J. Warren Reed, Frontier Lawyer
J. Warren Reed and his wife came to Fort Smith, Arkansas, in April 1889. There were a lot of strangers in those days. Reed was not an outlaw or a gambler, but a lawyer. His wife had also studied law, but had not been allowed to get a license to practice.
There was a lot of business for lawyers at that time, but Reed didn't have much of it at first. This was because the town and the territory belonged to Isaac Parker, known as the Hanging Judge. He was the law of the land and no lawyer dared to cross him. The other lawyers played by his rules, but Reed did not. So not much work came his way. This didn't seem to bother him much. So much of his work involved trivial matters such as dog licenses or helping women with divorces.
But word got out that he never lost a case. It was told that he would argue just as hard on a small matter as a large one. He was very knowledgeable in all matters of the law. He had trained especially for criminal law and finally got his chance. A Indian man named Charley Keys was accused of killing Larkin Powell. The trial was held in the small town of Nowata, in Indian Territory. After 12 hours of argument, Reed won acquittal for his client.
This case gained fame for Reed, and everyone who needed anything began to hire him. This was not good for Parker. They would soon have their chance to cross each other in a courtroom. Reed defended a man named William Alexander, a Mexican. He was accused of killing David C. Steadman, a horse trader. He was taken to the Fort Smith jail to stand trial. Reed fought hard for the man, even though he felt he was guilty. The jury came back with a guilty verdict, to the pleasure of Judge Parker.
But then Reed did something no one else had dared try in Parker's courthouse. He filed an appeal. The law was fairly new at the time, and Reed claimed error had been made during the trial. He won a new trial for his client. The second trial resulted in a hung jury. This was also unheard of in a Parker courtroom. A third trial was held. This time Alexander was acquitted. Afterward, Alexander wisely left the area.
Reed's example compelled other lawyers to stand up to Parker. They also filed appeals to higher
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