Historic Take | David McFarland

I do not think most people realize that history often changes with age. The trends of the day often shadow and flavor it. Sometimes it gets changed to serve a purpose. Never forget the adage, “History is written by the victors!” This concept is never more apparent than when you work with history like we do at the History Center. We constantly search for bits of the past, but we must always check and verify what we find.

This brings to mind the murder in Stanton. I have run across several references to it, and sometimes they do not give the whole story. In March of 1916, the telegrapher at the Red Oak train station received a message from the operator at Stanton about three o’clock in the morning. The message read, “Help! Help! I have been shot in the back. I am all in!” Then the key went silent.

The Red Oak operator quickly sent news of the crime to Creston dispatch, which responded immediately with orders to dispatch a special train with Sheriff Jackson onboard, as it was the quickest way to get to Stanton from Red Oak. The Red Oak operator, thinking quickly, called the Stanton phone exchange and requested medical assistance be sent to the crime scene.

The story relates that all these people went into action quickly and efficiently, but it might be said that it was too late. Sadly, no one is left alive to give first-hand accounts of the incident. I doubt many even remember the story of the low-down assault on the station master at Stanton. However, in checking the story, a whole new set of facts comes into play. Apparently, our first responders were not too late, but rather too early in their response.

Dr. Griffith was first on the scene and found the station master on the floor in paralyzing pain. However, the doctor found no bullet wounds in his back, but that he was suffering from great “internal disorder.”  Special Agent Burke arrived from Creston and began an investigation.

The station master repeatedly claimed he was in the best of health and could distinctly remember hearing two gun shots and instantly collapsed from pain in his back. Realizing he was alone and everyone in town was asleep, his first thought was to telegraph Red Oak for help. The final report was the doctor ruled it a probable appendicitis.

It’s a true story, not to mention a pretty good one at that, but the facts are a little out of adjustment. It’s a story that has grown a little over the years, and yet it attests to a need for a little caution when dealing with facts and the need to check what is absolutely true.