Shootout – the end of Indian Territory

By Ike Nicholson as told to Alene D. McDowell, May 18, 1937 On November 16, 1907, the day Oklahoma (Indian Territory) became a state, there was plenty of excitement and a number of outlaws in town. Earnest Lewis was a former outlaw and was at the time operating a beer joint at Third Street and Keeler Avenue, where the Phillips No. 1 Service Station is now located. The Dalton boys were his friends and even Cole Younger who had been sent to prison for life was pardoned and had visited Lewis in Bartlesville. Lewis had been bootlegging whiskey and Fred Keeler and George Williams, United States Marshals, who lost their commission on the night of Statehood sent him word they would get him that night. Bob Scamp was operating a restaurant in front of the Lewis Saloon, and I took my meals with him. – I had just finished eating a piece of pie when I saw Williams come in the back door of the saloon and heard him make the remark to Lewis, “Have you got any whiskey Bob Scamp was operating a restaurant in the front of the Lewis Saloon, and I took my meals with him, – I had just finished eating a piece of pie when I saw Williams come in the back door of the saloon and heard him make the remark to Lewis, “Have you got any whiskey?” Lewis answered, “No, but I’ve got some damned good beer”. Lewis told the bartender, “Get down son, there’s going to be a shooting”. Putting his hand on the bartenders head, pushed him down behind the counter. I left the saloon at this time for I did not want to be in the line of the bullets. Piaza Hotel across the street and about the time I got to the sidewalk in front of the hotel, the shooting started, and I stood where I was until it was finished. I went back to the front of the restaurant and tried to look in through the window, but the house was so full of smoke I could hardly see anything inside. I saw Williams laying across a pile of cans dead. anything inside. I did not go inside from the rear, but returned to the front of the store where I could see Lewis lying on his back with his head to the East on the floor dead. Meanwhile, Bill Lewis, brother of Earnest, came to the scene and was placed under arrest to keep him from doing violence to some innocent party. They took Bill away and soon Julia Lewis, wife of Earnest, arrived and they had a struggle to get her under control. When the shooting started, Williams had come from in from the rear and Fred Keeler entered the saloon from the front at the same time. Willims shot at Lewis and missed, drilling a hole in the bar above Lewis’ head. About that time Keeler appeared on the scene and dropped to his knees at the end of the counter and opened fire on Lewis. Lewis shot Keeler and when he dropped to his knees Lewis thought he had killed him. He then turned his attention to Williams and Lewis was killed by Keeler. Lewis had killed Williams and Keeler killed Lewis. Keeler was not arrested for this crime. After Lewis was pardoned from prison for the murder of a man, before he came to this country, he became a good citizen. He had a kind sympathetic heart and was a friend to the poor. Many whom he had befriended were his bitter enemies. Lewis was buried in the White Rose Cemetery in Bartlesville and the inscription on his monument is EARNEST LEWIS, KILLED BY FRED KEELER, NOVEMBER 16, 1907. This inscription was chiseled off the monument several times but Mrs. Lewis had it put back on. Mrs. Lewis is now married to Emmett Dalton, the younger of the Dalton Gang, and they are living in California.