I came across a statement Capt. LeFlore was commissioned by the Eastern District of Texas, Paris, Texas. Anyone have any knowledge of this?

The Paris court took over Charles LeFlore's jurisdictional area. I know I have seen and think you posted information where LeFlore was busting up gambling and whiskey joints in the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations. Paris was closer to his home than Muskogee or Fort Smith. He was commissioned as a deputy U.S. marshal after he tenure as captain of the U.S. Indian Police was over. The U.S.I.P. were stationed at Muskogee. Quite probably he was commissioned out of more than one district, like many of the more active deputies were during that time period.

Similiarly, Bill Colbert originally worked out of Fort Smith. Later Colbert received a commission out of the Paris court. Same thing happened to Bass Reeves.

Art, LeFlore was commission a deputy marshal out of Ft. Smith in 1882 which is before he became Captain of the Indian Police in 1887 following the killing of Captain William Fields. The Paris and Indian Territory Courts were created in 1889 with the Paris court having jurisdiction in the Indian Territory over only the lower half of the Choctaw Nation and all of the Chickasaw Nation. The Paris court had jurisdiction over felonies while the I. T. court had jurisdiction over crimes not involving imprisonment at hard labor. Both courts had jurisdiction over matters involving enforcing the federal liquor laws. The USIP also had responsibility for enforcing the ban on whiskey. LeFlore did not need the permission of the Paris court to act. Moreover, when he acted, he seems to have acted in concert with the I. T. deputy marshals, indicating he might have been commissioned by this court. Thus far the only dealings I can find between LeFlore and the Paris court have been negative, ie: being sued and charged with theft; both charges relating to an incident involving seizure of gaming equipment and spilling of beer. The battle on these issues was not fought in court but in the halls of bureaucracy via letters between the Justice Department and the Department of the Interior and ended with Judge David Bryant of the Paris court being called on the carpet. What I’m looking for is specific information LeFlore was commissioned by the Paris court or the I. T. court.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tower,

Tower, I don't have the documentation but believe I have seen newspaper articles with LeFlore being assigned to the Paris court. This would have been after his tenure as Captain of the U.S.I.P. and his days of being associated with the Fort Smith court. He remained a member of the Choctaw Lighthorse, which he held leadership positions, until the end of that organization before statehood. I believe I seen in a book on the leading men of the I.T. where they said he worked for both the Fort Smith and Paris courts. I will see what I can find.

Tower,

I wrote an article years ago on LeFlore and ended with researched information that stated:

Charles LeFlore worked out of the Ft. Smith court until courts were transferred to the Indian Territory in the 1890's. At that time he worked out of the Paris, Texas federal court until he retired around 1905. Captain Charles LeFlore died at his home at Limestone Gap on September 10, 1920 at the age of seventy-nine. His record as a lawman ranks with the best of those who served on the western frontier.