Last updated: January 8, 2025
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Ned Christie (Site Bulletins)
The Case of Ned Christie
When considering the reputations of Indian Territory's most famous outlaws, one name always seems to surface: Ned Christie. Controversy remains over whether or not Ned actually committed the crime of which he was accused, but if he was not the most violent of offenders, he certainly was one of the more elusive.Rising Star Embroiled in Controversy
Christie was born on December 14, 1852 in the Cherokee Nation into a family of Keetoowah Indians. Ned, an impressive man at six feet, four inches tall with black hair to his shoulders, became a blacksmith and gunsmith. In 1885, he was elected a representative of the National Council from the Going Snake District of Cherokee Nation.Two years later, Ned became embroiled in what would become the fight of his life. It began on May 4, 1887 with the murder of Deputy Marshal Daniel Maples in the Cherokee Nation. Maples, a deputy who worked for Judge Parker out of Bentonville, had taken five men with him to Tahlequah to apprehend a wanted criminal. During the trip, Maples and one of his men were ambushed as they went from Tahlequah to their camp. The deputy was shot several times and died the next morning.
Accusation of Murder
Suspicion fell on Ned Christie when a companion of his, John Parris, was arrested for the murder. Parris told the authorities that Ned had fired the gun that killed Maples. Although Ned had wanted to go to the lawmen and clear himself immediately, a friend convinced him to hide until he could establish an alibi or other proof of innocence. Ned then sent a messenger to Judge Parker stating that he was innocent and was requesting the right of bail to give him and the authorities time to find the real killer.Judge Parker was not in a position to do this, however, and so Ned surrounded himself with an army of men and set up a heavily armed barricade around his home. Sentries were posted for miles around to warn him of approaching trouble.
Wanted: "Dead or Alive"
Ned was now a wanted man, with a reward for his capture, dead or alive, for a crime he swore he did not commit. Yet he would not surrender without a fight.The Death of Ned Christie
With Ned Christie accused of the murder of a deputy U.S. marshal, lawmen waged a four-year war for his capture.Ned's Fortress
During the months that followed the murder, many deputy marshals made numerous attempts to capture Christie, but no one was successful in routing him from his heavily guarded stronghold. After an 1889 attempt to burn Ned out, during which he was blinded in his right eye, he constructed a wooden shelter within a natural rock wall on the top of a hill. This was loaded with enough ammunition, food and water to hold out for weeks.25 Men, a Cannon, and a Wagon of Dynamite
Ned successfully resisted all attempts at capture until twenty-five of the most capable lawmen in frontier history arrived at his stronghold shortly after dark on November 1, 1892. They had with them ammunition, several boxes of dynamite, black powder, rifles, and a field cannon. At daybreak the firing began. When the deputies began using the cannon, it did little damage except for knocking a few holes in the roof. Finally, they resorted to doubling the powder charge to blast out a wall. This, however, split the barrel, putting the cannon out of use. After twelve hours of attack, thirty-eight rounds from the cannon, and some 2,000 rounds of rifle ammunition, the deputies were no closer to capturing Christie. The men next fashioned a rolling oak-plank shield to allow one deputy to approach the cabin. When close enough, he ran forward with six sticks of dynamite. Shortly after midnight, the blast from this dynamite blew out an entire wall of Ned Christie's stronghold and ignited a fire that by dawn had completely engulfed the cabin. Christie suddenly leaped through the burning cabin and ran toward the possemen firing his two .44s. He was shot down and died shortly thereafter.Ned Christie's remains were taken to Fayetteville and Fort Smith by train. Along the way, large crowds gathered to view his body, which had been strapped to a plank from the door of Ned's stronghold. His body was propped up and posed for pictures on the courthouse steps in Fort Smith.