Once upon a time, in the late 19th century, Oklahoma was a rather lawless place. Numerous criminals hid out in Indian Territory to avoid capture and punishment.

Then, however, a new judge came to town. He decided to clean up the territory and bring law and order to the Oklahoma frontier.

The judge was Isaac Parker, who came to be known as the “hanging” judge – although he always said: “I never hung a man. It is the law (that has hung them).”

Parker, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri from 1871 to 1875, sought appointment as a federal judge from fellow Republican Pres...