MARSHALL  E. C. WILLIAMS
JUNE 26th, 1895

Around dusk on the evening of June 26, 1895, events that would forever change the lives of two families were set into motion. When the dust cleared, two men were dead, and a third, the caused of all the trouble, barely escaped. All three of these men were prominent Enid citizens. Ironically, the two who died were close friends.
     One was R. W. Patterson, Registrar of the United States Land Office. Patterson was
appointed to his position through the influences of his cousin, Hoke Smith of Georgia, Secretary of the Interior at that time.
     The second, E. C. Williams, was City Marshal of Enid. A native of San Francisco, Williams had been raised in Boston, attending the best schools they had to offer. He moved west to Denver, where he was a newspaper reporter for a while, then came to Enid with the opening of the Cherokee Strip.
     The third man, whose vitriolic pen and quick temper caused the showdown, was J. L. Isenberg, owner of the Enid Daily Wave. Isenberg was known to have definite likes and dislikes and didn't hesitate to make his feelings known in his newspaper.
     The Wave was a strongly Democratic newspaper, and since Patterson was also a Democrat, Isenberg fully expected that he would receive the patronage of the land office - a source of considerable revenue since all legal advertisements had to be published in the newspaper. Instead, Patterson gave his patronage to another newspaper, the Tribune-Democrat.
     Outraged by this slight, Isenberg began publishing a series of vituperative articles and editorials concerning Patterson. These uncomplimentary articles became more and more abusive, and the last straw came on June 26, when an article appeared in the Wave that defended Capt. J. S. Hassler, a receiver at the land office, after he had been criticized by the Tribune-Democrat. The article accused Patterson of infidelity, among other things, and Patterson had finally had enough.  
     Up until this time, Patterson had contained himself and refrained from confronting Isenberg. When he read the latest article, he was furious. He armed himself, then went in search of Isenberg. The two met at Broadway and Grand. A quarrel ensured, and the enraged Patterson struck Isenberg in the face with his fist. 
     About that time, Marshal Williams arrived on the scene and attempted to break up the fight. In the scuffle, Patterson fired his gun at Isenberg, but the shot went wild. Isenberg ran into Jenkins Brothers Notions store with Patterson in pursuit. Williams quickly followed, shouting to Patterson, "For God's sake, don't shoot anymore", and commanding him to stop. Patterson ran on, and Williams caught up to him, striking him in the head with his revolver in an attempt to make him stop. Patterson turned and fired at Williams, striking him over the heart, then continued his pursuit of Isenberg through the back door of the store.
     Williams, although fatally wounded, ran after Patterson who was about 30 feet outside the door, just about to turn the corner in pursuit of Isenberg. Clutching at his chest, Williams walked to the door and bracing himself with his right hand, fired at Patterson with his left, striking him in the temple and killing him instantly.
     Williams walked back through the store and to the sidewalk out side, where he fell, saying "I am smothering to death". He was carried into the nearby corner drugstore, where he died shortly after.      Isenberg ran to the west side of the square where he hired a hack to take him to North Enid. He boarded a train for Kingfisher, where he remained until the smoke had cleared in Enid, then returned to write more of his vitriolic editorials. He later sold out and moved to California.
     A coroner's jury came to the conclusion that "R. W. Patterson came to his death at the hands of E. C. Williams while resisting arrest. E. C. Williams came to his death at the hands of R. W. Patterson while performing his official duty".*
            *Enid Daily Wave, June 27, 1895.
     The next day, following services at the Presbyterian Church, 35 year old Marshal E. C. Williams was buried in the old cemetery southwest of Enid, which is now the approximate location of the Kisner Addition. He left a wife and a baby. Patterson's body was shipped back to Athens, Georgia, for burial, accompanied by his wife and five children. They never returned to Enid.
     Thus the first police officer was killed in Enid. It was a senseless killing, as most are, with the one who caused the murders going unpunished. Unfortunately, Marshal Williams was not the last policeman to lose his life in a senseless murder.

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