Saddlebag Dispatches—Autumn/Winter 2018

saddlebag dispatches

Considering the facts of John Raper’s case, even his arrest would surprise a lot of people. Nevertheless, he had a jury trial and was found guilty of killing John Rogers, a Cherokee. Raper lived and worked on his farm in Arkansas not far from the Indian Territory line. One afternoon, his young son went to visit a friendly Cherokee family in the Indian Nation. That night he was attacked by several Indians and IN 1859, KILLING AN INDIAN IN THE WILD TERRITORY

n 1859, killing an Indian in the wild territory of Western Arkansas was generally believed to be justified. It was unusual for someone who committed this deed to be charged. People thought it best to acquit or worse, not even bring such a killer to trial. Think of the old saying, “The only good Indian is a dead Indian.”

OF WESTERN ARKANSAS—LIKE VAN BUREN, PICTURED HERE—WAS CONSIDERED TO BE JUSTIFIED.

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Saddlebag Dispatches—Autumn/Winter 2018

Published on Dec 28, 2018

Oghma Communications

Twice a year, we feature interviews with the movers-and-shakers in Western writing, columns by writers steeped in the form, and poetry and fiction from some of the best authors in the business. For our Autumn/Winter 2018 issue, we’re celebrating the great American sporting event known as rodeo. You'll find fantastic nonfiction and historical pieces from the likes of Spur Award-winning author and poet Rod Miller, Michael Koch, Terry Alexander, John T. Biggs, and Tom Correa; great new short fiction from Dennis Doty, Michael McLean, Kari Holloway, Marlon S. Hayes, and Doug Hocking; the sixth and penultimate chapter of our serial graphic novel event BENDER, written by Michael L. Frizell and illustrated by D.A. Frizell; poetry from John Nesbitt, Michael Lee, Spur Award-winner Rod Miller, and Laurie Duncan; and columns on all things western from our dedicated staff.