Frank Coshaw made the following statement: After I entered a plea of guilty, which I did at the suggestion of Chief Gustason, Chief of Police of Tulsa, and who also suggested to me to take a ten year term, and ten minutes afterward stated to the County Attorney that he had suggested no time whatever to me, I furnished both orally and in a written letter, which I gave to Bay Ward of the City Police Force of Tulsa, instructions as to how a certain gang of car thieves could be taken, as to where certain cars were then located, and offered to accompany the officers to help consummate this raid. I was never given an opportunity to go altho I was repeatedly assured that for that assistance to the officers of the City of Tulsa I would never be sent to McAlester, but would be granted a bench parole. I was brought to McAlester where I am now serving my time. Claude Barker, formerly salesman of the Smith Motor Car Company of Tulsa, is the head of this gang. As I have been double crossed by the officers in Tulsa I am afraid to talk to any one. I am afraid to come clean and tell all I know to Mrs. Van Leuven, but I will think the matter over and in a few days, with the permission of the Warden, which has already been granted- I will write a letter.
Statement of Frank Coshaw, Box 25, Record Group 1-2, State of Oklahoma vs. John A. Gustafson, Chief of Police Tulsa (Tulsa Race Riot Investigation Vice Condition); Civil Case No. 1062, Attorney General, Oklahoma State Archives Division, Oklahoma Department of Libraries, Oklahoma City, OK
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Oklahoma State Archives Division, Oklahoma Department of Libraries. For further information regarding the rights to this collection, please visit www.crossroads.odl.state.ok.us/cdm4/rights.php
Frank Coshaw made the following statement: After I entered a plea of guilty, which I did at the suggestion of Chief Gustason, Chief of Police of Tulsa, and who also suggested to me to take a ten year term, and ten minutes afterward stated to the County Attorney that he had suggested no time whatever to me, I furnished both orally and in a written letter, which I gave to Bay Ward of the City Police Force of Tulsa, instructions as to how a certain gang of car thieves could be taken, as to where certain cars were then located, and offered to accompany the officers to help consummate this raid. I was never given an opportunity to go altho I was repeatedly assured that for that assistance to the officers of the City of Tulsa I would never be sent to McAlester, but would be granted a bench parole. I was brought to McAlester where I am now serving my time. Claude Barker, formerly salesman of the Smith Motor Car Company of Tulsa, is the head of this gang. As I have been double crossed by the officers in Tulsa I am afraid to talk to any one. I am afraid to come clean and tell all I know to Mrs. Van Leuven, but I will think the matter over and in a few days, with the permission of the Warden, which has already been granted- I will write a letter.
Oklahoma State Archives Division, Oklahoma Department of Libraries. For further information regarding the rights to this collection, please visit www.crossroads.odl.state.ok.us/cdm4/rights.php
Identifier
001_Statement Frank Coshaw, Attorney General Civil Case No. 1062; Page 1.tif
