Paper with a handwritten note: "The US vs. Jefferson Jones, Jamison Jones, James Beems - Murder."

Trial Reenactment

Fort Smith National Historic Site

Special Event
  • Sep 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM
  • Free
Henry Wilson said he would be gone for five or six days; it had been two weeks. His sons begin the search, collecting a crowd of locals to look for ‘Old Man Wilson’. When deputies discover Wilson’s belongings in the hands of James Beems and the Jones brothers, all signs point to their possible guilt.
 
After questioning, Jeff Jones admits to shooting at Wilson. He even leads them to the body but claims self-defense. However, the bullet holes are in the victim’s back! All three are brought up on murder charges. Witnesses to the crime range from those singing the defendants' praise as ‘good boys’ to others who say they admitted to killing Wilson and taking his belongings. Wilson’s family and friends want justice, but a guilty verdict would mean an execution. You be the jury!
 
This is a BRAND NEW, never-before-seen trial transcript! Join us as we reenact this historic trial in the courtroom it took place in!

Fees

This event is free to attend.

Location

Latitude and Longitude 35.388161, -94.429877

Schedule

Date:

Sep 5, 2025

Time:

7:00 PM

Duration:

1 hour and 30 minutes

Contact Information

Cody Faber
(479) 226-3700
Contact Us

Event Type

  • Living History
  • Talk
Tags: trial, federal court, historical reenactment, judge parker