William King Hale was an American political boss and crime boss in Osage County, Oklahoma who was both the mastermind and one of the convicted perpetrators of the Osage Indian murders. He made a fortune through cattle ranching, contract killings, and insurance fraud.
William King Hale was born on 24 December 1874[1] at Greenville, Hunt County, Texas. He was the son of Peyton Hale (abt.1848-1929) and Mary Elizabeth Gaines (abt.1847-1878).
In 1880, five-year-old William was living with his father, step-mother, and five siblings in Hunt County, Texas.[2]
At age 43 in September 1918, William registered for the World War I draft.[1]
William was described as being of medium height and build, with brown eyes and black hair.[1]
William was a self-employed farmer and stockman.[1]
In January 1920, William, Myrtie, and their twelve-year-old daughter Willie were residing in Fairfax, Osage County, Oklahoma, on a farm they owned freely on Second Street. William was a farmer and stockman on the general farm. James L. Maso was a lodger in their home, and he was a farm labor who worked outside the family farm.[5]
In 1923, William facilitated the murder of Henry "Roan Horse" Roan (1883-1923). William's crimes were investigated by FBI agent Thomas Bruce White. See Osage Indian murders.[6] William also had at least two dozen people who had threatened to testify against him killed.
In 1929, William was sentenced to life in prison.[7][8] The following year, in April 1930, the federal census shows William as an inmate at the United State Penitentiary in Leavenworth County, Kansas.[9]
In April 1952, his wife Myrtie passed away at age 74.
William moved to Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona about 1950. He lived at 120 East Ocotillo.[11]
William passed away at age 87 on 15 August 1962 at a nursing home in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona. He was buried at Mission Chapel Mausoleum in Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas.[11][12]
↑1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFNL-GL2 : 20 February 2021), William K Hale in household of Peyton Hale, Precinct 1, Hunt, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district ED 63, sheet 416A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,312.
↑ "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV14-V62B : 23 February 2021), W K Hale and Myrtie Fry, 14 May 1902; citing Marriage, citing Hunt, Texas, United States, Texas State Library, Archives Division, and various Texas county clerks; FHL microfilm 1,024,970.
↑ "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8Y-S91G : 10 March 2021), W K Hale and Myrtie Fry, 14 May 1902; citing Hunt, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 1,024,970.
↑ "Hale Sent to Prison for Life," The Wichita Sunday Eagle (Wichita, Kansas), Sunday 27 January 1929, page 1, column 1. Newspapers.com : 3 February 2022.
↑ "Sentenced for Life," The Wichita Sunday Eagle (Wichita, Kansas), Sunday 27 January 1929, page 1, column 2. Newspapers.com : 3 February 2022. Photograph.
↑1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7Q6-CZJ : accessed 9 June 2021), William K Hale, Fort Leavenworth, Leavenworth, Kansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 17, sheet 5A, line 45, family , NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 707; FHL microfilm 2,340,442.
↑ "Mass-Murderer Paroled," The Wichita Beacon (Wichita, Kansas), 1 August 1947, page 1, column 1. Newspapers.com : 3 February 2022.
↑ 11.011.1Obituary: "William K. Hale," The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona), Friday 17 August 1962, page 27, column 1. Newspapers.com : 3 February 2022.
↑Memorial: Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/76058240/william-king-hale : accessed 9 June 2021), memorial page for William King “Bill” Hale (24 Dec 1874–15 Aug 1962), Find A Grave: Memorial #76058240, citing Mission Chapel Mausoleum, Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas, USA ; Maintained by The Old Genealogist (contributor 46920129) .
"United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JTQ3-WPR : 11 January 2021), William Hale, Aug 1962; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
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