July Night Court

United States v. Elsie James
Friday, July 25 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 26 at 6:00 p.m.

Elsie James was recently widowed and had a landowner breathing down her neck. She had a large farm, livestock and gardens that needed tending. Her household included her daughter, two grandchildren and the teenage niece of her landowner. Attempts to sell livestock and collect on money a neighbor had borrowed failed. Luckily, she soon hired a traveling man, William Jones, to work on her farm in exchange for room and board. Unluckily, he had recently received $65 in the mail and was soon found murdered. Initially admitting to his murder, Elsie soon misdirected the blame from herself to another man, Zeno Colbert, who also was soon murdered.

Following an investigation, led by Deputy Marshal Heck Thomas, Elsie and her daughter, Margaret, were arrested for the murder of Jones. Elsie would also try to bribe a man named Sampson Alexander with money if he would also go along with her and help incriminate Colbert. The plot is thick and the chances of Elsie becoming another of the women convicted of murder at Fort Smith seem high. If convicted of murder, a mandatory death sentence will follow.

On Friday, July 25, and Saturday, July 26, Fort Smith National Historic Site will reenact an abridged version of this trial. The living history event will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Friday and 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and will take place in the historic courtroom. Jurors will be drawn from the AUDIENCE and will decide the fate of the defendant! Admission is $5 per adult and early reservations are required. For reservations, please contact Cody Faber at 479-226-3727.