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264:, that a man matching their suspect's description was in their town. Taney County Sheriff Bill Pumphrey and Prosecuting Attorney Joe Gideon traveled from Forsyth to Wewoka to attempt to apprehend Bozarth's murderer. Jackson was captured at the home of Anna Whitten. He was still in possession of Bozarth's vehicle, though he had attempted to disguise it by painting it; the investigators discovered buckets of black paint that Jackson had used to paint the vehicle.
44:
385:
He then turned to face the crowd in the enclosure and was placed in the center of the trap. Deputy Moore placed the black hood over his face, Sheriff
Simmons placed the noose around his neck, while other officers strapped his legs together. Jackson then raised his hands and said, "Well, be good,
267:
When authorities returned
Jackson to Forsyth, Reed positively identified him as the man who was with Bozarth. Jackson admitted to riding with Bozarth but insisted that there was another passenger, a man by the name of William Young, who committed the murder and forced Jackson to ride with him to
368:
The next morning, a few minutes before six o'clock, it is estimated that at least 400 people were waiting outside the courthouse to witness the hanging of Roscoe
Jackson. After the spectators had filed into the enclosure, Sheriff Coin quieted the crowd. On the runway was Father Ahern, Jackson's
414:
reported that
Jackson's father returned home and left Jackson's attorney, G.W. Rogers, to take charge of the body. Jackson's father, mother, and siblings attended his funeral; his estranged wife and children did not. Afterwards, Jackson was laid to rest in Howards Ridge.
190:
Jackson married Dona
Ellison, a native of Howards Ridge, and had four children with her, all of whom were still young at the time of Jackson's execution. By the time of Jackson's death, he and Ellison were estranged, and she and the couple's four children had moved to
211:, tossed a lit match onto the dog, and set it on fire. The dog ran away and accidentally set fire to a hotel building before a citizen killed the dog with a shotgun to "end its misery". This incident earned Jackson a reputation in the area as a "brutal man".
187:, on May 11, 1901, to Andrew J. and Matilda (Kyle) Jackson. As the eldest son, Roscoe worked on the family farm with his father until he was 17 years old. He then left home and lost contact with his family as he drifted westward across the country.
380:
To ask anyone to forgive me is too much. Death itself is not so bad, but the record a person leaves behind him may be. To die accidentally is easy, but when you come to it gradually, it is hard. If you feel I am paying my debt like a man I am
198:
Jackson's first run-in with the law came as a teenager. Jackson and another boy fought over a girl, with
Jackson on the losing end. Afterwards, Jackson began carrying a gun and bragging about it, which resulted in his arrest and conviction of
365:, for his son's execution, although he did not witness the hanging. While his father visited him in the county jail, Roscoe told his father, "What a man sows, that shall he also reap, and I am prepared to reap my harvest in the morning".
443:
am on May 21, 1937; and Roscoe
Jackson. Barr and Jackson were the last people hanged in Missouri, and the state carried out its first gas chamber execution on March 4, 1938. In total, Missouri used the gas chamber on eight men in 1938.
167:. Jackson, a habitual criminal, confessed to the murder of Pearl Bozarth, a traveling salesman, with the motive being robbery, as Jackson had stolen Bozarth's money and car. Jackson was convicted of Bozarth's murder and
402:
Following
Jackson's execution, after officials removed Jackson's body from the gallows, a crowd remained close to the enclosure where the hanging had taken place; souvenir hunters cut off pieces of the rope.
324:, but they could not agree on the punishment. Judge Robert Gideon called in the jury after two hours of deliberation, and discovered that nine of the jurors were for the death penalty and three were for
361:
One of the witnesses to the hanging was Howard
Bozarth, the son of the murder victim Pearl Bozarth. Jackson's father, Andrew J. Jackson, had made the trip from Howard's Ridge, near
1048:
253:
The owner of Shadow Rock Camp was W.G. Reed, a longtime friend of
Bozarth. Reed told the investigators of the hitchhiker who was with Bozarth at the camp. Reed and a local
1073:
996:
880:
328:. After the jury explained to Judge Gideon that they would not be able to come to an agreement, they were dismissed; Judge Gideon then sentenced Jackson to death.
684:
1063:
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246:; his car and money were gone. His cause of death was likely multiple bullet wounds to the head. Bozarth's remains were taken by Forsyth police officers and
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reported that Jackson's father waited in the sheriff's office until the execution was completed so he could take Jackson's body to Howards Ridge, the
164:
542:
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for Missouri's executions moving forward. Three men were hanged in the state in 1937 prior to Governor Stark's bill, those being Fred Adams in
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231:, who had been traveling through the area selling poultry medication at the time. Bozarth gave Jackson a lift, and the men stopped in
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354:
On May 20, 1937, Stone County Sheriff I.H. Coin, Deputy F.A. Moore, Taney County Sheriff Henry Simmons and Harvey George of the
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for the evening. There, Bozarth paid for Jackson to have a meal and paid for his lodging for the night at Shadow Rock Camp.
386:
folks." Sheriff Coin pulled the lever, and Jackson fell ten feet. Ten minutes later, he was pronounced dead by Dr. Kerr of
331:
After being convicted, Jackson confessed to the murder of Bozarth. He also confessed to murdering another man in Oklahoma.
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435:, on April 2, 1937; Dudley Barr on the same date and at the same time as Jackson's execution (albeit inside the
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jail, Jackson saw another man's dog and called it over to his cell, after which Jackson doused the dog with an
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attendant gave descriptions of Jackson to the investigators that helped in Jackson's apprehension.
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Coroner Bob Thornhill to Branson. Remaining on his person was a watch, a ring, and 95 cents.
227:, Jackson was picked up by Pearl Bozarth, the owner of a poultry medicine factory located in
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163:(May 11, 1901 – May 21, 1937) was an American criminal who was the last person to be
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Jackson turned to face the crowd that was outside of the enclosure, and said:
208:
134:
987:"Firm Walk to Gallows; Dudley Barr Smiles as Arms Are Strapped to His Sides"
301:
228:
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Jackson's father, Andrew Jackson, did not watch the execution. While the
238:
Three days later, a local farmer found Bozarth's body in a field between
168:
677:""Red" Jackson Hanged in Galena; Probably Last Legal Hanging in State"
543:"The Last Hanging: There Was a Reason They Outlawed Public Executions"
369:
spiritual advisor, followed by Jackson. Father Ahern read aloud the
27:
Last person to be publicly executed in the United States (1901–1937)
518:"Sounds of the Georgia Death Chamber Will Be Heard on Public Radio"
345:
358:
traveled to Jefferson City to collect Jackson for the execution.
338:
where he was held in solitary confinement for over two years.
487:"So far there's been no televised executions, but stay tuned"
305:, although witnesses were not called to the stand until 3:00
464:
as the last publicly executed person in the United States.
418:
596:"Is This a Photo of the Last Public Execution in US?"
427:
signed a bill that exclusively authorized the use of
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419:Missouri's change from hanging to the gas chamber
936:"Documentation for the Execution of Fred Adams"
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350:Roscoe Jackson walking the steps of the gallows
334:Jackson was taken to the state penitentiary in
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8:
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717:"The Life and Times of Roscoe "Red" Jackson"
295:The trial began on December 10, 1934, with
1049:20th-century executions of American people
871:"Murderer Dies on Gallows at Galena Today"
42:
31:
642:""Red" Jackson Pays for Crime on Gallows"
203:. During one of Jackson's stints in the
710:
708:
706:
477:
453:
1074:People executed by Missouri by hanging
830:"Beginning the Last Journey to Galena"
165:publicly executed in the United States
765:"Law Moves Swiftly on Bozarth Murder"
201:illegally carrying a concealed weapon
7:
671:
669:
667:
1064:American people executed for murder
1044:20th-century executions by Missouri
800:"Roscoe Jackson Sentenced to Hang"
570:"Last Public Execution in America"
373:, and Jackson repeated the words.
280:Although the murder took place in
260:Investigators received a tip from
25:
1034:1934 murders in the United States
999:from the original on July 1, 2024
883:from the original on July 1, 2024
727:Springfield-Greene County Library
687:from the original on July 1, 2024
320:The jury found Jackson guilty of
485:Ames Alexander (July 21, 1991).
910:"Executions in the Gas Chamber"
594:Kasprak, Alex (April 8, 2023).
568:Montagne, Renee (May 1, 2001).
140:Criminal possession of a weapon
967:. January 10, 1962. p. 18
806:. December 12, 1934. p. 1
460:Other sources have pointed to
18:Roscoe "Red" Jackson
1:
1069:Executed people from Missouri
940:University of Albany Archives
112:Being the final person to be
104:Howards Ridge, Missouri, U.S.
49:
423:In September 1937, Governor
219:In early August 1934, while
995:. May 21, 1937. p. 1.
961:"Hanging in the Courthouse"
914:Missouri Penitentiary Tours
879:. May 21, 1937. p. 1.
771:. August 9, 1934. p. 1
683:. May 27, 1937. p. 6.
648:. May 26, 1937. p. 1,8
516:Rimer, Sara (May 2, 2001).
183:Roscoe Jackson was born in
1100:
975:– via KCHistory.org.
838:. May 22, 1937. p. 16
309:pm. The next day, at 12:00
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128:
41:
1084:Publicly executed people
804:Stone County News-Oracle
681:West Plains Weekly Quill
646:Stone County News-Oracle
412:West Plains Weekly Quill
284:, the case was moved to
1054:American male criminals
835:Springfield News-Leader
408:St. Louis Post-Dispatch
356:Missouri Highway Patrol
185:Howards Ridge, Missouri
74:Howards Ridge, Missouri
876:Carthage Evening Press
769:The White River Leader
383:
351:
286:Stone County, Missouri
282:Taney County, Missouri
193:Pauls Valley, Oklahoma
715:Brown, Bizzy (1985).
378:
363:Gainesville, Missouri
349:
313:pm, the jurors began
1079:People from Missouri
965:The Kansas City Star
439:courthouse), at 6:00
116:in the United States
48:Mugshot of Jackson,
390:and Dr. Shumate of
322:first-degree murder
1059:American murderers
547:The New York Times
522:The New York Times
491:Ashbury Park Press
352:
270:Seminole, Oklahoma
371:Act of Contrition
326:life imprisonment
158:
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114:publicly executed
16:(Redirected from
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992:Kansas City Star
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425:Lloyd Crow Stark
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262:Wewoka, Oklahoma
215:Crime and arrest
173:Galena, Missouri
150:Death by hanging
147:Criminal penalty
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93:Galena, Missouri
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290:change of venue
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255:filling station
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121:Criminal status
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934:M. Watt Epsy.
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848:Newspapers.com
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658:Newspapers.com
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437:Jackson County
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336:Jefferson City
297:jury selection
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161:Roscoe Jackson
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109:Known for
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89:(aged 36)
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36:Roscoe Jackson
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549:. May 6, 2001
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462:Rainey Bethea
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135:Conviction(s)
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101:Resting place
99:
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84:
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62:
58:
45:
40:
33:
30:
19:
1007:– via
1001:. Retrieved
990:
981:
969:. Retrieved
964:
955:
943:. Retrieved
939:
929:
917:. Retrieved
913:
891:– via
885:. Retrieved
874:
846:– via
840:. Retrieved
833:
824:
814:– via
808:. Retrieved
803:
779:– via
773:. Retrieved
768:
730:. Retrieved
720:
695:– via
689:. Retrieved
680:
656:– via
650:. Retrieved
645:
603:. Retrieved
599:
589:
577:. Retrieved
573:
563:
551:. Retrieved
546:
537:
525:. Retrieved
521:
511:
501:– via
495:. Retrieved
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422:
411:
407:
405:
401:
392:Reeds Spring
384:
379:
375:
367:
360:
353:
333:
330:
319:
315:deliberation
300:
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279:
266:
259:
252:
248:Taney County
240:Bradleyville
237:
218:
205:Ozark County
197:
189:
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160:
159:
87:(1937-05-21)
85:May 21, 1937
70:May 11, 1901
29:
1039:1937 deaths
1029:1901 births
493:. p. 9
244:Brownbranch
221:hitchhiking
53: 1937
1023:Categories
472:References
429:lethal gas
209:accelerant
179:Early life
66:1901-05-11
605:August 8,
579:August 8,
553:August 8,
527:August 8,
398:Aftermath
342:Execution
302:voir dire
229:St. Louis
997:Archived
971:June 26,
945:June 26,
919:June 26,
887:June 24,
881:Archived
842:June 24,
810:June 24,
775:June 24,
732:June 23,
685:Archived
652:June 24,
497:June 29,
124:Executed
1003:July 1,
691:July 1,
288:, on a
233:Forsyth
225:Branson
600:Snopes
441:
311:
307:
169:hanged
142:Murder
95:, U.S.
76:, U.S.
448:Notes
388:Crane
381:glad.
276:Trial
1005:2024
973:2024
947:2024
921:2024
889:2024
844:2024
812:2024
777:2024
734:2024
693:2024
654:2024
607:2024
581:2024
555:2024
529:2024
499:2024
299:and
242:and
82:Died
60:Born
574:NPR
223:in
171:in
1025::
989:.
963:.
938:.
912:.
901:^
873:.
856:^
832:.
802:.
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719:.
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50:c.
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68:)
64:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
