During his lifetime career as a politician and judge, Isaac Parker was a prolific speaker and writer. His charges to juries were known to last up to two hours in length. As a federal judge of the late 19th century, Judge Parker's speeches reflect the social and legal thought at the time; certainly much of what Judge Parker said in his jury charges could be considered grounds for an appeal today. The speeches contained here come from a variety of original sources, primarily historic newspapers, therefore they may not reflect exactly the words of the judge.
However, only historic sources were used, in order to ensure the highest level of accuracy. Ada Patterson was a female reporter for the St. Louis Republic, and was in Fort Smith to cover the end of the court's Indian Territory jurisdiction on September 1, This interview, done at the Parker Residence that day, provides some of the judge's most famous quotations. It is important to note that the article contains some minor factual errors, most especially in regards to the men put to death on the gallows.
The numbers are incorrect, as well as many of the names of the condemned. Judge Isaac C. Louis Republic, 6th inst. The scepter departed from a judicial Judah last Tuesday.
With the relinquishment of Judge I. Parker's authority over the Indian Territory that torn and bleeding southland lost at once its best friend and its reputed foe. Congress believed that it acted wisely when, on March 1, , it passed a law providing that after September 1, , the criminal jurisdiction of the United States Court at Fort Smith, Ark. It is a matter of grave doubt in many minds whether the national legislature did not make a grievous mistake in so doing.
Multitudinous memorials and petitions representing that view were sent to congress during the last session, but the labor for the repeal of the law was lost, and the experiment of the administration of justice in the border country by local courts in under way. It was initiated in a portentious manner, the public celebration of the event in McAlester and other settlements of the so-called emancipated land.
