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1.

Introduction

At 10 a.m. on September 3rd 1875, six men were hanged simultaneously on the big gallows at Fort Smith, used by Judge Isaac C. Parker, to deal with the many felons he sentenced to death in his term as the "Hanging Judge" of the Indian Territory, (now Oklahoma). One of these was John Whittington, executed for the murder of John Turner. Had he not shared the ignominious fate of being among the group hanged that day, we might never have known he existed. As it is, the coincidence of our surnames aroused in me the desire to know more, and what follows is the result of my search.

Details of the crime.

John Whittington was born in Reynolds, Taylor County, Georgia, where he lived until moving into the Indian Nations in 1870.
On February 7th 1875, he accompanied John Turner across the Red River, into Texas, for a drink. Whittington was a poor man and when John Turner paid the bill, revealing in his pocket book a hundred dollar bill. Whittington made up his mind to steal it during their return journey.
The two men had crossed the river and were about a mile into the Indian Territory when John Whittington rode up behind his companion, clubbed him to the ground, cut Turners throat, and robbed him of the hundred dollar bill.
He was about to ride away when Turners son rode up, and when he asked why Whittingtons hand and hat were spattered with blood, the killer rode away towards the Texas border.
Young Turner gave chase across the border, and in Texas obtained the aid of some people there in his persuit. John Whittington was captured and duly transferred to the Jail in Tishomingo, Chickasaw Nation, where he was held prisoner until the U.S. Marshall from Fort Smith could collect him and return him there for trial before Judge Parkers first term of court.
From this point forward the official court records tell the story, and first item extant is a letter, dated February 10th 1875, and addressed to U.S. Marshall James F Fagan:

Dear Sir,
You are informed by this letter, that I have had one Mr. J. Whittington arrested and lodged in the national jail at Tishomingo, for the murder of one J.J. Turner, both citizens of the U.S. Government. The murder was commited in Pickens County, Chickasaw Nation on the 7th of this inst. The following names are witnesses in the case; Henry Smith, Brown Autry, James Latham, and W.H. Turner. You are respectfully requested to send immediately for the prisoner, as it will be attended with some expense to keep him in Jail.
Yours truly, B.F. Overton
Gov.

Three days later U.S. Deputy Marshall T.A. Twyman, given the responsibility for picking up the prisoner, sent the following letter to a Mayor Rapley at Fort Smith.;
February 13th 1875

Dear Sir,
Please have a writ issued for one white man, (name unknown) for murder-----Killed one Turner, (a White Man) about the 6th of February 1875. Witness one Turner (a son of the man who was killed), and two persons names unknown. This man who killed Turner is now in our custody. He was arrested by citizens and put in jail at Tishomingo and word sent to us to send and get him. I sent a man after him yesterday, and will bring him down. The man who came down after us did not know the murderers name. Please attend to this and hold writ until we get in. Please have it issued the same day you get this, as every day is valuable to us when we are at expense of feeding him.
We have several prisoners and will be in in a few days.
Very Respectfully,
T.A. Twyman, U.S. Deputy Marshall.