Today (6 July) marks the anniversary of the execution of Gus Bogles at Ft. Smith. Bogles was convicted of murdering J. D. (in some accounts W. D.) Morgan, either (again, accounts vary) a railroad employee who threw Bogles and his companions off the KATY train for not paying his fare or a coal miner who was tossed off with Bogles for the same offense. Bogles was caught the very next day near Denison by Charles Leflore, to whom he confessed. But later, Bogles insisted that (presumably) Leflore had beat the confession out of him, and he went to his execution insisting he was innocent.

One must wonder--and there is probably no way of knowing--how common it was for law officers back then to employ third degree methods in securing confessions.From what little I know about Captain Leflore he seems too professional an officer to result to such brutal methods. Still, these were rough times and rough men. Does anybody have any evidence or opinion as to how often such tactics were used?

Another matter perhaps of some interest is that on the anniversary of each execution day the National Park Service Rangers at Fort Smith give a presentation about the crime. I happened to go to the one today, thinking I'd be the only one there. (The weather here is sultry and stifling, and the gallows is the hottest place in the park, enclosed by a high white fence that blocks any cooling wind and bakes those inside listening to the presentation.) To my surprise, perhaps 35-40 people showed up, many asking intelligent questions, indicating an amazing degree of general public interest in the Ft. Smith court and IT historical events.

--meursault

You raise a very interesting point of interest. It was not uncommon for some unscrupulous deputies as you know to plant whiskey or contraband on some parties just to get the monies for mileage, this is documented. I have seen complaints from members of the black freedmen community in the Cherokee Nation that said Sam Sixkiller was overbearing. I don't know that much about LeFlore at this time, although I am aware that Bogles was a black man. Defendents at the Ft. Smith court received better representation than many felons today receive, but mistakes could be made, then as now. Witness identification was probably worse back then then it is today. Many people have a hard time identifying a black man today if they are not from that community. There is always the possibility that an innocent man was hanged at Fort Smith, although I believe the majority were guilty of their crimes.