Pendergrass, Mack Charles

M. C. Pendergrass, 35, a miner living at Century Oklahoma, was shot and killed by Deputy Sheriff James Hendricks Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock, when Hendricks, with two other deputies, raided a crap game south of the Missouri Mule Mine. Pendergrass attempted to escape, the officers say. A charge of murder was placed against Hendricks Monday morning by Prosecuting Attorney F. W. Church. The officer is in jail pending a preliminary hearing. Feelings ran high in Picher over the affair Sunday night. The officers were criticized severely for the killing. After Pendergrass was taken to the Picher hospital Picher Oklahoma, Hendricks telephoned to the Sheriff's office, in Miami, and reported the shooting. Pendergrass signed a statement while in the hospital, saying he was struck by a glancing bullet, Sheriff Freeman said Monday. Sixty-five men were shooting craps on the prairie according to information from Picher Monday morning, when the deputies came upon the men in an automobile. At the appearance of the officers, every man in the game stood up and surrendered, but Pendergrass attempted to get away. Hendricks said Monday he tried to shoot at Pendergrass' feet. The bullet entered Pendergrass' back, ranging upward within an inch of the heart. Immediately after the shooting, Hendricks took the wounded man in an automobile to the Picher Hospital, where he received medial attention. Pendergrass lived two hours after reaching the hospital. Pendergrass was employed at the Eagle-Picher Mine No. 7 as a machine man. He leaves, besides his wife, a brother at Webb City Missouri, who is a dentist. Pendergrass formerly lived in Webb City. The body was turned over to the Todd undertaking company, Picher, and relatives are expected to arrive Monday to make funeral arrangements. Three men, giving the names of J. Clark, 33, B. Nixon, 19, and Walter Patty, 27, were taken by Hendricks in a raid earlier in the day. A charge of gambling has been placed against the three men. All are in the county Jail.

Note: See Hendricks for more details. The funeral of Mack Charles Pendergrass, the man who was shot Sunday afternoon by Chief Hendricks of Cardin Oklahoma, takes place at 3:30 p.m. today, the services being performed by the Reverend T. J. Walsh of the M. E. church at the Union church. Burial will be made in the Miami cemetery later this afternoon. The wife of the dead man will be sent to a hospital in Kansas City Missouri, the money for the necessary railway fare and expenses while in Kansas City having been raised in Picher yesterday by subscription. It is said she has not a relative in the world and is about to become a mother.

Obituary.

Deputy sheriff James Hendricks, who shot and killed M. G. Pendergrass, 35, a miner of Century Oklahoma, July 21, when Pendergrass attempted to escape arrest after a crap game had been raided by Hendricks and two other deputies waived preliminary hearing late Wednesday afternoon when brought before Justice of the Peace A. H. Lampkin. Bond was fixed by Judge Davis of the District Court at $10,000. After the waiver had been declared friends of Hendricks instituted habeas corpus proceedings and had him brought before the District Court. The case was heard before Judge Preston S. Davis and bond for Hendricks was placed at $10,000, which up to noon Thursday he had been unable to furnish.

Widow Sues Husband's Slayer. Suit was instituted in the District court late Tuesday afternoon by Ora Pendergrass against former Deputy Sheriff James Hendrix, who shot and killed Mrs. Pendergrass's husband recently near Picher Oklahoma. Hendricks fired at Pendergrass when the latter attempted to run as the officer was raiding a crap game.