satisfied, i am innocent of the crime of which 1 am accused but 1
hold-malice toward no-one,"
HARRISBURG DAILY REGISTER, Harrisburg, Illinois, Feb.-16, 1927
satisfied. I am innocent of the crime of which I am accused but
hold-malice_toward_no—one,!"! i
HARRISBURG DAILY REGISTER, Harrisburg, Illinois, Feb. 16, 1927
hold-malice toward_no-one.!
atisfied. I am innocent of the crime of which I am
g, Illinois, Feb.
accused but
16, 1927
“SMITH, Joseph ("Peck")
Smith, a 5l-year~old white farmer, and his wife lived near Ridgway,
Gallatin Co., Ill, He became a heavy drinker and was known to be very
abusive of his wife, having threatened to kill her on a number of occa-
sions and frequently compelling her to stand against the wall while
he shot at her, On the morning of Nov, 3, 1926, he was standing in
his front yard when some neighbors passed. He summoned them to come
in, explaining that "something has happened."* Wheg the men reached
the yard, he sought to prevent their going further, but, as they were
aware of the relations between him and his wife, they pushed past him
and entered the house where they found the body of Mrs, Smith, bludg-
eoned to death, The coroner was summoned and Smith was placed under
arrest. For a time it was feared that the people of Ridgway would
take matters into their own hands, but no mob formed and Smith was
tried, convicted and sentenced to die, He was hanged from a gallows
constructed in the jail yard at Shawneetown on February 16, 1927, He
weakened as he approached the gallows and had to be assisted in mount-
ing it. However, he regained his composure and made a brief speech
which he closed with the following last words: "If the peeple of Illi-
nois and Gallatin County want to take my life in this manner, I am
SMITH, Joseph ("Peck")
Smith, a 51-year-old white farmer, and his wife lived near Ridgway,
Gallatin Co., Ill. He became a heavy drinker and was known to be very
abusive of his wife, having threatened to kill her on a number of occa-
sions and frequently compelling her to stand against the wall while
he shot at her. On the morning of Nov, 3, 1926, he was standing in
his front yard when some neighbors passed. He summoned them to come
in, explaining that "something has happened." Whe the men reached
the yard, he sought to prevent their going further, but, as they were
aware of the relations between him and his wife, they pushed past him
and entered the house where they found the body of Mrs, Smith, bludg-
eoned to death, The coroner was summoned and Smith was placed under
arrest. For a time it was feared that the people of Ridgway would
take matters into their own hands, but no mob formed and Smith was
tried, convicted and sentenced to die, He was hanged from a gallows
constructed in the jail yard at Shawneetown on February 16, 1927. He
weakened as he approached the gallows and had to be assisted in mount-
ing it. However, he regained his composure and made a brief speech
which he closed with the following last words: "If the peeple of Tlli-
nois and Gallatin County want to take my life in this manner, I am
SMITH, Joseph ("
eck")
Smith, a 51-year-old white farmer, and his wife lived near Ridgway,
Gallatin 0o,, Ill, He became a heavy drinker and was known to be very
abusive of his wife, having threatened to kill her on a number of occa-|
sions and frequently compelling her to stand against the wall while
he shot at her, On the morning of Nov, 3, 1926, he was standing in
his front yard when some neighbors passed. He summoned them to come
in, explaining that "something has happened." ‘he the men reached
the yard, he sought to prevent their going further, but, as they were
aware of the relations between him and his wife, they pushed past him
and entered the house where they found the body of Mrs, Smith, bludg=
eoned to death, The coroner was summoned and Smith was placed under
arrest, For a time it was feared that the people of Ridgway would
take matters into their own hands, but no mob formed and Smith was
tried, convicted and sentenced to die, He was hanged from a gallows
constructed in the jail yard at Shawneetown on February 16, 1927, He
weakened as he approached the gallows and had to be assisted in mount~
ing it. However, he regained his composure and made a brief speech
peeple of T1li-
nois and Callatin County want to take my life in this manner, I am
axa, Jou (nee)
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