In the summer of 1902, a grim tragedy befell the community near Cheyenne, Oklahoma, with the death of Sheriff Andrew Jackson Bullard. On a day reported as both June 30th and July 2nd, Sheriff Bullard and his deputy, John Cogburn, were investigating a pair of suspicious men known by the names Green and Whitehead. The suspects were believed to be involved in selling stolen saddles and other goods in the area.
The lawmen located the men on Dead Indian Creek, approximately eight miles north
of Cheyenne. As Sheriff Bullard and Deputy Cogburn approached, they were ambushed and fatally shot. The brazen attack left both officers dead at the scene. An examination later revealed that Sheriff Bullard had sustained eleven bullet wounds from various caliber firearms, with some wounds indicating he was shot from both the front and the back. He was found with his own six-shooter in his hand, having fired two rounds. Deputy Cogburn was killed by a single gunshot to the back, suggesting he was caught completely unaware.
Following the violent encounter, the suspects, Green and Whitehead, managed to escape. They were last seen fleeing in a northerly direction after taking the Sheriff's rifle from his horse. A man named Robinson, who was working as a cook for a local cattle outfit, witnessed the murders but was initially too frightened to come forward with what he had seen. His account of the events would not be known for many years.
Despite the brutal nature of the crime and the significant loss to the community, Green and Whitehead were never apprehended. The investigation into the murders of Sheriff Andrew Jackson Bullard and Deputy John Cogburn did not lead to any arrests, and the case officially remained unresolved. The perpetrators vanished, leaving a lasting scar on the history of Roger Mills County and a story of frontier justice that was never served.
