 |
| Bank robber Starr died with family in cell |
|
| Question: How long did outlaw Henry Starr live after being shot at an attempted bank robbery in Harrison? |
 Answer: So many things have been written about Henry Starr, and that includes the
attempted robbery of Peoples National Bank in Harrison on Friday, February 18, 1921.
Our town was placed in the limelight, as the curtains fell for the last time, in the life of
one of the greatest bandits ever in the 1920's. Still today, writers continue to research
his life and that of his cohorts, with one author making a recent trip to Harrison in search
of information that might have been written about Starr and the robbery.
After being shot by a ball from W. J. Myers' .38 caliber Winchester, Henry Starr battled
with death for four days, but succumbed on the following Tuesday afternoon, February 22, 1921 at 1:25 p.m. Many hoped he would survive to stand trial, but local physicians
all said from the start that his recovery was not possible.
|
| Surrounding Starr in the narrow cell of the county jail at the time of his death were
his mother, Mrs. Mary Gordon of Tulsa, OK; his wife of one year, Mrs. Huldah Starr of
Sallisaw, OK; and his son, Theodore Starr of Muskogee, OK. Many people think that
Henry was either the son of Belle Starr or was married to Belle, but both are incorrect.
Probably the most outlandish rumor that started after the robbery, was that Starr's
three back-up men had escaped in an airplane.
|
| The Nash car, driven by the escaping bandits, was found a short distance south
of the first railroad crossing (near the site of present day Claridge Inc.). It had been
abandoned and set on fire - which might have been due to the fact that Mr. Meyers
had punctured the tire when he fired his rifle at the getaway car as it left town via the
old wooden Willow Street bridge. Had a wagon been crossing the bridge at the exact
time the bandits were leaving town, the story might have had a different ending.
Myers and president of the bank, Marvin Wagley, both rushed out to see the car
as it headed to the bridge. Shots were fired and the fleeing robbers returned fire, so
it certainly could have ended tragically for two local men.
|
| Henry Starr's last words were to his aged mother, only a few moments before
he lost consciousness. His strong constitution and grim determination had sustained him
for four long days but with ashen lips he whispered, "Mother, I am satisfied to die - I
have made by peace with God."
|
| When informed by the physician that her son had died, the aged mother gave
up to grief for only a few moments. She quickly regained her composure and walked
into the adjoining room and informed the waiting wife and son.
|
| Mrs. Gordon said, "Henry has always been a trial to me, but thank
God, I will know where he is tonight. I believe his character was being moulded even
before his birth."
|
| The body was prepared at once for shipment by the R. D. Cline Undertaking and displayed for a short time for public viewing. Family and friends left on the afternoon train the next day for Dewey, Oklahoma, where
burial would be beside his sister and his child.
|
|
|
| Two back issues of the Boone County Historian tell more about Henry Starr
and when he "Met his Waterloo" in Harrison. Written by Shelly Dirst and Sammie Rose,
the issues are still available at the Heritage Museum, located on the corner of South
Cherry Street and Central Avenue. Museum hours are from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday
through Friday.
|
| This column appears Fridays in the Harrison Daily Times. Mail questions to Boone County Heritage Museum, P. O. Box 1094, Harrison, AR 72601. Marilyn Smith can be contacted at bchm@windstream.net |
|
|
 |
|
|
The Boone County Historian
The Boone County Historian