The Beck-Proctor Fight in 1872
I was ten years old when this fight took place, at the Goingsnake Court House near our place. I cannot give a detailed account of it, nearly so good as Dr. Mitchell, who has all the facts in the case but will give it as nearly as I remember it.

Zeke Proctor rode up to Hildebrand's mill in Goingsnake on day in 1872 and started a fuss with Pollie Hildebrand's second husband, a man of the name of Chesterson (Kesterson) whose first name I do not remember. Proctor drew his pistol on Chesterton and at the same time Pollie stepped in between the two men, just as Proctor pulled the trigger and she fell to the ground dead. Proctor was being tried in the Cherokee court at the court house in Goingsnake District with Mose Alberty as judge on the bench. The charge was assault with intent to kill on the person of Chesterton and the Beck boys, who were brothers of Pollie (Hildebrand) Chesterton were very angry at Proctor, and succeeded in getting a writ for Proctor in the United States Court, at Fort Smith. The trial was already in progress before the Becks secured the writ and they secured three United States Marshals and together with Sam Beck, Sut Beck and Bill Beck, all brothers of the slain, Polly (Beck) Hildebrand Chesterton, George Selvege, Bill Hicks, George McLothlin, they went immediately to the Goingsnake Court House to take the prisoner, Zeke Proctor, whose trial was under way, to Fort Smith to be tried there on a more serious charge.

They had hardly gotten inside the door of the court house before shooting started and a pitched battle ensued. The guards who had Proctor in charge returned the fire, Proctor grabbed a gun and assisted in "shooting it out" with the Beck crowd and when the smoke of battle had cleared away three of the Beck crowd had been killed and about as many on the other side with the prisoner, Zeke Proctor, and several other badly wounded.

I cannot remember any of the names of the men who were killed in this battle, but Johnson Proctor, a brother of Zeke Proctor. They brought him by our house with a crowd following, and I never forgot that scene. I was told that Isaac Vann and Andy Palone were two of the guards who had Proctor under guard, but I do not know if they were but it is hardly likely they escaped.