Galveston Daily News
Galveston, Texas
September 5, 1879
 
 

Romanic History
Career of Dr. HENRI STEWART, Who Was Hanged Aug. 29
The Denison News has some notes about Dr. HENRI STEWART, lately hung at Fort Smith for murder committed in the Indian Territory, at the same time with COLORADO BILL, a noted desperado.

About 3 years ago, two young ladies were on the banks of Red River at Rock Bluff ferry, waiting to cross. The ferryman told the young ladies it was extremely hazardous to cross the swollen river, but they wanted to cross. A young man rode up on horseback and volunteered to take the girls across which they did. The young ladies were impressed by the young man and extended him an invitation to visit them in Denison. ? later the liquor business of F. C. J. LEBERMANN in Denison was burglarized and HENRI STEWART was jailed, finally released on bond.

The circumstances of the murder of Dr. JONES by HENRI STEWART: Dr. Jones was at the railroad platform at Caddo, waiting for the postoffice to open. HENRI and WILEY STEWART, cousin, rode up. Wiley, intoxicated, cursed Jones and charged Jones on informing on HENRI and WILEY for introducing liquor in the Territory. Jones replied; HENRI drew his revolver and shot at Jones. Wiley took his shotgun and shot Jones in the neck. They rode a circuit around the town, reinforced by ?Texas Dick,? and returned to the scene. A Chickasaw official gathered a posse chased them. One of the Stewarts? horses was killed; another horse was stolen and traced to Vinita where HENRI sold it and took the train for Missouri. Wiley has not been apprehended. Henri went to Alba, Jasper County, Missouri where his family resides, and was soon arrested, tried and convicted of murder. ? (a few sentences described by HENRI about his version of the Jones killing)? HENRI said he was born in Mayhew, Choctaw Nation on Oct. 28, 1848. He was the youngest of four issued between CHARLES STEWART of Scottish parents, and TRYPHENIA WALL, 1/8 degree of Choctaw blood, springing from the FOLSOM family of Choctaws. His mother died in the spring of 1849 and his father afterward married Miss JULIET SLATE, a missionary at Fort Towson, I. T. The living issue of this last marriage are ARTHUR T. and ALICE E. STEWART. The former is in business at Topeka and Atchison, Kansas and the latter is with her mother at Manhattan, Kansas. After his father?s death in 1853, his stepmother moved with the children to Connecticut near Hartford, and HENRI was placed in school with the ultimate object of being educated for the medical profession, which course was pursed at Hartford and completed in the medical department of Yale t New Haven. At the early age of 19, he obtained a position as ship surgeon on board the Santiago de Cuba, between New York and Aspinwall. He was transferred to the Oregonian running between Panama and San Francisco until 1868 then he obtained a similar position with the Pacific steam navigation company between Panama and Varpasco(?). (long description of his positions, including being in Peru when the earthquake hit in 1868?) In 1870 returned to Hartford, then went to Europe? then 1871 was in Manhattan, Kansas to visit family? in 1873 married the widow of the late J. W. GREGG, an extensive cattle dealer of Illinois. In June 1874 moved to Choctaw Nation within 30 miles where he was born, remained there except for nine months in Texas after his family moved away. His wife moved to Alba, Jasper County, Missouri in May 1877? no children, two were born but died. I have a sister near Nashville, Tennessee and one at Holyoke, Mass. ? I practiced medicine in the Nation. I deny reports that that I led a wild and reckless life or being part of Sam Bass? gang. The liquor I introduced in the Nation was for use in my practice as a physician?.