In the summer of 1885, James “Jim” Wasson stood trial in Judge Isaac C. Parker’s notorious Fort Smith courthouse, accused of the cold-blooded murder of Henry Martin in the Chickasaw Nation. Wasson was indicted for ambushing and executing Martin with a .45-caliber pistol, allegedly motivated by a long-standing grudge. The trial unfolded amid the harsh conditions of the Fort Smith basement jail, a grim holding place for many lawless souls from Indian Territory. Testimonies from neighbors and witnesses, including John and Clara Merriman and Elizabeth Brooks, painted a detailed picture of the events leading to Martin’s death—Wasson and his accomplice John McLaughlin sought Martin out, and shortly after their visit, a volley of gunfire was heard, culminating in Martin’s lifeless body found riddled with bullets.
The prosecution presented a strong case with ten witnesses detailing the timeline, locations, and circumstances of the murder, emphasizing the calculated nature of the attack rather than a spontaneous frontier quarrel. The defense called five witnesses, including Wasson himself, to challenge the prosecution’s narrative and suggest alternate possibilities. Despite the harsh realities of frontier justice and the brutal environment of the jail beneath the courtroom, the trial was a critical examination of guilt, motive, and the struggle to impose law and order in a wild and violent territory. The testimonies underscored the tension between personal vendettas and public justice, with every word in the courtroom carrying the weight of life or death under Judge Parker’s stern watch.
