Sheppard, J. J.

"Rounder" Editor to Be Tried Tuesday on Murder Charge - On account of witnesses for the state being absent, the trial of J. J. Sheppard, former editor of "The Rounder," in the Ottawa county Oklahoma district court, has been postponed until tomorrow. A. D. Hartley, former justice of the peace at Tar River Oklahoma, who is wanted by both the state and the defense to give testimony, did not report. Sheppard is charged with assault with the intent to kill Frank Goode, who was city marshal at Tar River. The trial of Arch Ballard, charged with grand larceny in connection with the alleged theft of an automobile, was called and is being held today. J. J. Sheppard, editor of The Rounder, who was placed in jail Saturday, charged with carrying concealed weapons, was released on $500 bond Monday morning. The bond was signed by W. S. Nelson, E. C. Hubbard, T. J. Sweet, N. Wallace and E. L. Stanford. Several hundred people gathered in front of the court house during the morning in response to a call for a mass meeting that was issued by a "citizens' committee." After he was released Sheppard talked to the crowd for half an hour and repeated charges that he had previously published in The Rounder about alleged lawlessness in the county. He declared that a "vice ring," protected by officials, is operating gambling houses and disorderly resorts in Picher Oklahoma, Tar River and other mining towns of the county. Sheppard told the crowd that the "ring" has a number of hired assassins in its employ and that he expected they would kill him. "But when they come for me," he shouted, "they will find me armed with a revolver and ??? Winchester. Any time you see me on the Streets I will be armed and ready for business. It is understood that an investigation of conditions in this county is to be conducted by Attorney General Freeling. It is also likely that a grand jury will be called here to probe the charges of lawlessness. After Sheppard had finished talking to the crowd he returned to the sheriff's office and demanded that a pistol and rifle, which he had when arrested, be returned to him. His request was refused and he was told that the statutes of the state forbid the carrying of weapons. Sheppard claimed he needed the guns to protect himself against "assassins" who had threatened his life. On leaving the sheriff's office he said he was going to his home in Tar River and arrange for the publication of another edition of The Rounder. While talking to the crowd in front of the court house Sheppard several times advised against any attempt at mob violence. Members of the crowd raised a fund of $100 to employ an attorney to look after Sheppard's interest. J. H. Baulch, of Miami, who contributed to the fund, displayed his money too freely and a moment later told the crowd that his pocket had been picked. He said he lost $12. W. C. Willey, a school teacher and preacher, acted as chairman of the mass meeting. He said he was convinced that Sheppard is honest and has been wronged. Mrs. B. A. Cook, of Tar River, circulated a petition in [balance of article not available]

Bond of $6,500 was furnished late Wednesday afternoon for J. J. Shepherd, publisher of The Rounder, who has been in jail on charges of criminal libel and carrying concealed weapons. Shepherd was released after Sheriff Ed Freeman had approved the bond, and went to his home at Tar River. The bondsmen who obtained Shepherd's release were Giles Overton, J. A. Stafford, John Newton, I. C. Hocker, A. J. Abrams, J. B. Palmer, J. H. Parkinson and C. M. McReynolds. Although at liberty Shepherd will not be permitted to resume publication of The Rounder as a writ of injunction issued by county Judge N. C. Barry several weeks ago suppressing the paper, is still in force. The provisions of the injunction are broad and provide for the suppression not only of The Rounder, but of all similar publications. Charges that county officers had protected vice and gambling in the mining towns of the county were made by Shepherd in his paper and resulted in a general probe of conditions in the county by Attorney General S. P. Freeling. At the close of an inquiry here during which the editor was questioned at length the attorney general declared Shepherd's allegations were unfounded.. He intimated, however, that independent investigations made by agents of his office would probably result in charges of "neglect of duty" being brought against "one or two subordinate county officials." The attorney general has been in St. Paul Minnesota, for the last two weeks looking after railroad rate cases, in which the state is interested, and no charges have been filed by him as a result of the vice probe. Persons in close touch with the situation said Thursday they had reason to believe that Mr. Freeling had decided not to carry out his intention of filing charges against county officers. At the close of the recent investigation the attorney general announced there were no open vice or gambling resorts in Ottawa county Oklahoma and added, "I will see to it that no resorts are opened. If necessary I will keep an agent of my office in the county permanently." The attorney general while here was spurred on in his action against vice resorts by a special representative of the war department who demanded that the county be "cleaned up" in order to protect soldiers on furlough and men of draft age from contracting social diseases.

The Criminal Court of Appeals at Oklahoma City late Thursday sustained the habeas corpus proceedings instituted by the law firm of Hainer and Ballinger in behalf of J. J. Shepherd, who was fined $2,000 and sentenced to a year in Jail recently on four cases of contempt before Judge N. C. Barry, of the Ottawa county Court. The appellate court issued the writ and ordered Shepherd's release. Shepherd is held, however, pending his giving bond in the amount of $1,000, following an appeal taken in the libel charges for which he was sentenced to sixty days in Jail and fined $250. Attorneys for Shepherd said Friday the defendant will furnish bond Saturday. The contempt charges against Shepherd grew out of affidavits that were published in the defendants publication, The Rounder, in which the court and officers were accused of corrupt practices. Shepherd was convicted after a jury trial of libeling Deputy Sheriff George Gibson.