John Childers, 1873 August 15

convicted and sentenced to hang. A number of petitions from the ©
Territory were submitted to Washington requesting a commutation of
his sentence, but the Attorney General finally decided not to inter-—
fere. He HAXXHANZKEA became the first Federal. prisoner to be hanged
at Fort Smith when he went to the gallows on October, 1870r—He
casually smoked a cigar while the death warrant was being read and
then spoke for 15 minutes, during which re said that he had killed
Wedding but that it was the only MxKaxD WAXOMXM time in which he
had killed someone alone, When he was tale thot he would not be
hanged if he would reveal the name of ix the other members of his
band, he said to the executioner: "Didn't you say you were going to
hang me?" The hangman replied "Yes," and Childers saad: "Then, why
in hell don't youJ" The trap was promptly released,

WESTERNER MAGAZINE, March-April, 1970. “Outlaw' by Glenn Shirley,
Pages 15-16,
LAW WEST OF FORT SMITH by Glenn Shirley, pages 3-8

Miugeol PIS AETE

convicted and sentenced to hang. A number of petitions from the
Territory were submitted to Washington requesting a’ commtation of
his sentence, but the Attorney General finally decided not to inter-
fere, He #AHXKANXEA became the first Federal. prisoner to be hanged
at Fort Smith when he went to the gallows on Octeber—Lh, 1870r—He
casually smoked a cigar while the death warrant was being read and
then spoke for 15 minutes, during which he said that he had killed
Wedding but that it was the only MMKAXKXXXXWAXAHXMK time in wich he
had killed someone alone, When he was told that he would not be
hanged if he would reveal the name of iix the other members of his
band, he said to the executioner: "Didn't you say you were going to
hang me?" The hangman replied "Yes," and Childers saad: "Then, why
in hell don't youJ" The trap was promptly released,

WESTERNER MAGAZINE, March-April, 1970, "Outlaw" by Glenn Shirley,
Pages 15-16, :
LAW WEST OF FORT SMITH by Glenn Shirley, pages 3-8

Miugeo B4S-VE7E

convicted and sentenced to hang, A number of petitions from the
Territory were submitted to Washington requesting a conmutation of
his sentence, but the Attorney General finally decided not to inter=
fere, He WAMXMAKMEM became the first Federal prisoner to be wie
at Fort Smith when he went to the gallows on

casually smoked a cigar while the death warrant was being read an
then spoke for 15 minutes, during which he said that he had killed
Wedding but that it was the only MIOGHUGXXIXHOMH time in which he
had killed someone alone, when he was told that he would not be
hanged if he would reveal the name of kix the other members of his
band, he said to the executioners "Didn't you say you were going to
hang me?" The hangman replied "Yes," and Childers saad: "Then, why
in hell don't youl" The trap was promptly released,

WESTERVER MAGAZINE, March-April, 1970, "Outlaw" by Glenn Shirley,
Pages 15-16,
LAW WEST OF FORT SMITH by Glenn Shirley, pages 3-8

Miugeol P(S-WETE.

Masegecle PAS -AETE

CHILDERS, John

Childers, 2l-years-old, was the son of a white father and a Cherokee
Indian mother, who lived near Klo Kotchka (now Broken Arrow) in the
Creek Nation, Indian Territory. He was an outlaw who ran with a

band of renegades who were responsible for. many outrages throughout
the Territory, On the morning of Oct. 1h, 1870, he met Rayburn
Wedding, an elderly Kansas trader in the Territory, just south of the
Kansas line near Caney Creek in the Cherokee Nation, Wedding was
driving his favorite black horse which Childers coveted, He offered
to buy the horse and when Wedding refused, he hitched his own horse
to the back of the wagon and climbed in the sat beside Wedding to
continutz dickering ofer the purchase of Wedding's horse. Wedding
was obdurate about selling his horse and suddenly, without any warn-
ing, Childers drew his hunging knife, threw the old man over the

seat and cut his throat. He rode off on the new horse which was well
known in the Territory and, after Wedding's body was discovered, he
was arrested at his home and taken to Van Buren, Ark., to stand trial
in the U. S, District Court. Before his case was called, he managed

to egeape and remained at nee until he was betrayed by a prostitute
who he had been seeing, In the meantime, hke seat of the Federal

Court had been removed to Fort Smith and he was taken there, tried,

CHILDERS, John

Childers, 2l-years-old, was the son of a white father and a Cherokee
Indian mother, #ho lived near Klo Kotchka (now Broken Arrow) in the
Creek Nation, Indian Territory. He was an outlaw who ran with a

band of renegades who were responsible for. many outrages throughout
the Territory, On the morning of Oct. 1h, 1870, he met Rayburn
Wedding, an elderly Kansas trader in the Territory, just south of the
Kansas line near Caney Creek in the Cherokee Nation, Wedding was
driving his favorite black horse which Childers coveted, He offered
to buy the horse and when Wedding refused, he hitched his own horse
to the back of the wagon and climbed in the sat beside Wedding to
continute dickering ofer the purchase of Wedding's horse. Wedding
was obdurate about selling his horse and suddenly, without any warn-
ing, Childers drew his hunging knife, threw the old man over the

seat and cut his throat. He rode off on the new horse vhich was well
known in the Territory and, after Wedding's body was discovered, he
was arrested at his home and taken to Van Buren, Ark,, to stand trial
in the U. S, District Court. Before his case was called, he managed
to egcape and remained at_large until he was betrayed by a prostitute
who he had been seeing. In the meantime, hke seat of the Federal
Court had been removed to Fort Smith and he was taken there, tried,

CHILTERS, John

Childers, 2l-years-old, was the son of a white father and a Cherokee
Indian mother, who lived near Klo Kotchka (now Broken Arrow) in the
Creek Nation, Indian Territory, He was an outlaw who ran with a
band of renegades who were responsible for. many outrages throughout
the Territory, On the morning of Oct. 1h, 1870, he met Rayburn
Wedding, an elderly Kansas trader in the Territory, just south of the
Kansas line near Caney Creek in the Cherokee Nation, Wedding was
griving his favorite black horse which Childers coveted, He offered
to buy the horse and when Wedding refused, he hitched his own horse
to the back of the wagon and climbed in the sat beside Wedding to
continute dickering ofer the purchase of Wedding's horse. Wedding
was obdurate about selling his horse and suddenly, without any warn-
ing, Childers drew his hunging knife, threw the old man over the
seat and cut his throat, He rode off on the new horse vhich was well
known in the Territory and, after Wedding's body was discovered, he
was arrested at his home and taken to Van Buren, Ark., to stand trial
in the U, S. District Court, Before his case was called, he managed
re a i
Who iS Rga"Been seaing, “In ths mecreing, “ake cert ee esr euestatue
Court had been removed to Fort Smith and he was taken there, tried,