The Branch and the Scaffold (Judge Parker)

A Novel of Judge Parker

When Judge Isaac Parker first arrived in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the town had thirty saloons and one bank. As the sole law on the untamed frontier, Parker’s severe judgments scandalized Washington and the Eastern press. Never flinching from his duty, Parker and his marshals, dubbed “Parker’s Men,” ran up against some of the most colorful and dangerous outlaws the West had to offer, including the notorious Dalton Gang; Belle Starr, the Bandit Queen; the murderous Cherokee Bill; and Ned Christie, a vengeful Indian who carried on a private war against the U.S. government for seven years.

The Branch and the Scaffold is a fascinating fictional depiction of Judge Parker’s life and times.