McCurtain County Jail Inmate Search

McCurtain County started out poor but was able to build a government that has seen some fame. The 1920 courthouse, which held the jail, was the design of architect Jewell Hicks. He was known for designing the capital building of Oklahoma and several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. His work is still a talk of architectural historians in the state.

In 1984, the American spree killer Richard Snell was caught in Broken Bow. He had a shoot out with local law enforcement while on the run from killing pawn shop owner William Stumpp and Arkansas State Trooper Louis Bryant. The Stumpp killing was because Snell thought he was Jewish. He was a part of the white supremacist group The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord, known by the initials CSA. A truck driver followed Snell after watching Bryant being shot and got into contact with the police in Broken Bow. They set up a roadblock and had a shoot out. He eventually was put to death in Arkansas in 1995.

Alcohol was illegal in the 1907 founding state constitution. McCurtain County is part of the debate as to which county was the center of shine making. At no time was it legal for any natives to be given alcohol, so stills were important for those wanting a drink. The federal Prohibition Era did not help in making the situation easier for police. Many parts of the county were remote for the modes of transportation. The Sheriffs and their men were able to bust some of the stills, though.

The early days of the county was that of the Choctaw and the lumber industry. Men that were the backbone of the lumber industry were known for being hard working and some were also known for being hard drinking. That is part of the reason that stills were so popular. The federal government was always known to have issues with native tribes. The jail saw people from both groups throughout the history of the county. Neither were major threats but did have their time in cells.