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Fort Smith National Historic Site old photo of commissary when used as museum
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Fort Smith National Historic Site
June 26, 1885 Execution
noose
James Arcine and William Parchmeal were executed in Fort Smith on June 26, 1885 for a murder they committed thirteen years earlier.  In November of 1872 Henry Feigel, a native of Sweden, was traveling in the Cherokee Nation. He was overtaken by two Cherokee Indians, James Arcine and William Parchmeal. They shot Feigel four times, crushed his skull with a large rock, and robbed the body of its clothing and 25 cents. Thirteen years passed before a diligent deputy marshal gathered the evidence to arrest Arcine and Parchmeal. Although a first trial ended in a hung jury, the second attempt resulted in a guilty verdict. Both men later confessed to the crime on the gallows.

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Trail of Tears Routes

Did You Know?
The Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, (Muscogee) Creek and Seminole Indian tribes were forcibly moved to Indian Territory on what became known as the Trail of Tears. The Arkansas River served as a water route to Fort Smith where they received supplies before crossing the river into Indian Territory.
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Last Updated: June 16, 2007 at 13:45 MST