Necessary Roughness

“I don’t like hanging, but it’s the law.”

So said Judge Isaac Charles Parker, according to the National Historic Site at Fort Smith, AR. Starting in 1875, the Hanging Judge sentenced 160 people to die, but only 79 hung. The rest died in jail, were pardoned, or were appealed. The judge actually favored abolishing the death penalty, but as long as it was in force, he felt the law needed to be adhered to. He believed that lax law enforcement exacerbated crime. Federal law mandated capital punishment for murder as well as rape. Belle Starr reportedly spent time in the judge’s prison, but she was transferred to Detroit rather than executed. Fort Smith handled a lot of crimes committed on the prairie and in Indian territory.

The gallows were treated with respect and whitewashed when necessary. Nooses were not allowed on the gallows except at execution. More information can be found at the National Park Service web site.

	Fenced In The gallows were fenced to keep the hangings from being a complete public spectacle. Military officers, family, and press were the only ones allows to view executions.
	Fort Smith Gallows The actual gallows were demolished nearly a year after their final execution. This reconstruction was built in 1981-1982. In 1913 Arkansas switched to the electric chair, and in 1983 Arkansas started executing by lethal injection.
	Door and Stairs Criminals were led through the door below the gallows and up the stairs. At most the gallows hung six at one time.
	Respect the Gallows The sign on the gate to the stairs.