We see alot of outlaw activity to the west in the Washitas and around Muskogee. Was the area of the Kiamichis a bed of outlaw activity. Mostly along the military trail from Ft. Smith to Ft. Towson?

For those of you not familiar with this area, the Kiamichi are part of the Ouachita mountain range of southeastern Oklahoma. Millions of years ago, these mountains stood as tall as the Rockies, but erosion and tectonic inactivity has reduced them to hills that reach from 1,000 to 2,000 feet. The rugged, man eating slopes of the individual ranges of the Ouachita are divided by broad valleys, each have a different name. Among them is the Kiamichi, Winding Stair, Rich, San Bois, Blue, Limestone Ridge, and Jack Fork mountains. The Kiamichi River being the widest valley The name Kiamichi, according to historian George Shirk is derived from the French “kimichi” meaning “horned screamer” or shrike as was applied first to the river of the same name. The Kiamichi Mountains were ideal for outlaw activity as the following tales exemplify.

On April 12, 1888, John Billy, Thomas Willis and Madison James were Choctaw Indians, convicted jointly of murdering William P. Williams. The principal witness was another Indian named Graham who told authorities he and the other three purchased whiskey from Williams in the Kiamichi Mountains. The Indians quickly consumed the fiery brew and wanted more. Williams had more, but the Indians were out of cash and Williams was not about to take the word of a drunk when extending credit. Later in the day, Williams accused the quartet of stealing his wares. Graham, knowing this accusation would cause trouble, took Williams by the arm and started off. Before they had gone far, Willis ups his Winchester and put a bullet through the unfortunate whiskey peddler. Billy, Willis and James then ran to the fallen man, procured his pistol, a nickel plated .45 six-shooter, and one emptied the weapon into his prone body. They then stripped the body and robbed the corpse of $12 and the remaining whiskey. After this, they dropped the body in a shallow grave in a ravine, felled a tree over the grave and further camouflaged it with brush.
The affair remained a secret for some years, then in January, 1890, Graham was arrested by Deputy Ben Cantrail and confessed the whole affair and became a government witness. The skeleton was found clearly showing the marks of seven bullet wounds and was used at trial. Willis was captured by U.S. Deputy Marshals, Will Ayers, James Wilkerson, and Perry DuVall and taken to Fort Smith, Arkansas where he was hanged on January 16, 1890. Oddly, Madison James’ sentence, given Sept 4, 1889 was commuted to life imprisonment on Jan. 16, 1890 and he was sent to Columbus, Ohio where he served one year before being pardoned. (From: Hell on the Boarder by S. W. Harman and Law West of Ft. Smith by Glenn Shirley)

In: A Standard History of Oklahoma, vol. 4, by Joe Thoburn, Mr. Thoburn maintained the Kiamichi were too isolated in early years to afford a favorable rendezvous for outlaws, but after statehood in 1907, a local rancher and deputy sheriff, James R. Knight, learned an organized gang was stealing horses and cattle and committing various robberies in the neighborhood of Ida. His investigation led to the formation of active posses from four counties along and both sides of the Arkansas border, in all some 50 men, to search the recesses of the mountains and surrounding hills. Every day, for four weeks they were active and a few men were arrested each day until 30 some odd were in custody. One pitched battle was fought in which a robber was killed. Another battle in a rain storm resulted in two posse members being killed when they mistook each other for outlaws. At another time, the officers ran upon a rock fort in a canyon and were fired upon by the occupants, losing four horses. After the siege which followed, the officers “captured” six horses. This concerted effort ended organized crime in the far southeast for a number of years.

Thanks for the info. Great desription of the area and mtns. I know of one old rock type dugout structure in the mtns. There is reference to the Winding Stair Mtns in the movie True Grit. Then on the Scenic Talimena drive there is a pullout named. Horsethief spring. There's a rock structure there and was alledged to be a relay point for stolen stock.

On March 12, 1889, Jefferson Jones murdered 60 year old Henry Wilson, who was traveling through the Winding Stair Mountains, Choctaw Nation,robbed the body of $12 and tossed it into a creek. It was discovered a week later.
Jefferson was hung in Ft. Smith for the crime.Just finished reading, Glenn Shirleys' book. "Law West of Ft. Smith". Great read and very detailed.