Bass Reeves Roundtable Discussion

320 Rogers Avenue,Fort Smith AR 72901

25 June, 2022

Description

On Saturday, June 25, the Fort Smith Museum of History presents a Roundtable Discussion at 11:00 am, exploring the man who was Bass Reeves, the U.S. Deputy Marshal he became, the laws he swore to uphold, the circumstances he endured as a defendant in a murder case, and the legacy of his life. Guest speakers for the Roundtable are; Oscar and Shiron Ray, founding members of the BASS REEVES LEGACY TROUPE/BASS REEVES POSSE, founded in 2011 in coordination with the 3 Rivers Museum and Muskogee Main Street in Muskogee, OK; Tom Wing, Assistant Professor of History, and Director, Drennen-Scott Historic Site, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith; and David Kennedy, Curator of Collections and Exhibits at the United States Marshals Museum in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Join us for this in-depth discussion of the history of Bass Reeves. A summary of the trial that begins at 6:00 pm the evening of Saturday, June 25th is below. In the spring of 1884, while in the Chickasaw Nation near the Canadian River, U. S. Marshal, Bass Reeves shot and killed his posse cook, William Leech. Conflicting theories of the day debated whether the unfortunate outcome of Reeves and Leach’s encounter was an argument over a disagreement about a dog or if the misfiring of a gun due to a jammed round may have caused Leach’s death. On October 12, 1887, U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, was tried for murder in the death of William Leach. There was much debate about what actually occurred in the spring of 1884 on the banks of the Canadian River. Did Bass Reeves intend on shooting William Leach over the disagreement about the dog? Was it possible Reeves was aiming at the dog? Was the jammed round an excuse to cover up an intentional act or was it truly an accident? Was U.S. Marshall Bass Reeves innocent or guilty of murder? Accounts state that after the bullet struck Leach, Reeves attempted to provide help to save Leach’s life; however, Leach did not survive. In 1886, two years after shooting his cook, Reeves was indicted for first-degree murder. Tickets for the trial are available as a separate event through Eventbrite. If you would like tickets to both events, they are available as a 3rd option through Eventbrite and offered at a discounted rate.