Men Executed at Fort Smith: 1873 to 1896

drawing of execution of Cherokee Bill showing large crowd gathered around gallows structure.  Cherokee Bill is standing on scaffold with a rope hanging from the cross beam.  Standing in the distance on the scaffold is a woman, Cherokee Bill's mother.
Execution of Crawford Goldsby, alias Cherokee Bill, March 17, 1896

From 1873 until 1896, the federal court conducted executions on the grounds of the courthouse. The gallows scaffold was located against the southeast corner of the wall that surrounded the old fort.

From 1873 through 1896, eighty-six men were executed on the gallows at Fort Smith. All the men executed were convicted of rape or murder. After the Civil War, there was a mandatory federal death sentence in cases of rape or murder.

 

Execution Data

Notes about the the table.
The * after the age indicates an approximation
The execution date is listed in Year/ Month/ Day format.
Information about the men executed on the gallows at Fort Smith.
First Name Last Name Age Date Crime Commited Conviction Victim(s) Execution Date Burial Location
 

Execution Statistics

 
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    Last updated: May 31, 2024

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