Virus Cleaton Randolph (1897 - 1932)

Born 22 Sep 1897 in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma

Ancestors

Husband of Alice Victoria (Bell) Cole — married 5 Dec 1918 (to 22 Nov 1932) in Hughes, Oklahoma, United States

Died 22 Nov 1932 at age 35 in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, United States

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Biography

Cleton was born on Sept. 22 1897 in Oklahoma. He was the son of Elijah Randolph and Ardelle Wilson. He married Alice Bell in Oklahoma on Dec. 5 1918.^[1]They had 3 children. 2 daughters, Eagle Marion and Wanda, and a son Calvin. He passed away Nov. 22 1932 from a gun shot wound at the age of 35.^[2] He is buried in Pryor Cemetery, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ "Oklahoma, County Marriages, 1890-1995", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XVLR-TH9 : 3 November 2017), Virus C Randolph and Alice V Bell, 1918.
2. ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/oka/hughes/news_crime.html
3. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 13 April 2018), memorial page for Virus Cleton Randolph (22 Sep 1897–22 Nov 1932), Find A Grave Memorial no. 16753005, citing Pryor Cemetery, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, USA ; Maintained by MillieBelle (contributor 46628380) .

Newspaper Articles

Although a week has elapsed since he killed Raymond Simpson, a Stuart farmer and Clete Randolph, a Stuart blacksmith. John Gilley, 32 years old, Stuart farmer was still being held in the county jail Saturday night while authorities continued their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the slayings. Simpson was killed instantly when Gilley fired a charge from his shot gun into the farmer's body late Sunday at the Gilley's home near Stuart. Randolph shot at the same time, died a day later in a McAlester hospital. No charges have been filed against Gilley, who maintained that he shot in protecting his home. He said the two men were drunk and refused to leave his home. On his death bed at McAlester Hospital, Randolph told county attorney the he was so drunk he didn't remember what happened. Gilley will face charges for murder.

Second Shot Victim Dies McAlester, Okla., Nov. 28 – Clete Randolph, shot Sunday at the John Gilley farm, near Stuart, died in a McAlester hospital last night, bringing the number of fatalities in the shooting affray to two. Raymond Simpson was killed instantly at the farm where he and Randolph got into an argument with Gilley, who immediately thereafter surrendered to officers at Stuart. County Attorney Ralph L. Busey said he was preparing murder charges. Gilley, 33 who subleased his farm from Simpson and Randolph, told officers he shot in defense of his home after ordering the two men, whom he said were drinking, from the premises. (Miami Daily News-Record, November 23, 1932, page 7) Man Held as Slayer Holdenville, Okla., Dec. 21 – John Gilley, 32, Stuart farmer, today was held for district court trial on a charge of murdering Raymond Simpson, a neighbor, several weeks ago. Simpson and Clete Randolph were killed at Gilley’s home and Gilley told arresting officers he fired in self defense. However, at his preliminary hearing yesterday, he offered no evidence and his counsel indicated he would waive hearing on a second murder charge in Randolph’s death. (Miami Daily News-Record, December 21, 1932, Wednesday, page 8)