Who Applies for a Government Job While on Trial for Murder?

If you were living in or around Woodward, Oklahoma in the 1890s, chances are the name Grant Pettyjohn wasn’t unfamiliar. In fact, depending on the week, you may have seen it in the paper — sometimes for practicing law… and other times for being on trial himself.

 

Grant Pettyjohn was a lawyer who, for reasons only the legal spirits of the Wild West could explain, seemed to have a penchant for running afoul of the very laws he swore to uphold.

 

His life, woven with courtroom intrigue, dramatic accusations, and some of the boldest moves ever made by a man with a briefcase, reads less like a biography and more like a Western novel with plot twists you’d swear were fiction.

 

The Curious Case of the Job Application

 

Let’s start here: Pettyjohn — with a legal history dustier than the Oklahoma plains — once applied to be county attorney for Woodward County. That’s right. The same man who’d been acquitted multiple times, including for possible involvement in a sheriff’s murder during a botched train station robbery in Canadian, Texas (yes, Canadian, Texas)… wanted a government job.

 

The county commission, in a move that shocked absolutely no one, politely declined. They weren’t too keen on hiring someone who, in the public's mind, was one verdict away from being declared the official Wild West mascot of “courtroom chaos.”

 

Enter: Temple Houston, Defender of the Damned

 

Defending Pettyjohn was a larger-than-life character by the name of Temple Houston — a lawyer known for his theatrical courtroom performances and eloquence that could sway the toughest juries.

 

In one notable case, Pettyjohn stood trial alongside two others for the murder of U.S. Commissioner Fred Hoffman in Dewey County. The evidence? Entirely circumstantial. The courtroom?

 

Packed wall to wall. The tension? You could slice it with a bowie knife.

 

Over the course of a few days, a legal dream team — featuring Houston, R.J. Ray, Judge Miriam, and others — unleashed argument after argument, culminating in one of Houston’s legendary closing statements. The jury was so divided, they stayed out deliberating for three days and three nights, only to return with a “we can’t agree” verdict.

 

The case was postponed. Again. Likely to be dismissed. The entire saga felt more like an opera than a legal proceeding.

And as if fate had a flair for irony, while defending others, Temple Houston was also awaiting trial himself… for manslaughter. (He was acquitted, naturally.)

 

Apparently, in the Wild West, the best legal defense was having a lawyer who could say, “Don’t worry, I’ve been in your shoes — and the cell next door.”

 

A Book Full of Untamed History

 

Believe it or not, this story — and many others like it — isn’t just legend or lore. It’s real, and it’s all chronicled in a fantastic collection titled:

 

Tales From The Plains Indians & Pioneers Museum.

 

This book is a treasure trove of true stories pulled straight from the annals of Oklahoma’s wild past. From courtroom drama to frontier shootouts, it’s a vivid time capsule of the people who shaped the region — for better or for worse.

 

Even better? You can visit the museum where these stories are preserved and brought to life:

 

📍 Plains Indians & Pioneers Museum
2009 Williams Ave, Woodward, OK 73801

Whether you're a history buff, a fan of true crime, or just someone who loves a good story with colorful characters and questionable morals, you’ll love this book — and the museum that keeps these tales alive.

 

So stop by. Say hello. Pick up a copy.

And maybe, just maybe, find out what happened to Grant Pettyjohn after the dust settled.

 

Because in the Wild West… there’s always one more twist waiting ‘round the bend.