He Hung Em High: James Diggs and John Postoak - December 20, 1878

On December 20, 1878, the gallows at Fort Smith were once again the site of federal justice under the authority of Judge Isaac C. Parker. That morning, two men--James Diggs, an African American laborer, and John Postoak, a Creek man--were executed for separate murders committed years apart. Though their crimes were unrelated, their fates converged in the shadow of the same scaffold.

James Diggs was convicted of the 1873 murder of J.C. Gould, a cattle drover traveling through Indian Territory. Gould had been carrying $27 when he was killed. Diggs was arrested shortly after the crime, but the case collapsed when no witnesses appeared in court.

Years later, Deputy U.S. Marshal James Wilkinson reopened the case. Through determined effort, Wilkinson tracked down witnesses scattered as far as Michigan and Ohio, ultimately securing Diggs’s conviction.

John Postoak, a 25-year-old Creek man and son of a tribal council member, was found guilty of killing John Ingley and his wife in the Creek Nation in October 1877. According to reports, Postoak had visited the Ingleys’ remote home near Eufaula, where a dispute escalated.

After being insulted and denied tobacco, Postoak borrowed a revolver from a neighbor and returned to shoot both victims. Their infant child was later found alive but in critical condition. Postoak reportedly confessed to the crime days later but threatened those who heard him not to speak.

Both men were tried and sentenced in 1878. On the morning of their execution, they were escorted to the gallows inside the Fort Smith garrison. The event was not public--a 16-foot fence surrounded the site, and only officials, clergy, and reporters were permitted inside.

Diggs gave a short speech before his death. Postoak, who had converted to Methodism while in jail, prayed aloud in his native language for ten minutes.

Witnesses noted that he remained still and composed as the noose was placed around his neck.