This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: maryachtrh Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.wright/15237.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Appears in "The Wapanucka Press" 23 July 1903, Wapanucka, Johnston County, Indian Territory, now Oklahoma RECEIVED DEATH PENALTY Charles Barrett and Dora Wright Were Hanged on Same Gallows South McAlester: Charles Barrett and Dora Wright, a negress, were legally executed here. The crime of both being murder. Readers of this paper are familiar with the circumstances. These were the first legal hangings in the central district and only once before in the Indian territory has the death penalty been carried out by order of the court. Barrett strongly maintained his innocence of the murder of John Hennessey until four days before his death when he admitted his guilt in a written statement in which he implicated two other persons living at Calvin. The woman was executed for the murder of a little seven year old child left in her charge. Her attorney twice interviewed President Roosevelt in her behalf, stating it was brutal to hang a woman. The president's reply was: "If that woman was mean enough to do a thing like that, she ought to have nerve enough to meet her punishment." Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.