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Fort Smith National Historic Site detail of Fort Smith Federated Welfare Association painted on former courthouse building
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Fort Smith National Historic Site
August 15, 1873 Execution
drawing of rope tied as a noose

The First Execution in Fort Smith

The first execution carried out by the federal court at Fort Smith took place on August 15, 1873.  The condemned man was John Childers, convicted by a jury for the murder of Reyburn Wedding. In October 1870, Childers met Wedding in the Cherokee Nation and killed him for the $280 he possessed. Although Deputy Marshal Vennoy arrested Childers a short time later, he escaped from the federal jail (in Van Buren, Arkansas at that time). Recaptured in 1871, Childers was re-sentenced by Judge William Story. On the gallows Childers confessed to the crime.

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Park staff and volunteers demonstrating using lindstock and slowmatch to ignite the cannon's primer

Did You Know?
The soldiers who came to Fort Smith in 1817 were still using some 18th century technology and drill. The cannon was discharged using a lindstock and slowmatch to ignite the primer, which originally was loose powder or a turkey quill filled with powder.
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Last Updated: June 16, 2007 at 16:36 MST