UNITED STATES ARREST WARRANT, UNITED STATES VS. PERRY BREWER AND ED REED FOR LARCENY. GEORGE P. LAWSON, DEPUTY U. S. MARSHAL AT FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS, APRIL 23, 1895, ARREST WARRANT AND EXPENSE VOUCHER FOR SERVING THE WARRANT

LAWSON, DEPUTY U. S. MARSHAL GEORGE P.

Edité par Written By Deputy U. S. Marshal George P. Lawson, 1895., Fort Smith, 1895

A propos de cet article

First edition. 13 7/8" x 8 1/4" one sheet, folded 3 1/2" x 8 1/4." April 23, 1895, arrest warrant expense voucher signed by George P. Lawson, Deputy U.S. Marshal at Fort Smith, Arkansas, for executing an arrest warrant for Perry Brewer and Ed Reed near Wagoner, Indian Territory, who were charged with larceny in the Indian Country. Lawson sometimes served as hangman for "Hanging Judge" Isaac Parker, having hanged twelve men sentenced to be executed by Parker. Deputy Lawson helped track-down and kill "Dynamite Dick" Clifton of the Doolin Gang on November 7, 1897. Document also mentions "Commissioner" James Brizzolara, a leading citizen of Fort Smith who had once fought with Garibaldi in Italy and was involved in several duels including one with George R Phelan at Memphis where he was sounded. He was appointed United States Circuit Court Commissioner for the Western District of Arkansas on June 12, 1878. Further biography found in "HELL ON THE BORDER; HE HANGED EIGHT-EIGHT MEN. A HISTORY OF THE GREAT UNITED STATES CRIMINAL COURT AT FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS, AND OF CRIME AND CRIMINALS IN THE INDIAN TERRITORY, AND THE TRIAL AND PUNISHMENT THEREOF BEFORE HIS HONOR JUDGE ISAAC C. PARKER, "THE TERROR OF LAW-BREAKERS" . by S.W. Harman (1898). As the frontier moved west, the U.S. Marshals went with it to uphold the law in remote, sparsely populated territories. The Federal District Court for the Western District of Arkansas was created in 1851 and held jurisdiction over 13 Arkansas counties and all of the Indian Territory. During the early 19th century, the federal government supported a policy of voluntary and forced removal of Indian tribes from lands in the eastern United States, to land in the west. Much of what is today the state of Oklahoma was then called the Permanent Indian Territory. Each tribe had tribal courts, which adjudicated disputes among Indians. If a white person was involved in a dispute with an Indian, however, the jurisdiction was placed with the federal courts. Later, some capital crimes, such as murder and rape, were made the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal courts. This made for a difficult situation, with criminals taking advantage of the confusion caused by the jurisdictional questions. Particularly after the Civil War, the Indian Territory became a haven for outlaws and criminal gangs. This was compounded by corruption and incompetence in the affairs of the court itself. In 1875, President Ulysses S. Grant appointed Isaac C. Parker to the federal judgeship in which he would become famous. The court had moved to Fort Smith in 1872, occupying the former enlisted barracks at the recently abandoned military post. Parker's predecessor had resigned in 1874 rather than be impeached. Judge Parker was charged with cleaning up the affairs of the court and bringing some semblance of order to the area, whose affairs were now a national scandal. Over 200 deputy marshals were attached to the Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas. Some were Civil War veterans. Others had been cowboys or ranchers. Most of them knew a great deal about the Indian Territory and were independent, self-reliant, and willing to take great risks. Their headquarters was Fort Smith, a dusty, growing town right on the border with the Indian Territory. It was a settlement of about 5,000, which did a thriving business in saloons and bordellos, catering to the cowboys, traders, railroad men, and river boat crews that worked the area. The Western District court was responsible for the enforcement of federal law in 74,000 square miles of territory. A set of instructions issued by the U.S. Marshals office in Fort Smith give an idea of the crimes and problems involved. "U.S. Deputy Marshals for the Western District of Arkansas may make arrest for: murder, manslaughter, assault with intent to kill or to maim, attempts to murder, arson, robbery, rape, bribery, burglary, larceny, incest, adultery . These arrests may be made with or without warrant.

N° de réf. du vendeur 53248

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: UNITED STATES ARREST WARRANT, UNITED STATES VS. PERRY BREWER AND ED REED FOR LARCENY. GEORGE P. LAWSON, DEPUTY U. S. MARSHAL AT FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS, APRIL 23, 1895, ARREST WARRANT AND EXPENSE VOUCHER FOR SERVING THE WARRANT
• Éditeur: Written By Deputy U. S. Marshal George P. Lawson, 1895., Fort Smith
• Date de parution: 1895
• Édition: [ARKANSAS].
• Signé: Signé par l'auteur