Upper photo is of
the porch and gallows enclosure located at the Paris, Logan County, jail.
They were preparing for the last hanging in Logan County, Arkansas.....date
unknown. The subject of the hanging was Arthur Tillman for murder. He was
escorted from the jail at 7:00 AM by Sheriff Joel Cook and deputies Sam
Kinconnor and Wayne Cook.
Above left is
Amanda Stevens who was the victim of the murder. Center panel is where her
body was found. Right panel represents Arthur Tillman (in white) being
escorted from the jail at 7:00 AM to be hanged.
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On March 10th,
1914 Amanda Stevens disappeared from her home. Her body was found eight days
later in a well on the farm of Ambrose Johnson. Arthur Tillman was charged
and convicted in the murder and was hanged by the neck until dead on July 14,
1914 in Paris, Logan County, Arkansas. He was the last person to be hanged in
the State of Arkansas.
The crowd gathering around
to watch the hanging. You can see the gallows over the fence.
Information
contributed by Don Kelly
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THE
LAST PUBLIC HANGING IN ARKANSAS
AS TOLD BY SONJA
(PARKER) FLETCHER IN HER HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY IN 1964 TITLED HIGH POINTS IN THE
HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY
In 1914, this whole area was thrown into turmoil
resulting from the murder of a young girl at Delaware (Arkansas). This young
girl, Amanda Stevens, disappeared from her home, (was found) about eight days
later in a well on the farm of Ambrose Johnson, partly submerged in water with
a large stone attached to her neck by a telephone wire, a bullet through her
head and approximately a wagon lead of rock covering it as an additional
precaution of the body's rising. It is believed that the girl was not dead when
she was put into the well because her hands were filled with dirt that was
probably acquired either trying to get out or as she was put in.
A letter found at the home of the Stevens girl's
parents was from a young man named Arthur Tillman requesting that she meet him
at their usual place on the night of her disappearance.
According to her parents, the girl left home on
the evening of March 10th telling her parents that she was going to a dance
with Tillman. When she did not return, it was thought she was persuaded to
leave the county because of her approaching motherhood.
A damaging statement was made by Tillman's
mother. She said she thought the girl had driven from the country and that she
was positive that Arthur had nothing to do with it. To back her statements she
said that with the exception of a few hours, Arthur was at home the entire
night. The time he was away from home was when he left about six o'clock
carrying a .22 caliber rifle. He returned, she said, between eight and nine
o'clock. The girl was shot with a rifle of that caliber. So suspicion was
already pointing to Tillman.
In the meantime a report was current a warrant
charging with sudetion had been issued for Tillman, and he went to Knoxville to
consult his uncle who was an attorney. On advice from his uncle, he returned
home and his action led to his arrest on a more serious charge.
The well in which the girl's body was found was
located on the farm of Ambrose Johnson. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson returned home
Sunday, March 6. Noticing that the wooden curbing had been entirely removed
from the well and a greater part of the stone curb was missing, they knew
something was wrong--very wrong. While discussing the strangeness of it, the
noticed Arthur Tillman approach the well and peer intently into the depths.
When questioned regarding this, Tillman said he too had noticed the changed
condition of the well and looked inside it for this reason.
Johnson, knowing of the intimanty of Tillman and
the girl and noticing the strangeness of the boys acts, immediately collected
several neighbors and the following day they began removing the rock from the
well. It took several hours to remove the rocks, and it was late afternoon when
the girl's body was removed and taken to the Johnson home for an inquest.
Arthur was later arrested at his uncle's home in
Knoxville and escaped. A man was arrested in Fort Smith a few days later and
thought to be him. The Sheriff of Johnson County went there and failed to
identify him. While going to his hotel however, he met the real Tillman and
placed him under arrest. He was delivered to Sheriff Cook and placed in jail in
Paris. While enroute to the penitentiary for safe keeping, Tillman again
escaped by jumping from the train as it sped through Perry County at the speed
of thirty miles per hour. Tillman had two trials and was granted an appeal. An
appeal to the governor like wise failed to save him Prominent Little Rock
people took a hand in behalf of the boy and it is said that Governer Hayes
received a thousand letters asking for commutation.
"I did'nt want to get away, I wanted to
kill myself." Thus, Arthur Tillman addressed three stalward deputy sheriffs who
stood gripping him, one of them holding his coat as the train sped away. A few
minutes before, Tillman tried to leap from the open door of the baggage car in
which he was being brought here.
Tillman was tried by Judge Evans and was
sentenced to be hanged, at Paris (Arkansas). Since he learned that Governor
Hayes offered no hope of respite, Tillman suffered much mentally. When early
morning he set out from Little Rock for Paris, his attitude was of deep
dejection.
Once on the train, with chains and handcuffs
holding his arms tightly and with fetters about his ankles, the prisoner was an
object of curiosity. Owing to the wide publicity given his case, Tillman was
seen recognized by the passengers. He was taken to the baggage car. His escort
sought to save him from embarrassing gazes and occasional remarks of the
morbidly curious.
About five miles from Paris the railroad climbed
a steep grade. Suddenly, with a terrific kick, Tillman broke the chain about
his ankles before the officers could stop him, he rushed to the car door. There
he turned momentarily for a last look at his escort. The glance cost him his
escape from the gallows. One of the deputies quickly reached almost his full
length and caught the youth's coat. Tillman was dragged back from the door and
after his word's of explanation, was rechained to continue the trip. None but
the officer and one baggageman knew of the incident until Paris was reached at
6:30 o'clock. This was Tillman's third and last escape.
On July 10, Tillman addressed a letter to Governor
Hayes to which he made affidavit, implicating another man whose name was given,
with many attendant circumstances, and asserting his own innocence. The affidavit
concluded:
"I would make this statement again, and
swear to it, if I had only one more minute to live, and all on God's earth I
ask of you, your excellency, is that you give me a fair impartial investigation
of my case, something I know I did not have, nor could have gotten at my trial,
on account of strong prejudice against me in Logan County."
In Paris, Arkansas July 14, 1914, Arthur Tillman
calmly awaited death in his cell here being fully resigned to his fate. This
followed a visit from the minister of the Methodist Church.
Everywhere there was a spirit of unrest for
repeated rumors of attempts to rescue reached there.
It was reported that Tillman's father purchased
a high power rifle and a supply of ammunition and this gave credence to the
report that a sharp-shooter would attempt to pick the lad off the scaffold.
On July 13, 1914, holding him at arm's length
the better to see his face, Mrs. J.F. Tillman bade farewell that afternoon to
her son Arthur, condemned to die. Neither mother nor son expected to see each
other alive again.
"My son," the mother
sobbed as she looked through tear dimmed eyes, "my little boy. You were
never sweeter or dearer to your mother than you are today. I'll always know you
are innocent," and unable to restrain herself, the mother flung her
arms about Arthur's neck.
Every person in the penitentiary hospital, where
Mrs. Tillman talked with her son for the last time, unless some unforeseen
interference prevent his execution witnessed a tearful goodbye. The said none
may criticize when he attempted in a last talk with his mother who gave him
life to comfort her on the eve of giving up that life.
Mr. Ray, the Methodist circuit rider was with
Tillman during his last hours. The only statement practically that that Tillman
made was in a conversation with his spiritual adviser when he protested his
innocence.
"Arthur, for God's sake," said the
minister, "tell the whole truth right now. Are you innocent or guilty?
I want to know if you are guilty so I may pray and have you join me in sincere
prayer for forgiveness. If you are innocent, I want to hear the whole
truth."
"I am innocent," was the young
man's reply, uttered in a firm tone of voice.
"But," the minister
said, "suppose you are not telling the truth. Are you going to die with
that thing on your head?"
"Brother Ray,", said Tillman, "I
am not guilty. If I should confess to that crime when I did not do it, I would
die with a lie on my lips. You don't want me to die that way, do you?"
"The courts condemned you," continued the
minister, "and everything is against you. Can you produce proof of you
innocence? Is there not something you can say at the last minute? If you are
innocent, who is the man?"
Then Tillman mentioned the name of a relative of
the murdered girl. He tried to shift the blame on him at the trial, but failed
to furnish convincing proof.
"How do you know that man is guilty?" said Ray.
"He was the first man to meet the
girl," answered Tillman. "Why once he proposed to me that I swap
Amanda Stevens to him for his wife. I would not do it, and then he told me one
day that he was going to kill her."
"Arthur," said the circuit
minister, "that is a mighty serious thing for you to say if you have no
proof."
"I can't help it, I can tell you nothing
else. I am innocent," answered Tillman wringing his hands.
"I want to impress on you that you embrace
relition and then make a false statement, you are in danger of going to
hell."
"I can't help it, I tried to tell all at
the court and they would not let me," wailed Tillman.
Several pathetic scenes took place when relatives
of the boy called to bid him goodbye, but throughout it all it seemed that the
lad's thoughts were of his mother and two little sisters. His last night on
earth was sleepless and he failed to eat the chicken supper Sheriff Cook had
ordered especially provided. At one o'clock he asked members of the death water
for watermelon. This was secured and he ate avenously. He afterwards requested
that he be allowed to sleep until four o'clock and laid down, but rest was
broken and he was awaken before the appointed time.
When Sheriff Cook called at the jail, the boy's
condition seemed to be weaker and one of the physicians told the sheriff that
the boy would have to be given morphine. This was done and Sheriff Cook told
Ray that the services would have to be held in the death cell. At the request
of Tillman the minister sang "Shall we Gather at the River" and
"God be with You Till we Meet Again". In both these songs Tillman
joined. Afterwards he told the minister he wanted to pray, in a voice of
emotion he said"
"I know my time for this earth is short. I
am being taken away while I am a young man. I can't grow up to take care of my
good old mother. Oh Lord, I know she is crying for me now. Oh Lord, I wish I
could be with her and I know you are with me. And then my two little
sisters--look after them when I am gone, Oh Lord. Let them grow up to be good
little girls. I am prepared to go. I believe strongly in salvation and
repentance. My master told me I might be saved if I throw myself on the mercy
of the court. So to thou mercy mercy I throw myself on thee and cling, but I
ask thee also not to forget those I love here on earth. I love everybody and I
forgive everybody. I do not want to leave any enemies on earth."
After the prayer Tillman said to Sheriff Cook, "I'm
ready, but you will have to carry me." It is not known whether this
was intended as a threat of defiance or a reference to his physical condition.
Without regard to the intent of the remark, Sheriff Cook motioned to his
deputies. Wayne Cook and Sam Kincannon took Tillman by the arms and the march
began. When he reached the scaffold, Tillman turned to the waiting crowd and
said: "I want everybody here when I am gond away to read the
twenty-fifth verse of the twenty-seventh chapter of Deuteronomy. It says, 'Cursed
be that taketh reward to slay and innocent person.'"
Afterward Arthur asked permission to pray a last
prayer which was granted and he said: "After I am gone, I ask Oh Lord
to show mercy to those who have persecuted me. I ask that you be merciful to
those who did not treat me right."
"I love Judge Evans," cried Tillman. "I
love everybody. God knows I love everybody. Lord forgive this sheriff if this
is an unjust step he is taking. Bless those who are going to kill me. I know I
haven't long on this little platform where I am kneeling. Soon the trap door
will spring and then death will claim me. When that takes place, Lord, I ask
thee to take me by the river where we shall gather."
"Lord I am making a long prayer. It's hard
to die so young. It's hard to leave my dear old mother. I know my mother will
fill an early grave, Lord. She is too worried over this, and when she fills
that early grave, I want those people to see that her body is buried by mine
for I love my mother and my mother loves me. I ask thee again to watch over my
little sisters and consecrate them to the Lord Jesus Christ and let them grow
up to be good women. There isn't anything more I aske except I commend my soul to
the care of the Lord. Amen."
After the prayer Sheriff Cook in a trembling voice
read the death warrant and the ropes and straps were adjusted. He (Tillman)
then asked someone to wipe the perspiration from his face and his uncle stepped
forward. "Thanks Uncle Jim," said the youth. "Tell
Mama I'm certainly going to Heaven this morning."
At the site of the black cap, Tillman said, "Goodbye
people." The cap was adjusted, Sheriff Cook stepped back, pulled the
trigger, and the boy shot down. This ended hanging in the State of Arkansas. A
law was passed stating that the death penalty would thereafter be paid in the
electric chair at the penitentiary. This law came into effect before Tillman
was hanged, but he was to have killed the girl before this law was passed. On
the same day of the hanging, an electric chair sa at Little Rock.
Whether good or bad, Paris has the distinction
of being the site of the last public hanging in the State of Arkansas.