Stabbing of a Friend-Young W. Umphres (Uncle to Ethel Wall)

 Young W. Umphres was born just after the Civil War on October 20, 1869 to Gaston and Arminda Umphres in North Fork, Arkansas.  He was the fifth child out of nine born to this farming couple.  Sometime during the 1890's Young moved with his family from Arkansas to Barry County Missouri.  It was here that he met Eva Wall and they were married on October 21, 1894.  Eva was the sister to Lewis M. Wall.   While in Missouri the couple had four children:  Lewis Gaston, Jewell Otto, Callie Florence and Amy May.  Sometime between the years of 1903 and 1909 they moved their family to Lexington, Oklahoma where they had two more children, Armon Roy and Anna Marie.   

 

I was recently sent this digital picture and on the back it had the name of Young printed, so I am going to assume that this is Young and Eva with their two first born sons, Lewis and Jewell Otto.  Jewell was born in 1897 and appears to be around the age of one in this picture. I am going to guess it was taken in Missouri around 1898-99. 

The couple seemed to have followed other family members to the area in Cleveland County, because Eva's parents were also living in the Lexington area according to the the 1910 census, as well as her brother Lewis M. Wall and his children.   Young and Eva continued to farm around the Lexington community and made lots of friends in their new home. 

A few days ago, I was researching through the newspaper: Lexington Leader  and I happened to see Young Umprhres name mentioned in a stabbing attack on a friend, J.H. Lohden on January 30, 1915.  Apparently, several men were drinking late at night at the J. B. Sasser store located near the Willow View community just northeast of Lexington, Ok.  Mr Lohden and a neighbor had been to a lodge meeting and noticed a storm cloud coming up and they went into the store for a few minutes.  Young was in the store and called Mr Lohden over and before Mr Lohden could react Young Umphres attacked him with a knife in the breast and then continued to stab him 8 more times before the other men were able to  pull him off.  Immediately after the attack Young went home to bed.  The city marshal was notified of the stabbing and went to arrest Young and he was placed in the Cleveland County jail.  When Young was arrested he stated he didn't remember the incident.  Doctors were unsure if Mr Lohden would make it do to the serious of his injuries, however he survived and was doing better after a few days. 

The first newspaper article on the stabbing

Article on Mr. Lohden recovery

  Umphres Preliminary Hearing

A few weeks after the attack, Young had his preliminary hearing and was charged with assault.  Mr Umphres was represented by attorney Thomas Cheatwood. 

 

Thomas Cheatwood 

picture from "Find a Grave"
 

 

35 subpoenas were served on Willow View citizens 

 

His Trial in March of 1915

 Young was charged during the trial of trying to kill his friend and neighbor Mr Lohden and the defense used insanity caused by an excessive use of alcohol as their defense.  From the testimony of witnesses the "whole outfit" was drunk the night of the stabbing, but Mr Umphres was the worst because he didn't remember the attack on his friend and neighbor. Witnesses testified to the good character of Young Umphres when he was sober, but "that he was the devil when drunk, driving his wife and children from their home, and at one time had caught a dog by the collar and cut the animal to pieces with his pocket knife and when he woke up would know nothing of it."  Witnesses said that his knife was his favorite weapon and used it with "great power" upon Lohden's body.   Lohden did recover and was able to testify in court.

Guilty 

The jury in the case found Mr Umphres guilty of trying to kill Mr. Lohden, however it was really a victory for the defense because Young was only made to pay 100.00 dollars and would only spend 30 days in jail that started immediately after the verdict.   The typical punishment should have been a maximum of 10 years in prison.  I guess the community support behind Young helped him get a lighter sentence.  But then I found this article below and his luck got even better.

Y.W. Umphres was one of two prisoners to be paroled early on recommendation of Judge Swank and the County Attorney Gregsby.   Governor Williams issued a parole for Young in order he could make his crop and support his family.  He declared when leaving jail, "never again."   Looking through the newspaper records, I never found him in any more trouble.  No doubt though he probably continued to terrorize his family when he got drunk.   I researched what happened to Mr Lohden after the trial and he moved his family to Washita County, Oklahoma.  I am sure it would feel uncomfortable living in a community were your attacker walked free and the amount of support the community provided for the attacker would have been  hard to accept.  

Young and Eva continued to farm near Lexington until his death on December 30, 1940 and he is buried in the Lexington cemetery.  Eva lived another 25 years and passed away on May 15, 1965.  It is interesting to note that she is buried in Noble, Oklahoma.  It makes one wonder if she didn't want anything to do with being buried by her abusive husband or was it a decision by one of her children.