John Billy (1818 - 1874)

Born 1818 in Indian Territory, United States

Died 3 Apr 1874 at about age 56 in Fort Smith, Sebastian, Arkansas, United States

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Biography

John Billy was born in Indian Territory around 1818. He was a full blooded Choctaw Indian. He was a notorious outlaw and sentenced to death by Judge Parker. He had a long history and was known as a "bad character" in his time. He was originally arrested and was being brought in for the killing of an African American (his name unknown), but on his way to Fort Smith he would commit more murders that eventually led to his hanging.

In November 1873, United States Marshals Willard Ayers, Perry Duval, J.C. Wilkinson and Ed Grayson were bringing in four prisoners (John Billy, Peter and Dave Eufowler and Jim Blacksmith). En route to Fort Smith, they stopped for the night at the home of Mr. Douglas at the Creek agency to rest for the night before continuing on to their destination. The tension in the room was high, Billy pleaded with the marshals to kill him. He said he didn't want to go to Fort Smith, because they hung Choctaw there. Suspecting there might be trouble that night, Billy had been handcuffed away from the other prisoners. Ayers was chained to the prisoners, and Duval was sleeping to the other side of him. While they slept, Billy managed to slip out of his restraints and reach over Ayers and take Duval's gun. He shot Duval in the head, killing him instantly. He then shot Ayers in the left hand and through his left nipple. Jumping to his feet, he then shot Wilkinson, in the abdomen, who was sleeping at the opposite end of the room. Ayers, who was only wounded at that point, grabbed Billy's weapon when Ed Grayson rose and fired, striking Billy in the waist and above his left eye. The bullet striking him in the left eye exited out of the top of his head, and at first appeared fatal, but he did not die.

When they arrived in Fort Smith, Billy was still alive with a bandage around his head. Alert and conscious. He denied his guilt and refused to make any confessions. His trial was held on December 18, 1873, and he was convicted on December 19, 1873. Judge Story sentenced him to be hung on April 3, 1874.

The night before his execution, he was allowed to intermingle with the other prisoners. The next day, thousands of people gathered to watch the execution. Besides Billy, there were two other men set to be executed, John Pointer, a Seminole Indian, and Isaac Filmore. Mr. Alnut, a clerk in the U. S. Marshal's office, who read the death warrant of each condemned man. Turner Graham translated for Billy in his native language, Choctaw. Each man was given the opportunity to speak, and Billy was last. When it came his turn, he commonly confessed to the murder and stated he deserved to die. He told those gathered around listening that he was a very bad man and hoped for forgiveness, though he was unworthy of it.

After he spoke, Dr. Hobbs read scriptures in English, a narrative of the penitent thief on the cross. He also read the same in Choctaw. Two other reverends, I. A. Foster, offered a prayer, and Gibert Hampson, a Choctaw, offered a prayer in Choctaw at the request of Billy. The other two condemned men seemed greatly affected by the events, but Billy appeared unmoved and showed no signs of weakness. Before the black caps were put over his head, he appeared horribly to grin at the dangling rope before him.

All three men were executed at the gallows on April 3, 2023, shortly after one o'clock that afternoon.

Sources

• The Journal, Fort Smith Historical Society, Vol. 25, No. 2., September 2001. "The Journal - George Tuni." Accessed 27 Mar 2023.
• Natonal Park Service, Executions at Fort Smith, Fort Smith National Historic Site, last updated on 8 Oct 2021. "Executions at Fort Smith." Accessed 26 Mar 2023.

• See Also: *See Also: History of the United States Western District Court of Arkansas