As does all good stories, this one has a beginning, a middle, and an end.
The journey through all three is a fascinating look back at turn of the century Fort Smith.
If you don't mind skipping a decade and going back to the later 1890's to make the turn, that is.
The beginning...
By all accounts, James Fagan Bourland was a go-getter, able businessman and man about town in the late 1890's.
Born on October 25, 1862 in Fort Smith to James Cook and Ann E. Spangler Bourland, Fagan had used his work ethic and family connections and ascended the ranks to the point where, in late 1894 at the age of thirty-two, he owned a mercantile and general store, a saloon and a hotel in downtown Fort Smith.
He was the first person to own an automobile in the city of Fort Smith.
His parents had been farmers in Sebastian County and ran a freighting business on the Poteau and Arkansas rivers, but by the age of 18 he had married Julia Bailey and moved to the "big city" where he rose through the ranks of young, hard-working businessmen to become a well-respected member of the community.
The marriage produced three children and the couple seemed to be an example of wedded bliss and contention. At least it went well for fourteen years.
And then came Maude.
Maude Avery Allen, described as "stunning", "vivacious" beautiful" and "compelling" came into Fagan's life sometime late in 1894 according to most reports. Maude was a married woman who lived in a "boarding house" across the street from Bourland's place of business.
She was also described as a "woman of some reputation" in some circles. History doesn't specify exactly what that reputation was.
One can envision the industrious, church-going Bourland as a typical storekeeper, with rolled up white sleeves, a pencil is his hand and checking off a bill of goods as they are unloaded in front of his store.
Occasionally, he spots the alluring Maude across the street and she gives him a friendly smile and a wave. One thing leads to another, and one day they talk. That conversation needs a bit more privacy, so on yet another day they decide to take a buggy and go for a ride.
There is another option. Maybe Maude's "reputation" led to an illict relationship with Fagan that grew from a financial arrangement into an infatuation on both sides.
Although married, Maude certainly wouldn't have been the first married woman in the history of downtown Fort Smith to accept gentleman callers. Could be her husband managed her career.
The details are lost in history so pick whatever works best for you and run with it.
We do know that in early 1895, Maude's husband sued Fagan for "alienation of affections" and the scandal became public. A few months later, Julia caught Fagan and Maude in flagrante delicto in, you guessed it, Maude's boarding house. She fired off a shot (or two or three, depending who you ask) at Maude and missed.
Fagan said he would behave and it all died down for a few weeks.
Regardless, the relationship between Fagan anfd Maude endured and had advanced to the point that they decided to take "a ride" in the early summer of 1896.
Julia Bailey Bourland reportedly badgered, begged and cajoled Fagan to break off the relationship. He would give in to her demand for awhile and them succumb to the charms of the lovely Maude once again.
Julia learned of the plans for "the ride" and according to the Fort Smith Elevator "disguised herself as a Negress and waited alongside the road". When she spotted Maude, she pistol-whipped and shot at her three times. Two of the shots missed but one pierced the breast of the distaff Maude.
During the struggle, Fagan tried to separate the woman and got grazed in the leg by one of the shots for his trouble.
We'll just let Julia's own words, transcribed from a microfiche issue of the Van Buren Press, tell, the tale.
"The scene in the street just after the shooting was most affecting. Mrs. Bourland with her arms clasped about her husband's neck sobbed hysterically, 'Fagan, darling, I love you! I did it all for you! I did not shoot at you! I love you too well for that!'"
Okay.
Julia surrendered to authorities and was immediately released, a judge seemingly being sympathetic to the plight of the wronged woman.
Maude recovered and got the hell out of Dodge. Being from Kansas, she may have actually gone to Dodge City. Or just left town to dodge further attempts on her life.
But she came back. She took right back up with Fagan and Julia didn't appreciate it. And on April 22,1897 Julia hid in the closet of Maude's boarding house room.
With a pistol. And when Maude returned to the room, the third time proved to the charm in eliminating her rival.
A railcar took Maude back to her childhood home of Independence, Kansas where she was buried. Fagan Bourland paid her funeral expenses. and he stayed married to Julia, who was acquitted by a jury, until the day she died in 1941.
One can conjecture he probably kept a wary eye out for pistols.
The middle....
Ten years after the murder, James Fagan Bourland decided to run for public office.
And he was elected mayor. A Catholic, he was reputed to be hand-selected (by someone) to be "the boss" of the city and there was a considerable amount of resistance to his campaign by a gentlemen's political organization that wore sheets and pointy hats.
Despite the scandal of Julia killing Maude and the indifference of the KKK to his "progressive ideas" Fagan served four non-consecutive terms for a total of ten years as the mayor of Fort Smith.
Somewhat foreshadowing local city government 110-plus years later, Bourland fell in and out of favor with the electorate because "he did what he wanted to do, the way and when he wanted to do it".
Five years after Julia died Fagan donated $21,000 to the First Methodist Church of Fort Smith for the construction of a 26 tubular Memorial Carillon and Tower in honor of his wife. It's possible the same carillon still calls church-goers to worship each and every Sunday.
The end.
Fagan died in 1952 and was laid to rest in Oak Cemetery, next to Julia. Their children are buried at their feet.
