This series consists of criminal court cases, and contains such material as indictments, bills of information, arrest warrants, writs, subpoenas, appearance bonds, transcripts of proceedings before U.S. commissioners, orders, verdicts, judgments, sentencing orders, and appeal papers.
In these records can be found the criminal cases of such famous outlaws as Belle, Sam, Tom, and Henry Starr (jacket 170); Wyatt Earp (jacket 59); Gad and Emmet Dalton (jacket 55); Rufus Buck (jacket 500); Edgar Watson (jacket 197); Blue Duck (jacket 26); and "Cherokee Bill" Goldsby (jacket 500).
Many of these cases were heard by the famous "hanging" Judge Isaac C. Parker, appointed by President Grant to bring law and order to Indian country, Judge Parker dealt with criminals like the Cooks, the Starrs, the Bucks, and Cherokee Bill, as well as with thousands of other less well-known criminals. He served from 1875 to 1895, and in his 21 years on the bench, 13,490 criminal cases were docketed in Parker's court. Of these, 9,454 persons had been convicted or entered pleas of guilty, 344 had been tried for crimes punishable by death and 160 were convicted and sentenced to death. 79 were hanged. See also: Similar writs and indictments are among the records described in the series NRFF-21-3W56, WRITS AND INDICTMENTS, 1869-1900 (11 feet). Transcripts of testimony resulting from criminal proceedings that were appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court during the period of 1889-1899 are described in the series NRFF-21-3W92, TRANSCRIPTS OF TESTIMONY, 1889-1899 (11 feet). Prior to 1889, criminal proceedings could not be appealed from the Fort Smith federal courts, and only the president of the United States could reduce the court's sentence. Criminal cases filed after 1900 are described in the series NRFF-21-3W53, CASE FILES, 1901-1969 (69 feet).
Similar writs and indictments are among the records described in the series NRFF-21-3W56, WRITS AND INDICTMENTS, 1869-1900 (11 feet). Transcripts of testimony resulting from criminal proceedings that were appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court during the period of 1889-1899 are described in the series NRFF-21-3W92, TRANSCRIPTS OF TESTIMONY, 1889-1899 (11 feet). Prior to 1889, criminal proceedings could not be appealed from the Fort Smith federal courts, and only the president of the United States could reduce the court's sentence. Criminal cases filed after 1900 are described in the series NRFF-21-3W53, CASE FILES, 1901-1969 (69 feet).
