a blunt instrument, which also inflicted deep gashes in the scalp. The general opinion is that Lucas probably surprised someone attempting to steal something around the mill. According to A. T. Harris, assistant manager of the mine, an ore theft was committed several weeks ago and the last one occurred during the last two weeks. There was no apparent attempt to rob Lucas as officers found is two wallets in his pockets. One contained $35 and the other $4.65. The Lucky Jenny Mill, operated by the Harris Mine Company, is at the south end of Hockerville Oklahoma's main Street. The Lucas home, a small two-room house, is directly across the Street east from the mill office. No direct clews have been reported by officers and the slaying is a mystery.

Funeral services for John Lucas, the 50 years old night watchman, who was found dead, presumably a murder victim, near a mine in Hockerville Oklahoma was held last Monday at 1 o'clock at the Hockerville church. Rev. Denton officiated and burial was in the Mount Hope cemetery at Webb City Missouri. The only survivor of Mr. Lucas is his widow who is blind.