BACON, Henry-Geo. Ward a half-breed Cherokee Indian, was hanged at Van Buren Friday of last week for the murder of a young man named Henry Bacon near Evansville on the night of Sunday, July 28, 1895. Bacon was at church and Ward sneaked up and shot him through a window. Ward was only 19 years old but was considered a desperate criminal. Before being executed he admitted the killing and also stated that he killed a man at Houston, Texas last year. Pruitt Turner, a negro, who was also sentenced to hang at the same time for the murder of Robert Hawkins at Mulberry on the night of Feb. 17, 1895, was granted a respite until February 28. (The Springdale News 1/31/96
Henry Bacon- The murderers of young Bacon have been captured and safely jailed at Van Buren. It will be remembered that Bacon was assassinated in church while kneeling in prayer about two weeks ago in Evansville, this county. A Cherokee and two young men named Simpson have been arrested with positive proof of their guilt. Mr. John Wood is just in from Evansville and brings the information direct from Bacon's uncle. Springdale News, 23 August 1895. (Van Buren Argus) John W. Simpson and his two sons, Hugh and Walter, living near the Washington County line, were arrested last
week charged with being accessories to the murder of Henry Bacon in Barker township and are now having a preliminary hearing before Justice C. F. Harvey at the courthouse.
The evidence against them is said to be very strong. 30 August 1895
Text of newspaper articles.
BACON, Henry-Geo. Ward a half-breed Cherokee Indian, was hanged at Van Buren Friday of last week for the murder of a young man named Henry Bacon near Evansville on the night of Sunday, July 28, 1895. Bacon was at church and Ward sneaked up and shot him through a window. Ward was only 19 years old but was considered a desperate criminal. Before being executed he admitted the killing and also stated that he killed a man at Houston, Texas last year. Pruitt Turner, a negro, who was also sentenced to hang at the same time for the murder of Robert Hawkins at Mulberry on the night of Feb. 17, 1895, was granted a respite until February 28. (The Springdale News 1/31/96
Henry Bacon- The murderers of young Bacon have been captured and safely jailed at Van Buren. It will be remembered that Bacon was assassinated in church while kneeling in prayer about two weeks ago in Evansville, this county. A Cherokee and two young men named Simpson have been arrested with positive proof of their guilt. Mr. John Wood is just in from Evansville and brings the information direct from Bacon's uncle. Springdale News, 23 August 1895. (Van Buren Argus) John W. Simpson and his two sons, Hugh and Walter, living near the Washington County line, were arrested last
week charged with being accessories to the murder of Henry Bacon in Barker township and are now having a preliminary hearing before Justice C. F. Harvey at the courthouse.
The evidence against them is said to be very strong. 30 August 1895
Text of newspaper articles.
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