This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: LostLeaves Surnames: LAKEY, GRIFFITHS, BIANCHI, PETERS, HISLOP Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.kansas.counties.crawford/1040/mb.ashx Message Board Post: John Levi LAKEY was married to Robina GIBSON on December 24, 1901 in Crawford County, Kansas. They had one child named Thomas b.January 24, 1903. After the death of John Levi LAKEY Robina gave her son Thomas to her sister Mrs. Anna GRIFFITHS to raise. So Thomas has been known as Thomas (Lakey) GRIFFITHS. Robina married 2nd to William HISLOP on December 22, 1906 in Crawford County, Kansas and they had three children. Thomas (Lakey) GRIFFITHS 1st married Erma BIANCHI abt.1930 either in Kansas or Chicago,IL.? They had one child also named Thomas b. Nov. 15, 1930 d.1998. Thomas (Lakey) GRIFFITHS married 2nd to Lorraine Leone PETERS in 1938 IL. and they had two children. Just want to add that bit of info about John Levi LAKEY's lineage. Below is full/all the info I have about his death and murder. This info below was looked up by Maryann JOHNSON who is kin by the GIBSON side and she sent the info out to a couple of us. ( see info below ) Theresa theresagriffiths@iwon.com Pittsburg Headlight, March 15, 1907, Page 1: WAS SHOT TO DEATH Prominent Miner Murdered at Curranville Last Night During Quarrel Tragedy Occurred During a Saloon Quarrel Three Men Are Under Arrest. Curranville, Kas., March 15.---(Special to the Headlight)---John Lakey, a well known miner of this place, was shot and instantly killed in the Billy Wilson joint here last night between 8 and 9 o'clock by one of three man named John Ramage, George Ramage and Gert (Bert) Broadhurst. The latter however, it is claimed, did not have anything to do with the affair. The weapon used was a double-barreled shotgun and both barrels were emptied into the body of Lakey. It is claimed by some that John Ramage fired the shot, while others say that it was his brother George. It is the general statement that Broadhurst had nothing to do with it, but he is under arrest only as an accessory, and the idea is general that he will not be detained for the murder. The Ramage brothers and Broadhurst were arrested shortly after the murder and are now in the county jail in Girard and all of them will be held until a thorough investigation can be had. Were Looking For Trouble. It seems that all had been drinking during the afternoon and the Ramage brothers and Broadhurst had been indulging in wrestling matches with any one who would engage in a scuffle with them. In their rounds with the wrestling matches they came across Lakey in the joint conducted by Broadhurst and engaged him in a wrestle with them. They "ganged" up against him it is alleged, but he threw them all three in two or three different wrestling matches he had with them. This seem to have put them in a bad humor, coupled with an old feud that was said to have existed between them, they left the place and went to the Wilson place. The object in engaging Lakey in the wrestling match was, it is said, for the purpose of getting him into a fight. Lakey also dropped into the Wilson place shortly after the other three arrived there and another wrestling match was arranged and Lakey came winner again in the scuffle for that was all it was. In the last engagement it is claimed by those who were eyewitnesses that one of the trio cut Lakey in the side of the neck. It is stated that he then threatened the three. Came Back and Killed Him. They were outside and after borrowing the shot gun, returned to the Wilson place and without any words, the one who had the gun fired both barrels of the weapon in the direction of Lakey. Only one charge took effect, striking him in the breast. They then left the joint and Lakey walked out at the door of the place and fell to the ground and expired in a few moments. Two of the ribs where the load from the weapon entered his body were forced out through the back and his lungs and hear were practically torn to pieces. The three men who were engaged in the trouble did not attempt to get away or if they did they were apprehended before they could accomplish their escape by City Marshall Hoover, and they were all taken to the jail in Girard. The murdered man was 26 years of age and leave a wife and one child. The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon from the residence at 2 o'clock and the interment will be in the cemetery at Mulberry. M. G. Brady, of the Pittsburg Undertaking Company, who was called to Curranville to look after the body and prepare it for burial stated today that the three men had got into a fight with Lakey with knives, and after a long fight he whipped them all and during that fight he was cut in the neck. The shot from the shotgun he says made a fearful wound and left a large hole in the breast. The lungs and heart were completely torn to pieces. Pittsburg Headlight, Monday, March 18, 1807, Page 2: MURDERER'S ACCOMPLICE ARRESTED. IS CHARGED WITH ADING AND ABETTING IN THE MURDER OF JOHN LAKEY. Four Arrested For Being Implicated In the crime-It Was the Result of a Long Standing Feud Between Lakeys and Men Under Arrest. George Broadhurst was arrested yesterday afternoon by Sheriff Walsh and Undersheriff Merriweather upon the charge of being implicated in the murder of John Lakey last Thursday evening at Curranville and is now in jail in Girard along with his brother Bert Broadhurst, and the Ramage brothers. The charge is that he aided and abetted the Ramage brothers who fired the shot into the body of Lakey that ended in his death. They will have their hearing in Justice Stanton's court tomorrow at Mulberry. It is stated by those who know that there has been a long existing feud between Lakey and the two Ramage brothers and the Broadhurst brothers and they have mixed at various times but at no time in the different fights did the combatants use anything but nature's weapons. This time it appeared, say eyewitnesses of the affair, from the time it started in the joint conducted by Bert Broadhurst, that something would come up of the trouble. The men who were implicated in this murder, it is stated, followed Lakey up and were ganged up against him from the start, but Lakey did not seem to care for that and simply fought his way out when he was attacked by them. The evidence in the preliminary will bring out the true facts in the case and all that can be had of the trouble is as it is told by those who saw the trouble form the start, or say they did. The Girard Press, March 21, 1907, Page 6 (A weekly newspaper) MURDER AT CURRANVILE John Lakey, a Miner, Shot and Killed John Lakey, a well known miner with a somewhat unsavory reputation, was shot and killed in a joint at Curranville run by John Wilson last Thursday night between 8 and 9 o'clock. Four men have since been arrested for participating in the killing. Bert Broadhurst, George Rammage and John Rammage were bought to Girard the same night, and George Broadhurst was place in the county jail Sunday. A double-barreled shotgun was used, the load striking Lakey in the breast, and causing almost instant death. All parties had been drinking at different resorts. There were a number of wrestling matches, in which Lakey was the victory, and finally came a fight, in which knives were used. Later Lakey was shot by someone. The murdered man was 26 years old, and leaves a wife and one child. He had a county jail record, and a six months' sentence expired only a little over a month before he was killed. George Rammage made a confession last Saturday saying that he fired the shot that killed Lakey. He has been in bad condition physically since reaching the county jail, being cut in a number of places, There is one bad gash in his left cheek, and blood poison was threatened Sunday and Monday. The preliminary examination took place before Justice Fred Stanton at Mulberry Tuesday, County Attorney Woolley appearing for the state and B. S. Gaitskill and L. H. Phillips for the defendants. George Rammage, Bert Broadhurst, and George Broadhurst were bound over for trial in district court in Girard for murder in the first degree, the bond of each being fixed at $3,000, and John Rammage for assault with intent to kill, his bond being fixed at $500. All secured satisfactory bondsmen, and were released pending trial. Pittsburg Daily Headlight, Wednesday, March 20, 1907, pg. 1: HELD FOR MURDER Broadhurst Brothers and Geo. Ramage Held on Murder Charge Mulberry, March 20, ---(Special to the Headlight)-The preliminary examination of John and George Ramage and George and Bert Broadhurst, charged with the murder of John Lakey, held in Justice Stanton's court resulted in John Ramage being held for assault with intent to kill under a bond of $500, while the Broadhurst brothers and George Ramage were held for murder in the first degree under a bond of $2,000 each. All gave bonds and were released. The defense put none of their witnesses on the stand. The fact that caused Bert Broadhurst being held was that the killing was done with his gun, but it was not brought out in the examination just who did the shooting. The Girard Press, October 24, 1907: District Court in Girard State vs George Ramage. Murder in the first degree. He was charged with killing John Lakey. It took until about 3 o'clock Monday afternoon to empanel the jury the twelve men chosen to hear the testimony being: James W. Clark, W. T. Oldham, John Huntington, W. W. Newton, E. F. Griffith, J. G. Harman, James Denton, J. H. Koester, George Bee, J. H. Hiatt, Engene Lynch, and Hugh Craig. County Attorney Woodley and Deputy County Attorney True appeared for the state, and B. S. Gaitskill and L. H. Phillips for the defendant. The first witness for the state was Oliver Lakey, a brother of the man who was killed. He testified, in substance that he and John Lakey, Len Hook, and Earne Bear were in Wilson's saloon at Curranville on the 14thof March, 1907. At that time the three Ramage boys were in there, and they got to scuffling, which finally ended in a fight in which knives were used. He said two knives were taken away from John Ramage. Finally John Lakey got John Ramage down and was beating him, when George Ramage started to pull him off. Oliver Lakey and Len Hook tried to prevent his interfering, when he and Len Hook had a fight. Then George Ramage left and returned with a double-barreled shot gun. As he stepped into the room he fired a shot, which hit the stove. The second shot struck John Lakey in the side, and he died soon after. The whole party had been drinking. Arthur Dean said he saw Bert Broadhurst and George Ramage come up the street while the first fight was going on. George Ramage went into the saloon, and Broadhurst went across the street. He (Dean) stepped into the saloon. George Ramage got a gun, and soon he heard two shots. Heard Bert Broadhurst say to Ramage: "go back and get them all. Here are two shells." Earne Bear said he was in Wilson's saloon. John Ramage said to John Lakey: "I can throw you down," Lakey said: "I expect you can. You are bigger than I am." Ramage followed Lakey around, when Lakey struck him in the arm with a knife. Ramage pulled his knife and they fought. Ramage was disarmed by Oliver Lakey and Len Hook, and I set back the chairs and table and said: "Let them fight." John Ramage hollered "enough" and Lakey got up. Then George Ramage and Len Hook had a fight, and when they quit George Ramage went out and soon a shot was fired. Some shot struck him (Bear) in the leg, and he went out of the back door. Ernest Coates was in the saloon. He said Geo. Ramage came up from behind with a gun, and raised it to a level and fired one shot, hitting the stove, and then a second, which struck John Lakey. Ramage then walked out. The witness helped to carry Lakey to the back of the pool hall where he died. Dr. Orr testified to examining the body and the nature of the wounds. Wm. Cox, W. Calloway, Will Avery, John White, Fred Hurst, Walter Donheby, Dave Springer and Thos. Franklin were also witnesses for the state, testifying as to the trouble. Several swore that Bert Broadhurst brought the gun back to his saloon after the shooting, unbreeched it, and that two shells dropped on the floor, and that he remarked, "We got one of them." The state rested yesterday morning, and the first witness for the defense was John Wilson the saloonkeeper, who was followed by John Rammage and Dr. L. P. Adamson, the latter having attended the Ramage boys after they were brought to jail in Girard. The case will probably go to the jury this forenoon. The Girard Press, October 31, 1907: District Court in Girard State of Kansas vs George Ramage. Murder in the first degree. This case was submitted to the jury Thursday afternoon, and a verdict of murder in second degree was rendered. The Girard Press, November 21, 1907 District Court in Girard State vs Geo. Ramage. Murder in the second degree. Motions for new trial argued and overruled, and defendant sentenced to confinement in the state penitentiary for ten years. Execution stayed for ten days given defendant to make and file bill of exceptions, upon his giving bond in the sun of $5,000. The case as to John Ramage, Bert Broadhurst, and Geo. Broadhurst was continued. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.