Logan County "Old Jail" Museum - Last Man Hung in Arkansas

The Logan County “Old Jail” was built in 1903. It was a two-story building that was built northwest. The jail was broken up into two sections, one for the warden and his family to live in and the other side was where the prisoners were located.In August of 1971, the jail did not pass fire safe codes and was condemned and closed. It was unsafe for prisoners and the warden and his family to live in. The jail was used for over sixty-seven years, housing many prisoners and jailers.One of these prisoners was John Arthur Tillman, the last man hung in the state of Arkansas.

John Arthur Tillman (1891-1914) was the last man hung in Arkansas. From the day he was arrested to the day he was hung, Tillman stated he was innocent. Tillman was arrested in 1913. He was arrested for the murder of Amanda Stephens, age 19, on March 10, who lived north of Delaware. Amanda left a note on her pillow suggesting that she was running away, but told her friends she was going to a dance with Tillman.  When she didn’t come home, he contacted authorities and they issued a warrant for Arthur’s arrest for seduction.

On March 18, 1913, Amanda Stephens was found dead in a well on the property of Ambrose Johnson. Johnson said he saw a man from his porch who looked like Arthur Tillman, sneaking up to his well and looking inside. Later, he looked in the well and found that it had been filled with rocks. With the help of friends, Johnson removed the rocks finding Amanda’s body. Amanda had been shot in the head. It was concluded that she was shot in the head from above with a .22 caliber weapon and also concluded that she was four months pregnant.

Tillman was found hiding at his uncle’s house in Clarksville, after he heard there was a warrant for his arrest. He wasater caught in Fort Smith. His first trial began August 27, 1913 and ended with a hung jury. The second trial ended on November 1 with a conviction and sentencing. His hanging was originally scheduled for March 10, 1914, the anniversary of Amanda’s murder, but attempts to appeal the sentence postponed the hanging until July.

Years later following Tillman’s hanging, his first cousin and best friend, James Frank Tillman, told the true story to his granddaughter when she had asked him about Arthur’s innocence. James Tillman stated that Arthur had killed Amanda because she was pregnant, claiming it was Arthur’s baby, and he was in love with another woman. He said, “Don’t worry yourself sweetheart, they hung the right man”.

The jail would not lose its history, as a museum was established in the fall of 1972. The museum is still open to this day where many people come and go to see where Arthur Tillman was hung. The gallows are still there where Arthur was hung.

Reynolds, Jeanne S. Logan County "Old Jail" Museum, Welcome to Paris, Arkansas. 2020. Accessed October 27th 2020. https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/2208/CMS/Old-Jail-Brochure-PDF(1).pdf.

Walters, Ryan. John Arthur Tillman (1891 - 1914), August 24th 2011. Accessed October 27th 2020. https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/john-arthur-tillman-3097/.

Belle, Millie. John Arthur Tillman, February 6th 2011. Accessed October 27th 2020. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65265330/john-arthur-tillman.