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longdale jail, oklahoma calabooses, oklahoma tiny jails

Longdale Jail

City/Town:
Location Class:
Built: Unknown | Abandoned: Unknown
Status: Abandoned
Photojournalist: Cathy Brock

The Longdale Jail is very similar in construction to that of the Cache Jail. It is made of blocks, with two cells and has been repurposed into a utility building of some sorts. It is one of the prime examples of a calaboose in Oklahoma, a remnant of pioneer days passed. Not many stories of this jail could be retrieved, even an official built date has not been pinpointed, but there are a few stories where the Longdale Jail is mentioned.


Youth Slain in Longdale Jail Fracas June 09, 1938 – Oscar Phillips 56, Longdale City Marshal was free on $5,000 bail Thursday, following the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old Longdale youth early last Sunday morning, but was reluctant to disclose just what his immediate plans would be.

The heavily built, gray-haired, officer was charged with murder after Dick Swayden fell with a .38 caliber bullet near his heart, said he didn’t think he would go back to Longdale for at least a few days.

Conflicting stories as to incidents leading up to the shooting including the assertions by the Swaydens that Phillips “has had it in for us” is believed to have brought about Phillips’s plan to remain elsewhere perhaps until trial is held probably next September.

The shooting climaxed in a fracas between two other youths which started in Longdale when the pair returned there at about 2 am following a country dance. Not long after the dance according to Merrill Baskins, undersheriff who investigated that morning, Kelley Swayden brother of the fatally wounded and Kid Miller were fighting.

Phillips interceded and took the pair to the town jail, Baskins said he learned and while Phillips was closing the door on Miller Swayden fled. “I didn’t shoot at the boy but fired my pistol straight into the air and called for him to stop. I didn’t plan to fire at him at all.” the arrested Marshall said.

Dick Swayden struck me down and knocked me almost out he related and pointed to a bad bruise on his left eye and a cut on his forehead. Baskins said that he was told by those who witnessed the affair that Swayden jumped onto the prostrate Swayden and that the officer fired while Swayden was atop him.

Swaydens relatives claim witnesses who will testify Phillips turned on Dick and fired at close range when he insisted he not fired at his fleeing brother. The victim of the affair had been working in Colorado and had only recently returned to work in a Longdale store.

Conflicting stories also arose as to whether the insistence of Swayden’s relatives the he be arrested caused him to be jailed Sunday morning or whether “I wanted them to put me here until it is cleared up” was expressed by Phillips himself.

The marshal waived preliminary hearing to murder charges when arraigned in county court Monday and entered a plea of innocence to the charge when arraigned in district court on Tuesday before Judge WP Keen.

Phillips sat in his cell in the county jail Wednesday still wearing his city marshal star and expressed his sorrow that it had to happen. He refused to relate incidents preceding the shooting or how it occurred but insisted the actual truth had been told an was certain when he related the facts in court and brought witnesses to testify he would be exonerated.

Swayden a husky used to be prize fighter and his blow would have knocked anybody down he said. When asked if he had ever had to use his gun before he said “No and one time I was cut into strips by a man I was arresting. I beat him down with my night stick rather than shoot him and I nearly died at the hospital where I was kept for four weeks.”

He referred to an attack on himself in July by Pete Martin when he attempted to take the man to the Longdale Jail. Martin drew his knife and began stabbing Phillips. The officer knocked him unconscious with his strap after minutes of fighting.

“I don’t have it out for anybody, I would arrest you (the reporter) or anybody else when they break the law. I leave them alone otherwise” he said. Several citizens of Longdale in the county courthouse this week said they would demand continued protection by the law there. They said they were taxpayers and needed protection.

The otherwise quiet farming community which is home of many good people was in the limelight last September when a 20-year-old Oakwood farm youth was shot to death following a roadside altercation and in April 1937 in an alleged abortion murder charge was filed in court naming a Longdale woman as the defendant.

Ex-Officer Files Serious Charges April 13, 1939 – Oscar Phillips, former Longdale night officer, freed last December of murder charges in the slaying of 23-year-old Longdale youth brought charges early this month against George Swayden, father of the dead youth alleging he had threatened Phillips’ life.

Phillips who faced the murder charges after Dick Swayden was shot in an altercation near the Longdale Jail with Phillips, gave up his police commission in the town but has continued to reside there.

Swayden is a merchant in Longdale. The men see each other often it was learned. When the merchant was arraigned on the charge on April 1, he controverted the charges posted a $200 appearance bond and will appear for a hearing on April 28.

Check out over 150 tiny jails across Oklahoma and the rest of the country by checking out our Abandoned Atlas Travel Map.




Bibliography

SOURCES

https://www.newspapers.com/image/904624525/?match=1&terms=%22longdale%20jail%22

https://www.newspapers.com/image/904624525/?terms=%22longdale%20jail%22

Longdale Jail
Emily Cowan

Emily is a two-time published author of "Abandoned Oklahoma: Vanishing History of the Sooner State" and "Abandoned Topeka: Psychiatric Capital of the World". With over two hundred published articles on our websites. Exploring since 2018 every aspect of this has become a passion for her. From educating, fighting to preserve, writing, and learning about history there is nothing she would rather do.

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Emily Cowan

Emily is a two-time published author of "Abandoned Oklahoma: Vanishing History of the Sooner State" and "Abandoned Topeka: Psychiatric Capital of the World". With over two hundred published articles on our websites. Exploring since 2018 every aspect of this has become a passion for her. From educating, fighting to preserve, writing, and learning about history there is nothing she would rather do.

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