Sheriff Joyce Blackman of Graham County was shot and possibly fatally wounded by Alfred (Red) Cummings in the country north of Morland early Tuesday morning. Blackman and a deputy, Dick Odle, attempted to arrest Cummings on a charge of murder lodged against him at North Platte, Nebraska, when the shooting occurred. Nebraska authorities had been seeking Cummings for some time. They had reported to Sheriff Blackman that the fugitive would be in Morland early Tuesday morning, and Blackman and Odle started after their man. Cummings was located in a Model A Ford Sedan belonging to Silas Huntington, a farmer living four miles north of Morland. Floyd Huntington, also wanted on the North Platte murder charge, and Silas and Bill Huntington were with Cummings. The Ford was located about three miles north of Morland, and Blackman, driving a powerful Buick, forced the machine into the ditch. Cummings and his companions jumped from the car. Floyd Huntington surrendered immediately. Cummings is said to have drawn a gun and to have opened fire on the officers. Sheriff Blackman was struck by a bullet that passed through the upper portion of his left arm and into his breast, lodging near the heart. Despite his wound, Blackman returned fire, a bullet striking Cummings in the hip. The shooting stopped, however, when Silas Huntington stepped in front of the wounded officer, and Cummings fled on foot. Cummings ran to the John Sullivan farm and, at the point of the gun, forced the farmer to drive him north to Lenora. He is said to have boasted that he had “just shot it out with the sheriff.” Two miles south of Lenora, Cummings became sick from his wound, and Sullivan was able to get out of the car and then returned home and notified the officers where he had left the desperado. A posse was formed immediately, and Cummings was noticed as he left the farmstead of J. Dwine, which was just south of Lenora. He was trailed into a cornfield and captured within three hours after the shooting. Sheriff Blackman is a young man and a World War veteran. He was raised near Morland. Cumming also grew up in the Morland community. He had been arrested on June 24th at North Platte on the murder charge, but his release had been secured on a writ of habeas corpus by a Hill City lawyer. Since then, additional evidence against Cummings and Huntington had been discovered, and the new search for him was inaugurated. In view of the possibilities of mob action in case of the death of the popular sheriff, it was deemed best to take the desperado and his associate out of Graham County for safekeeping. Sheriff Blackman was too weak to be moved and was left at Morland. He was bleeding internally from his wound and grew steadily weaker for some time. At first, no hope was held for his recovery. Several prominent doctors were rushed to his bedside to give him the benefit of expert consultation.

LEADING THE 1989 ROOKS COUNTY FREE FAIR PARADE.

* And So They Say: Pudy Larson: “One thing you can always expect on a trip is trouble.” Judge Gilbert: “It looks like most laws these days are just to protect the criminals.” Bump Arrington: “If I’d get rid of the grass growing in the cracks in my sidewalk, it would look bare out in front of my store.”

Jessie James and the Lost Trailers were the headliners for the Rooks County Free Fair. Some of her songs that reached the Billboard 200 Chart were “Wanted,” “My Cowboy,” and “I Look So Good.”

Phillip Morin, 23, of Damar, was almost instantly killed yesterday morning when his car, stalled on the Union Pacific tracks, was struck by a freight train about two miles from Damar. The automobile was carried for a distance of 200 feet and demolished. Morin was picked up by the train crew and taken to Palco for emergency treatment by Dr. Peterson but died a few minutes after reaching the doctor’s office. Coroner Brown made an investigation of the death and decided a hearing would not be necessary. Morin suffered severe injuries. A long wound was made above the right eye extending to the ear, a deep gash on the head, left ear torn off, right shoulder broken, and left arm broken. It had been said that Morin had been at a dance and apparently had gone to sleep in his car, which had stalled on the Union Pacific railway tracks.

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SPOTLIGHTING THE YEAR…1968 * And So They Say: Ken Bates: “Our biggest news is that we will be celebrating our first anniversary of being in business for ourselves next week.” Lu Slansky: “When I get tired, I’m not just tired—my feet hurt.” Virgil Olson: “I think on our recent rip to Dallas we saw an average of at least one camper every other mile. Just about everyone is traveling that way these days.” * A new thrill show to offer spills and chills at the Rooks County Fair had been announced.

What Was Going On 14 Years Ago The entire Stockton area was saddened when they heard of the tragic drowning accident, which took the life of three-year-old Phoenix Wise, son of Brian and Nicole Wise. For the second consecutive year, a Stockton Grade School student claimed the honor of bringing home the Kansas State winner of the “Fight the Bite” art poster contest.

* And So They Say: Bill Bedore: “It isn’t the heat that’s getting me down this summer—it’s the gnats.” Leo Bird: “Making a hole in one is a thrill that comes only once in a lifetime— and sometimes not that often.” Albert McCue: “We’re going to be so busy Saturday serving wedding guests we won’t be able to have our usual summer picnic outdoor service.”