August 18, 1917: The First Victim of "Human Wolves"

I learned about 18-year-old Elsie Stone‘s sad end while looking for memorials for the unborn at Find-a-Grave. Evidently Colby Weaver, who is interested in old graves, was intrigued by the inscription on another woman‘s headstone. Underneath the dates on the marker of Katherine Cross are the words: "Murdered by Human Wolves." Weaver tracked down a newspaper article on Katherine‘s October 10, 1917 death by criminal abortion, and there learned of this earlier victim.

The paths of 18-year-old Elsie Stone and 24-year-old Fred O'Neil of Konawa, Oklahoma, collided with tragic results that ended with her death on August 18, 1917.

O'Neil operated a business, O'Neal and Son, with his father and brother in Tupelo and Konawa. 

The Seminole County News in Oklahoma reported that 18-year-old school teacher Elsie Stone went to the Konowa, Oklahoma practice of Dr. Abraham H. "A.H." Yates on August 15, 1917. Elsie remained there for three or four days before being moved to Yate's home, where she died.

Miss Powel, Elsie's aunt, testified that Yates had summoned her to Konowa after Elsie's death. Yates' original claim was that Elsie had taken ill while passing through Konowa on a train and had been brought to his practice for care.

On her death certificate, Yates attributed Elsie's death to "congestive chill." However, concerned citizens complained to the County Attorney, A.G. Nichols. Nichols ordered Elsie's body exhumed and an autopsy performed at the cemetery; thus the real cause of her death was discovered. Dr. M. M. Turlington, the Seminole County health officer, believed that the abortion had been perpetrated about 24 hours prior to Elsie's death.

Yates was arrested, along with 24-year-old Fred O'Neil, who had served the principal of the school where Elsie had worked. The men waived arraignment. O'Neil, a married man with three children, was accused of arranging the abortion. He reportedly brought meals to Elsie while she was at Yate's practice. 

Two of the state's witnesses, Beulah Whooten and Mrs. S. M. Thompson said that Elsie had cried and told them about how O'Neil had ruined her life. Beulah said that she'd seen O'Neill hand Elsie a package that contained a letter and some medicine. 

Mrs. Thompson testified, "Elsie told me in June that she had been wronged. She showed me letters from Fred O'Neil which told her to take medicine and that was all he could do for her, that he was a married man and couldn't afford to let it become public on him. She told me about how she was led off by this party and she told me she was going to meet Yates and O'Neil and they were going to take care of her condition."

Yates and O'Neil were originally charged with murder, but because of legal technicalities the charges were reduced to manslaughter. Yates was arrested for Katherine Cross's fatal abortion while awaiting trial. Yates and O'Neil were subsequently acquitted even though the initial ballot for the jury was 11 to 1 for conviction.

Yates, approximately 50 years old at the time of the crimes, was obviously acquitted in Katherine's death as well since the 1920 census shows him living in Konowa with his wife rather than as an inmate in prison. He died in 1931 at the age of 64. 

Sources:

• "Teacher's Death is Being Probed," Tulsa Daily World, August 30, 1917
• "Konowa Men Are in Trouble," The Star Democrat, August 31, 1917
• "Congestion Not Cause of Death of Girl," Blackwell Daily World, September 5, 1917
• "Seminole Men Held for Trial," Ada Weekly News, September 6, 1917
• "Exonerate Physician in Death of Young Teacher," Drumright Evening Derrick, February 25, 1918