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Subject: [ARCRAWFO] Van Buren Press March 2, 1889 Belle Starr's Funeral
Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 10:25:21 EST

March 2, 1889
Van Buren Press
Crawford County, Arkansas

BELLE STARR’S FUNERAL
Times: A Fort Smithian who was in the neighborhood of Younger’s Bend where
Belle Starr was killed was led by curiosity to attend her funeral and of
which he gives the following account: The remains lay in a neat casket which
was born by pall-bearers to the grave, where the lid was removed and the
murdered woman was seen dressed in a neat suit of black silk, one of her
crossed hands grasped the ivory handle of her favorite revolver. There were
no religious services, the grim visaged attendants were heavily armed, and
went about their work quietly. Each of them in accordance with the Indian
custom placed a small piece of corn meal bread in the coffin, and then the
lid was released and lowered, and scarcely had the grave been filled when
James July, the dead woman’s husband, who is a Creek, and not a Cherokee, and
prefers to be called Starr, turned and approaching Watson, who with his wife
was present, covered him with a Winchester and ordered him to surrender. Many
persons thought he was going to be killed. Watson and his wife were quiet and
cool. Watson gave up and said if they killed him they would kill the wrong
man. He asked some of the men present to stay with him, as he feared he would
be killed if he was left with Starr, and they did so.

Fran Alverson Warren

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