John Davis

William Bullock, who was white, was driving cattle from Arkansas across the Indian Territory in spring 1883. On his return on June 27, 1883, he encountered a Choctaw named John Davis. Through conversation, Davis determined that Bullock was carrying a good sum of money. As Bullock continued, Davis carried out his plan to rob and kill him.

Bullock’s body was found three days later. No one could identify him. However, a drunken Davis soon boasted of his crime and was promptly arrested.

John Davis was convicted on February 27, 1884, and sentenced to death on April 28. He was hanged at Fort Smith on July 11, 1884.

Author: Bill Lofquist

I am a sociologist and death penalty scholar at the State University of New York at Geneseo. I am also a Pittsburgh native. My present research focuses on the history of the death penalty in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh), Pa. This website is dedicated to collecting, analyzing, and sharing information about all Allegheny County cases in which a death sentence was imposed. Please share any questions or comments, errors or omissions, or other matters of interest related to these cases or to the broader history of the death penalty in Allegheny County. View all posts by Bill Lofquist