Pennsylvania, executions recorded in city, county and statewide records, 1866-1992, Undated

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‘esse GeudGtleud kis Wile aio
© Ciuck Saturday evening .Augu:t 4¢h
18¢0—Was trieq October 3rd, to 10th,
1860—Supreme Court affirmed the
lower Court February ltth, 1861. H;
Was sentenced to be hanged April 12,
iS61 and committed suicide in his
cell. Sunday, February 24, by hanging
himself with a handkerchief. Cath-
cart was an Irishman, Was over sjx
feet tall, robust frame, sandy complex.
jon florid face and a bad acter,
Was aged
HIS TRIAL AND CONVICTION

The case of Commonwealth against
John Cathcart for trial in the Oyer
and Terminer Court Was called Sept.
26th, 1861, when he was arraigned at
the bar and pleaded not guilty, to the
charge set forth in the indictment.
The panel was then called and the
first legal question raised, Whether
or not the Commonwealth had the
Tight to four Peremptory challenges,
The President Judze, Hon Samuel
Linn ruled, that inasmuch as the new
penal code was uncertain as to the
wording and ccenstruction he felt him.
Self constrained to adhere to the old
practice in regard to challenges and
Tefused the motion. The examination

cf jurors proceeded and was com-

SUURY OF TIE CRIME,
Thomas B, Templeton, sw—The
Word came to my house that Mrs.
Cathcart was shot. John Catheart’s
houso is in Knox township. This oc-
curred in the latter part of July,
about 5 o'clock on Saturday evening,
I ran in; she was lying on the bed,
and he was sitting on the bedsice,
The first thing I saiq was, My God,
John, whut is this? He turned round
\

pleted when 31 of the panel was eall- ;
ed. The twelve jurors swarn ney

Geo. W, Long,
Deniel Goodlander
Philip Neft ,
Job. Ogden :
G. B, Caldwell. >.
Isaac Gess .
Levi Draucker
David Horn
David Haines
Adam Spackman
John Rorabaugh
Geo. Morgan. '
For the Commonwealth the follow- |
ing Attorneys were employed; Dis- |
trict atterney, R. J, Wallace, J. B.|
MeEnally, Isreal Test and on the part |
of the defence, Wm. A. Wallace; T. Tr:
McCullough and H. b. Swoope. (O14
Tesidents wil] note that not one of
the jurors named above are now liv-
ins and none of the six Attorneys em-
Dlored, although this celebrated trial
Was held 52 years a220.--F3, Journal.) |
September 23, 1860, who briefly de- }
tiiled the Stcry of the crime and what!
they expeeteg to prove. The story at |
the horrible crime is told in the testi- |
mony of Thomas Temelton—Samvel |
Ray, ang Thomas Catheart, brother
of Join who dig the shooting, Many |

,
i

More witnesses Were examined and to bring either Pe o
the Court Was in sossion the whole Rule.

: S. J. ROW

Another early jourralist, was born
October 22nd, 1822, he becume rublich.
er of the Raftsman’s Journal in 1£61,
continuing until 1890, when he retired,
He died January 27, 1£98, He was
two years yeunger than Judge Linn,
and reported the Ca theart murder case
for the Journal in 1866 und 1861.

and said to me, I got home but about
half an hour ase, and I got My gun
down to go out to the deer lick—thut
he was looking at the fun to see if
the charge was fit for the business—
he said the gun went off in his hands
Whilst he was examining the charge
He says, th went off—it blowed

all I - I saw the butt of the

fun lying on the floor, and the rest
cf it Standing against the Partition
at the door-side, The butt of the gun
Wes broke off behing the tail of the
Lreach. I saiq to him, John has any-
body gone for the doctor? He Said his
-rother Tnomag had Went. I asked
how long? fo Said near about three
quarter’s of an hour, I asked him
What doctor?He salq he had told him
aldwe!ll or Dr.
1 said, you had better send

Page 4.

“YET as
a rE

newt

‘ Aare ‘ye voba Martha, J can’t, ‘tebinas Ca Ke
for Dr, select 1 sald 3 iiouabe he was not there until after eb hn
sented, hiro physician—that ho was'As near as I can ge Drcsie
vs. note bathers -thaik he hag sur- about two hours bees "20 minutes
Seabee wae ts. During this, Mrs.!came, that she diced, About 2 nabhAto
gical may Chg Ta John was, la- after Thomas came. He ct og
re res gee dant over her, sald, Go. aoctor _— ee i Pa car
menting rer me, for ed wit athe sane fa Sp KS
Dilan eget tg ah? powers eens . tap ahs iho Phage sara
you ced him straight in the face’a mile of thel | Rie Sa gs
yn a 9 Lager g in : think fhat me when she a hy Arte dtc
pas ld shoot me. He made ing on the bed aod 34 . shot. The
odio’ A that I recollect. I then she had on when ‘she mes tc irs She
pe eee a Dr. Fetzer. Elizabeth house has two rooms ara. back coors
a ai hey were in the Tpom’ was lying in the second or back rocm.
an :

Hon. WILLIAM A.. WALLACE. wh
Hon. WILLIAM A. WALLACE—One of Clearfield County’s most prom

H. BUCHER SWOOPF.

i i P d ber in 1847. He was
sons, Wno ‘vas in 1827, admitted to Clearfield n ee ee
pcre aed Wis Siate Sonees in 1363, and again in 154. ote . Re pane Si pe
nite es Senate in 1875, and served six years. ne ot a ee ae
a tase ah ape leadine counsel jn the defence of John Cathcart in
: z Ma tin Turner in 1877. : oy
% eS puanee SWOOPE, was born in pe ghee et a
read law with John Scott. of peerpe 7 oe age ea set for the
aproi 3 ‘ ttn be nite ates ies
Wactra Davin’ Tie cee Senator Waliace in the defense of Cathe
e3.er trict. He
1869. He died in 1874.

h tside door to the
‘ ‘There fs but one ou _
v1 rersation occurred. John! aN ee
When xe hae wens eff ‘and sho his‘ house. bata , Leki cel ig a
wife a oet the doctor there sometime room where s — ) oo Gave ate
Wife. Sth The doctor examined is two girebaehacoe tine eae
th porte to take the ball out, and Sas foc i thee ger teaee
exe the efore “on girl—Th c pear ad
ee cen $s e child is deac
tha’ docks gregh gos would die. about 3 gt agi be Aobgse
Pty ait ea husband, John, ] wet ae = Piet lig s
via Ee tec better life, and raise a Sled Bes iS ene. After m
3 ‘ Ni H I wi inie- : ; * chat esenios
ale. "The hye made’ toly was, return the doctor asked
ue... Phe te i .

Vage 5,
or ry

Who faintly said to me,

“My friend why have you killed me?”

But all I would reply
Was quickly to go to him
Resolved that he must die.

The devil so possessed me,
‘Before he was quite dead
With tomahawk I gave him
Two blows upon the head
Then dragged him off a distance
And stripped him of his clothes
And like a savage left him
To beasts and brutes exposed.

In trying on his shoes
I found they were too small,
I cut them in the instep
And left my penknife fall;
This knife and an old song book
Left here as by design
When with a piece of clothing
Betrayed this deed of mine.

His ‘horse and his saddle-bags
Now became my prey;

His watch and his pocket-book
TI also took away;

Then covered up his body

_ With leaves and rotten wood

Some distance from the roadside
Where once a tree had stood.

Before I'd rode a mile
Then went on toward Karthaus
Pursuers to beguile
And early the next~morning
I viewed all my store
And thought I could conceal
This my guilt forevermore.

I hid his bloody shirt
In the hollow of a tree
But this too was found
And produced against me;
To show that private murder
Would never be concealed
A dog told the secret
And the whole was revealed.

I tried to plead “not guilty,”
My lawyers did their best

But proof on proof appeared
Guilt rankled in my breast,

Hig bones too, were produced,
Presented at my trial,

And this shocking proof of guilt
Admitted no denial.

One more thing I will mention
‘Before I’m done with time,

Some blamed Andrew Allison
For this my cruel crime

But since I am to suffer
I say a lie has come—

He's as innocent as the infant
Or child yet unborn.

pean ammcnt

TR tore! | Rete

GEO. W. WOODWARD,

The distirguished Judge who presided at the trial of Lorenzo
Allman in 1849.

Brother Murders Brother.

Love for Same Gir] the Cause of the Allman Murder in Brady
Township in 1848.

Lorenzo Allman, ef Brady township killed his brother, Godfried, on Sat-
urday the 12th of September 1848. The brothers lived together in Brady town-
ship. Both had courted a girl named Louisa Marshall, daughter of Adam Mar-
shall. Godfried married her on Tuesday the 8th of September. Soon there-

issi r a protracted search by the neighbors the body

g flat with his face on the ground with a

bullet i ‘ entered the back of the head and came out

ove” the right eye. d evidence of having been there tor some

time and had been in f e the preceding Saturday. It

was in the woods about ld road leading from Allmans to
Marshalls.

The case was called for trial on Monday January 29th, 1819, before
George W. Woodward, President Judge. On that day the prisoner was brought
into Court and arrainged on the following day, January 30th, the actual trial
began and continued on that day Tuesday, the 30th and on Wednesday the 3ist,
including a night session that night and on Thursd2y February Ist.

The trial resulted in a verdict of murder in the first degree which was
followed vy a motion for a new trial, and a new trial was granted «pou which
the defendant plead guijty to murder in the second degree, and was sent to the
penitentiary fora long term of years.

There was employed for the Commonwealth, Ceputy Attorney General
Hecker who opened the case of the Commonwealth to the Jury. There was as-
sociated with him B. R, Petricken and William A. Wallace, who was then but
21 years of age. For the prisoner the attorney: were Josiah W. Smith, And-
rew G. Curtin, George R. Barrett and John F. Weaver. Mr. Weaver was then
about 29 years old. He made the opening speech to the jury for the defense,
“In a very feeling ond impressive address.” .

The principal ground upon which a new trial was granted it is said was
that George B. Smith one of the jurors sepa f from the others after
the jury had been charged by the Court, and hop to be shav-
ed, and there heard sorre discussion of the c onnected
with the trial was this, Long after the tria
prisoner while in the penitentiary and assured him that any
to him now could not in any way effect his imprisonment
know whether the shot which Iilled his brother was from
rear. The prisoner told him the shot was from the rear which

d by some of the witnesses for the Commonwealth,
en controverted by the defense. It seemed that the ques-
e view of the case turned on the direction from which

act connected with the case was the great interest taken
afterwards so well known as Governor Curtin. At
of age. Josiah W. Smith, who was
a learned lawyer, but his practice was almost
Judge Barrett was about the same age as Curtin
was q The preparation and trial of the
ally upon Curtin. f his life he stated toa
hat he devoted a great to the preparation
lted with
John d in his
last days was
State vs. McIarland <illi De Ri a Tribune cor-
-respondent. Curtin oudward
visiting with him the
has already been made.

Paze3 .

HISTORY OF

Capital Crimes, Confessions and Death
Penalties.

In Cleirfield County From 1816 to July 1, 1914

jn ‘iwo Parts.
— By M.

McQUOWN —

Prior to 1822 Clearfield County was
atrached to Centre County for Judicial
purposes and the courts were held
in Bellefonte. The trial Judge at the
time Monks was tried was’ Hon.
Charles Hustcn, Francis Rawle and
Moses Boggs, were Associate Judges.
The murder was committed in Novem-
ber 1817—Monks was tried in 1838
end ‘hanged at Bellefonte in 1819.
Monks wag a baqg actor. He had been
hunting for game and at night lodged
at a tavern in Bloom towyship, which
tavern stood, so we are’ informed
where the election house now stands
cn the old pike. The night before the
sheoting Monks had been gambling
and drinking; had lost atout all of
lis money and was in a bad frame of
mind. He left the hote] in the after-
noon and started home coming in the
Girection of Curwensville on the pik».
Reuben Giles, his victim, was from an
eastern county and a droyer carrying
considerable money. Giles was going
west ascending at the time Andezson
ereek hill ang met Monks at a poin:
neat where the road leads into tne
Johnston Holden farm and which fo:
years was marked by a stone tablet,
now removed. Giles spoke pleasantly
to Monks and passed on. The rest
is told in his poetic confession writ-
ten by him in the Bellefonte jail pricr
to his execution. He was hanged two
vears later in an open field near Bel-
lefonte and it is said his execution
was witnessed by more than 4000
reople. One of the witnesses was the
late Ellis Irving, of Goshen township,
who was then fourteen years of age
and who lived to the ripe age of £7
years dying May first 1962, and was
buried from the Fresbyterfan church
in this place, in Hill. Crest cemetery.
The Journal republishes “Mouk’s Con-
fession” once every six years and it
is always read with interest and many
Tequests come to us for conics,
vs . Confession ef James Monks,
Come all ye good people,

Who now have come to view
This sad and shameful] death

|
|

I have brought myself unto;
I pray you al] take warning
By my unhappy fate,
And shun my vice and folly,
Before it is too late.

In the county of Centre
I drew my baby breath;
And in that same county
I meet my shameful death,
liad I obeyed the counsels
My parents gave to me
I would not have had to suffer
Uron this shameful tree.

I hope you will remember

James Monks—such is my name;
This day I do confess

To my sorrow and my shame,
That I shot Reubin Giles

Whom I never saw before
And left his body weltering

In its purple gore.

I hunted in Clearfield
In Fighteen Seventcen,

From the head of Stump creek
Where I had often been,

And while on my way homeward

“On Anderson creek hill;

I stopped to drink and gamble,
As many men de still.

I left the stone tavern
In anger at its men
For cheating me in gambling,
At least I thought so then;
And walked off in the evening
With evil thoughts astir
And soon I met a strenser
Who said “Good Evening Sir.”

Just after I had passed him
The theught ocevrred to me,

To kill him for his money
There was no one to see;

And without further thinking,
As if from hell inspired

{ turncd—drew up my rifle,
And in a moment fired.

TI now cauzht his horse
And tied it to a tree

LY i ET o'

a i

CHAPTER LXVI.

1784-1925.
CRIMINAL HISTORY.

EXECUTIONS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY—THE DOANE GANG—NOTORIOUS
MURDER CASES—MARY STEWART—WILLIAM CRAWFORD KILLS HIS
SON FOR SINGING “THE BLACKBIRD’—ROBERT CARLYLE—REBECCA
McCRORY—MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF D. B. COOPER—THE
OWENS MURDER—SAMUEL H. WHITE—JOHN BISTLE—ROBERT W. DINS-
MORE—THE CROUCH MURDER—THE DURR BROTHERS—MARTIN REED’S
CAREER—MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF HARRY LANE—WHO
KILLED SAMUEL DORSEY ?—FRANK MOSEBAY ESCAPES THE GALLOWS
—ALEXANDER WUSTLICH—THE FERGUSON MURDER CASE—MOSS BAY
—MURDER OF THE PEARCE FAMILY—JAN RIBARICK—THE CECELIA
FUNKA MURDER MYSTERY—THE BLACKHAND—FRAGASSA AND DAN-
IELE—BANK ROBBERIES—HOUSTON BANK ROBBERY—THE FINLEY-
VILLE BANK—JESS P. MILLER’S BANK ROBBED.

Thirteen men have been executed for murder in Washington County
during the 144 years of its existence, and while a great number of other
murders have been committed in the county during this period, only the
best known, or those that attracted the greatest interest, will be described.
This naturally includes the first degree cases and those which were never
solved. Of the thirteen men executed, eleven were hung in this county,
and two electrocuted in the Rockview penitentiary. The list of executions
follows: .

Thomas Richardson, for burglary; hung on Gallows Hill by Sheriff
Van Swearingen, on October 2, 1784.

William Crawford, for the murder of his son, Henry Crawford, in
Fallowfield Township, on July 30, 1822; hung on Gallows Hill by Sheriff
Robert Officer, on February 21, 1823.

Christian Sharp, commonly called “Kit,” a Negro slave, for the murder
of his master, Robert Carlyle, of Woodford City, Kentucky, near the Red
barn, on the National Pike, one mile west of Washington, on February 1,
1828; executed on Gallows Hill by Sheriff Robert McClelland, on Novem-
ber 22, 1828.

Robert Fogler, for the murder of Robert W. Dinsmore, in Hopewell
Township, on December 4, 1866; executed inside the jail yard by Sheriff
Edward R. Smith, on May 15, 1867.

William West, Negro, for the murder of John Crouch and wife, and
their son, Andrew Crouch, near Bentleyville, on May 13, 1890; executed
inside the jail yard by Sheriff George E. Lockhart on February 26, 1891.

George Ward and James Jones, Negroes, for the murder of Alexander
Wustlich, a merchant of Stockdale, while attempting to burglarize his
residence and store on the night of September 29, 1899; executed in the
rotunda of the new jail by Sheriff Joseph T. Hemphill on January 9, 1901.
This was the first double execution in the history of Washington County,
and the first to take place in the new jail.

Milovar Kovovick (also wrote his name Miladin Kovacevic), a Croa-

370

AAI A LAD A Vo PY mentee a td Qed WA Wey wad et er Vow

tian, for the murder of Samuel T. Ferguson, one mile north of West
Middletown, on September 25, 1908; executed in the rotunda of the new
jail by Sheriff C. E. Carothers, on September 8, 1904.

James Callihan, Negro, for the murder of Moss Bay, a Negro,:in
Washington, on February 21, 1904; executed in the rotunda of the new
jail by Sheriff C. E. Carothers, on October 4, 1904.

Elmer Dempster, Negro, for the murder of Mrs. Mary E. Pearce, wife
of Samuel D. Pearce, and their three children, Margaret, aged four years;
Robert, aged three years, and Dwight, aged six months, in the Pearce home
in Cecil Township, on the afternoon of July 29, 1906; executed in the
rotunda of the new jail by Sheriff Samuel J. Howe, on January 17, 1907.

Jan Ribarick, for the murder of Mike Novak, Matavi Novak, his wife,
and Frank Stavanijo, in Alexander Place, Canonsburg, on December 18,
1911; executed in the rotunda of the new jail on June 11, 1912, by Sheriff
Robert G. Lutton.

This was the last man hanged in Washington County. Since then the
law changing the death penalty to electrocution has been passed.

Angelo Fragassa and Marcantonio Daniele, Italians, for the murder
of Gabriele Fiori, at Canonsburg, on May 29, 1922; executed in the electric
chair at Rockview Penitentiary, on December 10, 1923; Fragassa was
executed first, and then Daniele, the latter making the thirteenth from
Washington County.

Like all frontiers, Washington County and the entire country west of
the mountains was infested in early times by bands of outlaws, who gave
the settlers in Western Pennsylvania much trouble. The worst of these
bands of banditti was known as the Doane gang, led by one Abraham
Doane. It had its headquarters somewhere in the mountains of Fayette
County, or in Washington County, but not much is known concerning its
activities. Thomas Richardson, the first man executed in the county, was
a member of the band.

The activities of this band were so extensive that it was necessary to
call out the militia against them. Abraham Doane, the leader, was once
rescued from the old log stable in West Strawberry Alley, which was used
as a jail, and when captured again it was necessary to place a heavy guard
of militia over the building. The condition of affairs in the county is best
described by a letter written by the county commissioners to President
Dickinson, of the Supreme Executive Council, dated June 28, 1784, after
the capture of Doane and Richardson:

“To His Excellency, President Dickinson:

“Sir: This county, as well as Fayette, has for some time past been
greatly infested by a troop of robbers from the lower parts of the state,
namely, Doane and others, who, by frequent burglaries and robberies,
under the countenance and protection of divers evil disposed persons
amongst ourselves, have reduced us to the necessity of calling out parties
of militia and making general search for the burglars and their accom-
plices, whereupon the said burglars, with numbers of horses, negroes, and
other valuable property, of which they had robbed the inhabitants (in the
most daring and insolent manner), set off for Detroit, our party pursued
about one hundred miles from this place before they overtook them. How-
ever, we have now got of the said party lodged in the gaol of this county,

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 373

hanged to stand in the cart, which was driven under the tree. The end
of the rope was then tied to a limb of the tree, the noose fixed around the
victim’s neck, and the cart driven from under him, launching him into
eternity.

Every section of the country has its murder mysteries, disproving the
old saying that “murder will out.” It also proves that the finger of
suspicion may point to an innocent man. Washington County has had its
share of these unsolved murders and disappearances,

The first murder of which we have any record, and which will remain
a mystery until the end of time, is that of Mary Stewart, a child of about
ten years of age, who was killed at the home of her stepfather on Cross
Creek. Her murderer was never apprehended, but for years her step-
father, James Ridgway, was under suspicion and was shunned by his
neighbors. That this was an unjust suspicion there is little doubt today.

James Ridgway, one of the early settlers in the western country, settled
on a tract of land in Hopewell Township for which a warrant was issued
to him on August 28th, 1789, under the title of “Forest.” He married
Mary Stewart, a daughter of John Leman, another early settler in that
section, and the widow of a Mr. Stewart. She had a daughter by her first
husband, whose name was Mary. After his marriage, Ridgway lived with
his wife and stepdaughter on a farm in what was then Cross Creek Town-
ship, but which is now in Mount Pleasant Township.

On Sunday evening, September 4, 1796, the Ridgway family started
for church, leaving the little girl, Mary Stewart, aged about ten years, in
charge of the house. After they had gone some distance, Mr. Ridgway dis-
covered that he had forgotten his tobacco and returned for it; and this
afterwards led to his being suspected of the crime, for he was the last
person who saw her alive. When the family returned from church they
found the girl dead, her head split open with an ax. .

It was believed at first that robbery was the motive, for about $100
was missing. At first suspicion pointed towards a man named James
Stewart, sometimes called Brown, who had been seen about the place for
several days. The alarm was spread and searching parties set out, but no
trace of the murderer was ever discovered; and the man named James
Stewart completely disappeared from this section of the country.

It became known that the life of the girl was all that stood in the way
of Ridgway’s joint ownership with his wife of the farm on which they
resided; and when it became known that Ridgway had returned for his
tobacco, many people accused the stepfather of committing this terrible
crime to gain a share of the land. He always maintained that he had
found the girl alive when he entered the house; but his neighbors refused
to believe, and he lived under this terrible cloud to the day of his death.

The verdict of the coroner’s jury was that Mary Stewart came to her
death at the hands of some one to the jury unknown. And thus the matter
ended as far as the authorities were concerned, for no effort was ever
made to apprehend the murderer.

An old account of the crime states that a young man named §
(probably the James Stewart mentioned above) was Suspected; but the
evidence was not strong enough to warrant his arrest, and he disappeared
from the community in a short time. Years later John Brownlee, Sr., a

372 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

the following persons, viz: Abraham Doane, one who calls himself Thomas
Richardson, and two women who profess themselves wives to some of the
party, the remainder having escaped our most vigilant pursuit, although
we have recovered the greatest part of the property. We have also divers
others in confinement and under recognizance as accomplices, and expect
yet to make further discoveries, but our gaol being insufficient, and this
same Abraham Doane having been rescued from it once before by an
armed party, we are obliged to keep a strong guard constantly over them,
and not having seen a supplement to the act for apprehending these vil-
lains (which we are informed exists), are at a loss what to do with them,
therefore pray the direction of the council in the premises.”

The headquarters of the band were believed to have been in some
deserted part of Washington County, from which the bandits made fre-
quent incursions into the settlements at night, terrifying and robbing the
inhabitants, and frequently beating persons who fell into their hands.

Horse stealing, one of the crimes charged against Richardson, was
punishable by hanging at that time. The trial of Thomas Richardson, a
member of this band, took place in the old log building rented by the
county from Charles Dodd as a courthouse, which stood on the lot now
occupied by the Strean Building at the northwest corner of South Main
Street and West Strawberry Alley. Unfortunately there are no records
to be found in the local court documents of this trial. In fact, there is not
a scratch of a pen or a word with reference to either Richardson or Doane
on any of the old records, although the index and minute book of that time
have been searched by the author.

The only record we have of this execution is contained in the minutes
of the Supreme Executive Council under date of September 10th, 1784,
from which the following is taken:

“The record of the conviction of Thomas Richardson of burglary in
the county of Washington, was read and considered, upon which it was

“Ordered, That execution of the sentence of the court be made and
done upon him, the said Thomas Richardson, on Saturday, the 2d day of
October next, between the hours of ten of the clock in the forenoon and
two of the clock in the afternoon of the same day, at the most proper and
public place within the said day.”

Richardson was executed on the hill just south of Washington, and
known ever since as Gallows Hill from the fact that the first three hang-
ings in the county tcok place there. Tradition tells us that the place of
execution was the large natural amphitheater on the west side of the hill
at the junction of what is now Acheson and Stokeley avenues. The people
could gather on the hill above and watch the spectacle. The late Henry
H. Hull, an old-time resident of Washington, once told the author that
the tree from which these first three men were hung was standing during
his boyhood. Attempts have been made in later years to change the name
to Thornycroft Hill, but with little success, for the old name, “Gallows”
Hill, still sticks.

Following the custom of the time, Thomas Richardson was hauled to
the place of execution in a cart. Sheriff Van Swearingen officiated, and
it is reasonable to suppose that he fixed the rope around the condemned
man’s neck. It was customary in those times for the man about to be

192

was fastened to three posts that joined together at the top and tapered outward
at the bottom.

After the final prayer by the attending clergyman the sheriff cut loose the
weight and it dropped to the earth. Getter was jerked into the air a few feet when
the rope failed and he fell to the ground. He lay still for a moment, then looked
up and said: “That was good for nothing.” He rose, rubbed a sore arm and then
leaned against the gallows until the sheriff obtained another rope to replace the
first one, which incidentally, is still preserved at the Northampton County
Historical Society's museum in Easton.

The second try was successful. As the rope was being placed around his neck,
Getter asked to have his cravat adjusted to conceal the marks on his neck that
were made by the first rope. Getter’s body was pulled up several feet above the
ground. In several minutes all motion stopped and 30 minutes later his remains
were cut down.

That marked the end of the murderer, Charles Getter, and fortunately, to
the credit of the human race, it brought to an end such blood-thirsty carnivals
in Pennsylvania.

The news reporter who witnessed the affair was constrained to write: “Every
considerate man must have felt how little the crowd was impressed by thie so-
lemnity of the scene, and will concur in praying Legislative enactment for ex-
ecutions in the jail yard to prevent the recurrence of a similar case.” (Easton
Sentinel, Friday, Ociober 11, 1833)

His prayer was not in vain for only a few months later Governor George Wolf,
the Easton lawyer, who had signed the death warrant, signed legislation that
forever abolished public executions in Pennsylvania.

Act No. 127 “to abolish public executions” was approved by Governor George
Wolf on April 10, 1834 (1933-34 Pennsylvania Laws 234), and provided:

“that whenever hereafter any person shall be condemned to suffer death by
hanging for any crime of which he or she shall have been convicted, the said
punishment shall be inflicted on him or her within the walls or yard of the jail
of the county in which he or she shall have been convicted, and it shall be the
duty of the sheriff or coroner of said county to attend and be present at such
execution, to which he shall invite the presence of a physician, attorney general
or deputy attorney general of the county and twelve reputable citizens, who shall
be selected by the Sheriff; and the said Sheriff shall, at the request of the criminal
permit such ministers of the Gospel, not exceeding two, as he or she may name
and any of his or her immediate relatives to attend and be present at such exe-
cution, together with such officers of the prison and such of the sheriff's deputies
as the said sheriff or coroner in his discretion may think it expedient to have
present, and it shall be only permitted to the persons above designated to witness
the said execution: provided, that no person under age shall be permitted on any
account to witness the same. ”

The Act was repealed by the Act of March 31, 1860 (Laws of Pennsylvania

Commission, Northampton County,
Pennsylvania.

Reproduction of any part of this encyclopedia, exce

mea pt for short passages used for review purposes,
prohibited withou

t permission of the Northampton County Bicentennial Commission.

Printed by Mack Printing Co., Easton, Pa.

B CHAPTER XXVI

enon

el
: The Extreme Penalty
z|
oy
Py ih
a
Hy)
AM THE LAST PUBLIC EXECUTION
i Getter’s Island is a small island located in the Delaware River at the mouth
. of the Bushkill Creek, near the Delaware River Toll Bridge between Easton and

Phillipsburg. Its popular name was derived from a spectacular execution of a
a death sentence imposed by the Court of Oyer and Terminer of Northampton
| County in the case of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania vs Charles Getter at the
August 1833 term.

The story, passed from generation to generation in a variety of versions,
poeticized in both English and German. and expressed in words set to music.
began with the appearance, on January 19, 1833, of Charles Getter before a
justice of the peace in response to a complaint by Margaret (also referred to as
Rebecca) Lawall alleging that he was the father of her unborn child.

Charles, or Carl, Getter, a farm hand who worked for farmers in Forks
Township, avoided further prosecution by marrying the girl immediately.
E However, they never set up housekeeping, possibly because Charles had
} meanwhile become enamored of another young woman, Molly Humma, whom
| he said he was going to marry, vowing that he would first, “get rid of her
- (Margaret).”’

oe:

gS ee i

ee ae 4

A fast worker, he did just that, for on February 28, 1833, Margaret's body was
found in a limestone quarry near Easton. The coroner’s inquest found that she
had been choked to death by a person unknown to the coroner's jury.

The ensuing investigation led to Getter as the perpetrator of the crime. He
was arrested and lodged in the County Prison, which was then on Centre Square,
Easton. Getter maintained that he was innocent.

Getter was indicted for the murder on August 19, 1833, by a grand jury of
which William Brown was the foreman. The information presented to the jury

190 was signed by Ellis Lewis, attorney general, and the case was prosecuted by

Hopewell Hepburn, deputy atiorney general, who was assisted by Robert May
Brook and Alexander FE. Brown, ‘The prisoner was represented by James Madison
Porter and Evan Rees.

At his arraignment Getter entered a plea of “Not guilty, sir” and chose to be
tried “by God and my country.”

The trial began on Monday morning, August 26, and, promising to be sensa-
tional, attracted a very large audience. Some of Easton’s most prominent people
testified as to Getter’s reputation but to no avail. The jury returned a verdict of
“Guilty of murder in the first degree.”’

Judge Garrick Mallery pronounced the sentence provided by the Act of April
22, 1794: “That you, Charles Getter, be taken to the jail of the County of
Northampton from whence you came and thence to the place of execution and
there to be hanged by the neck until you are dead. And may God have mercy
on your soul.”

After the trial and sentencing, Getter confessed to his mother-in-law and his
clergyman that he committed the murder but refused to tell how.

Governor George Wolf signed the death warrant requiring the sentence of
the Court to be carried out on October 4, 1833, between one and three o'clock
in the afternoon. 7

Had the story ended there it would soon have been forgotten. But that was
not to be. Public executions alw ays excited people and tended to become public
spectacles, as was so in this instance.

The day of execution provided a holiday for thousands of people who came
to Easton to enjoy the event. The Easton Democrat and Argus reported that
15,000 to 20,000 present in our town seemed to have more of the drinking,
carousing, laughter and merriment of a grand frolic than the solemn spectacle
of the execution of a fellow being.”

The sight they came to witness was indeed one for the history books.

Executions normally occurred in the jail yard or at Centre Square, but in this
instance Abel’s Island (now known as Getter’s Island) was chosen, presumably
to accommodate the large crowd that was expected.

On this fateful day, Charles Getter, dressed in white clothing, was led from
the jail to Centre Square where he was to be placed in a horse-drawn cart but
refused and insisted on walking between his brother-in-law and the sheriff the
one-half-mile distance to the island.

The gallows was erected near the center of the island around which a cordon
of two troops of cavalry were arranged.

Desiring to meet his end in a way that would be least agonizing, Getter re-
quested that the gallows be so erected as to permit his being lifted from the
ground rather than dropped through the trapdoor of a scaffold. His wish was
granted. He stood on the ground with one end of the rope around his neck while
the other end was strung through a pulley and tied to a heavy weight. The pulley

19]

Marthe Crinder Aun at Prtts-
burgh, Penn. Tan. £0, i8bb for
murcler of Mrs. Carruthers d
Mrs: Buehanen by poison,

Marschall & frecke Aung at
Pittsburgh, Penn, Jin 14, (866
for murder of one Foerster,

Anton Probst hung at Phile-
delp hit, Penn on Sune i. (866
for murdering all esht mem

bers of the Family of farmer
Deerms on April /b, /5b6-

One Hadolph hung at Norrisfown,
Penn. on Feb. b, /§67 for mor der.

a ( Hontgonery Co.)

John ilson was hung at the.
Montgomery Counh, ped, PENN, |
my Jun. 13, 1880 for mucder,

Willian Showers (axed 0) was
Aered et Lebanon, Penn, tn Nov
im; (858 few murdering hes fre

grendcheldren,

Sareh wh teling huns at Philadelp her
on June ays, 1889 for poser her
Ausbend and fweo cheldren,

Michael RKizzelo Arung at Wi lhkesharre,
Penn tn June as, (857 fir murdering

Postiures ter Si B. ce Clure Pg Hash Flan~
agen on Oct. (9, /SFS. wl

(Le zerne Co.)

ee ae

of attempt to murder. The admission of this testimony was the subject of the
principal assignment of error in the appeal to the Supreme Court of Pennsyl-
vania.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty of murder of the first degree, with the
penalty fixed as death. 2
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in a unanimous opinion rendered by Mr, /e gP
Justice John W. Kephart on May 22, 1933 (312 Pennsylvania State Reports 343),
overruled all assignments of error and affirmed the judgment of the lower Court
(Court of Oyer and Terminer, Northampton County, No. 100 September Term
1932),
John Kurutz was then removed to Rockview State Penitentiary and there the
capital punishment sentence was carried out by electrocution. John Kurutz was
the last person sentenced to death in Northampton County as of the date of this
writing.

201]

Sohn MeManus was hanged at
Philadelphia, Penn, on Dee: 3,
1891 tor the murder ef
Eugene (409 inns.

Cherles Well ures hinged ad
Tunkhannock , Penn, en March

8, 1892 Sv murder ine hes
wrfe. ( Wyomivs))

Violent Death in the City

among the Irish was not significantly distinctive. Irishmen and
women tended to kill the same sorts of persons, in the same
sorts of places, and with the same sorts of weapons as the rest of
the white population. And the Irish trend was, with something
of a time lag, closely parallel to the general trend. Counting
only those with clearly Irish surnames, their percentage of all
indicted was 24 percent during 1839-1859, 27 percent during
1860-1880, and only 17 percent during 1881-1901, indicating
that a process of pacification was well under way.

The black population of Philadelphia was never so large as
the Irish, but its experience with homicide was at least as signifi-
cant. No major group had a higher rate of indictment, as the
147 identifiably black persons indicted between 1839 and 1901
may be computed at 7.5 per 100,000—itself an understate-
ment—or close to three times the rate for whites.7? What makes
this rate significant is not merely that it is high, but that its di-
rection and the patterns behind it were, unlike those for the
Irish, markedly different from those of the rest of the popula-
tion. |

While poverty and discrimination pervaded virtually all as-
pects of life in black neighborhoods, the method of handling of
homicide cases in the criminal justice system does not seem in it-
self to have been an important instrument of oppression. The
rate of conviction for all identifiable blacks accused of homicide
was somewhat higher, 58 percent, than the conviction rate for
whites, which was 48 percent. But since the majority of indict-
ments, as with most others, were for killings within the group,
what this indicates is that unlike the situation in the South dur-
ing the same period, black-on-black homicide was treated as a
serious matter in Philadelphia. |

A better index of discrimination in the system is the outcome
of trials involving interracial killings. Black neighborhoods at
that time were by modern standards neither large nor tightly de-
fined, and for many reasons their residents continually inter-
acted with whites. One result was a rate of interracial homicide
far higher than is now usual; fully 49 of the 147 were indicted
for killing white persons in a total of 35 incidents. Conversely,
37 whites were accused of killing blacks in just 26 incidents.

SNP sper ss sume geaesen,

Rae

105 Homicide: II «

. ¢ I
What is remarkable is that the proportion of blacks declared
guilty in these cases was rather lower than the general average
in homicide cases, and in terms of the number of separate inci-
dents involved (a pattern not so clear with respect to number of
persons), it was virtually the same as the conviction rate for
whites killing blacks; see Table 17.

These figures do not mean that the atmosphere of nineteenth-
century Philadelphia was even tolerably free of racism. Several
of the white-black episodes were clearly motivated at least in
part by racial hatred, and accounts of violence of all kinds make
it clear that in many areas it was dangerous for blacks to stray
abroad, especially at night. But although the streets were dan-
gerous, the courts, in dealing with the most serious of accusa-
tions, functioned in a reasonably evenhanded and sometimes
even protective fashion. Representatives of the city’s elite—the
management of the Ledger, an indignant judge, a minister who |
had witnessed a small race riot—were the most likely to assume
an overtly protective role. But even ethnically mixed and mid-
dle-class white juries were careful to observe the forms and of-

. ten to achieve the substance of a color-blind impartiality.

Sometimes the observance of form was the only real function
of a trial. This was surely true in the case of Officer John F.
Roan, who shot an unidentified black man to death in the
course of attempting an arrest in October 1859.74 Roan had
stopped the stranger on suspicion and found him with a bag full
of stolen poultry; he and the one important witness testified
that there was a fight—Roan claimed the man had hit him with
a stone—that ended only with the fatal shot. With an officer of
the city pitted against an anonymous chicken thief, the verdict,
inevitably, was not guilty. Nevertheless the indictment had
been drawn, the bill approved, and the trial held.

The same insistence upon observing the forms was dramati-
cally evident, in reverse, during the trials of Amos Stirling,
Henry Ivory, and Charles Perry, three black men indicted in
1900 for the robbery and murder of Roy Wilson White. While
the Public Ledger was careful, as was its policy, not to treat the
incident in inflammatory fashion, the circumstances were inher-
ently sensational. Given the barest clues to the crime, commit-

Violent Death in the City

ted just outside the West Philadelphia railway terminal on the
night of May 19, city detectives directed a rare “manhunt”
through three states over a full week before catching the men
accused.”> Robbers were not often tried for murder—certainly
not three at once—and their chances for acquittal were always
rather slight.” White had been a socially prominent young
man, recently awarded a degree from nearby Haverford Col-
lege, and serving, at the time of his death, as a popular lecturer
at the University of Pennsylvania’s law school. None of the
three accused, in contrast, had any real ties to the city, and Stir-
ling, the alleged leader, had been literally passing through on
the day of the killing. The state’s case was strong, based on Per-
ry’s confession, and all three were convicted and hanged. But at
the end of a century in which a trial for murder often occupied
no more than a single morning, with a jury voting conviction in
twenty minutes, in this case more than three months elapsed be-
tween the August session when the three were arraigned and
November 15, when Ivory was sentenced. Six court-appointed
lawyers, all volunteers, a group considerably more distin-
guished than the usual run of the criminal bar, took much of the
time by successfully demanding separate trials, vigorously chal-
lenging jurors for prejudice, submitting a battery of motions,
and altogether accounting for an unprecedented twenty-one
pages in the docket book. The city’s elite were clearly deter-
mined not to allow anything resembling lynch law to besmirch
its reputation.

More than form was involved in the trial of William White-
sides for the murder of Henry Truman in the spring of 1870.7’
Whitesides, a policeman, was called the afternoon of April 1 to
Tim Buckley’s Grocery, at 709 Saint Mary’s Street, when Buck-
ley complained that a crowd of blacks was making trouble.
Whitesides made an arrest, but his captive broke away and fled
down an alley into an all-black neighborhood, the officer in
pursuit. What happened next, according to a witness for the
commonwealth, was that Truman, unaware of the business at
Buckley’s, saw a uniformed man run out of the alley at him,
asked “What's the matter?” and was answered with a shot in the
stomach. Whitesides’s version was that he emerged into a hos-

elope ©

107 Homicide: II

tile crowd that bombarded him with cries of “Kill the white

!’ and, more pointedly, with paving stones; Truman was
merely a victim of a warning shot gone awry. Although the po-
liceman’s wife and daughter were prominently on view in the
courtroom, and the only contrary testimony was sworn by
black observers—the year before any blacks were eligible to
vote in the city—the jury chose to convict for manslaughter. It
was the only conviction for any of the nineteen policemen
brought in for “line-of-duty” killings between 1839 and 1901,
and possibly the only one in the history of the city. :

As in trials, so in the other stages of criminal proceedings,
there is no clear evidence of systematic bias in the administra-
tion of homicide cases. While the reliability of the official statis-
tics in cases involving blacks is no better than in others general-
ly, there is no reason to doubt that the disparity between the
black and white rates of indictment is a rough index of disparity
in the rates of homicides committed. The nature and type of
these killings reflect a real difference in patterns of behavior, a
difference that helps explain why more blacks than whites were

‘tried for interracial murders. Table 17 indicates the pattern of

these trials by race, sex, and outcome.

The most obvious differences are those that reveal the lop-
sided interaction between the races. White killings of blacks re-
flect superficial contacts; the great majority of them occurred
among males, strangers or perhaps slight acquaintances en-
countered in the streets. The element of racial antagonism typi-
cally helped to clarify the two sides in an election riot, lowered
the flash point in an argument after a ball game, or simply
served as the spark for eruptive, stomping belligerence. The sit-
uations in which blacks of either sex killed whites were much
more various. Some of the all-male encounters represent the op-
posite side of the characteristic white-black affray, although
there appears to be no incident in which black hatred or resent-
ment per se played a clearly decisive role. A few of the others
occurred because blacks were more deeply involved in white so-
ciety, as servants for example, than vice versa. But many indi-
cate what W. E. B. DuBois pointed out in his classic study of
Philadelphia, that the marginal and sometimes hopelessly de-

at
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“ oe x pene “ “ ts
4 EXECUTIONS,

Penusylvania College, and Rev. J. K, Demarest, pastor of the Presby-
terian chureh, became his spiritual) advisers, and they visited him-
frequently up to the hour of execution.

Several efforts subseguently made, at the instance of Coyle’s de-
voted mother, to have the Governor commute the sentence to im-
prisonipent for life, proved unavailing. Coyle had been twire con-
Viceted, after exhaus ive trials, in twe different counties, and the Goy-
ernor saw no reason for interfering with the due execution of the law.

The last trial hiving been in Adams county, (althongh the mur-
der occurred in York county,) the law of the State directed that his
execution take place at the prison in Gettysburg, the county seat of
Adams, and the day fixed by the Governor was Tuesday, the 22d ot
April, 1881,

A new gallows had been built for tbe purpose in the yard, imme-
diately outside of the prison corridor, On the day appointed the
town was filied with people trom this and neighboring counties, and
about 490 were adinitted by ticket to the jail yard.

At 11:18 the jury (lon. A, W. Storm, Win. Duattera, Sr., P. J.Group,
E. Myers, James W. Ocker, H. J. BrinkerhotY, Jr, P. H. Strubinyger, J,
Prank, Brinkerboff, samuel Faber, Peter Schively, Samuel Wolf ot
Putler and N.G. Wilsen,: fled out of the corridor, followed by Sheriff
J.H. Plank, Coyle. the murderer, Prof. Bikle and Rev. Demarest, and
Distriet Attorney S. Me. Swope, and ascended the scaffold,

A feeling and earnest prayer was offered by Mr. Demarest, and ap-
pe scripture seleetions and the bencdiction pronounced by

-rof, Bike. They then left the plattorm, Attbe requestot the pris-
oner, the District Attorney extended Coyle’s warmest thanks to the
Sheriffand family for theirs nunserous Kindnesses, ex.ressed forgive-
Ness of ail bis cnensies and declared that he cherished no ill will to-
ward any one.

Sheriff Plank then bound Coyle’s arms and legs, adjusted the rope
around bis veck and pinced the black eap over hig head. The Dist« ket
Attorney and Sheritt descended from the platform at 27 minutes past
li Ociork, #tid as they left the last step, the bolts sustaining the
platform on which ('o. le stood were drawn with the jerk of a cord by
some one ond the rusids, and the soul of theculprit was ushered into
eternity. Thetody sank about five feet, nearly reaching the ground,
sa T® tedeutes the heart ceased to beat, death having resulted from
V“rapgulation, Coyvles age Was 29 years | month and seven days.

During the whole scene upon the gallows Coyle seemed unmoved
and met death without flinching, His father and mother were in the
Jail during the exerution, and the former came aut to the gallows
whilst the body was yet. hanging, “AGES

Everything poeres off in the most orderly manner, and Sheriff
Plank performed his trying duties with the feeling and firmuess that
became him, and which wou words of praise from all present.

And thus after three years was the law vindicated, Verily, ‘‘the
way of the trausgressor ts hard.” :

Pro ity of :
Adams Couity Historteul Society

Getty sburg, Pas i Bs

History of Executions in Adams County.

THREE executions have taken place in this county since its eree
tion, in 1800. The first was that of .

JAMES HUNTER, 18:8.

On the 23U of June, 1817, a party of four were mowing in Larimer's
meadow, at Two Taverns, in Mountjoy township. James Hunter,
who entertained a grudge against Henry Heagy, mainly because the
Jatter had assisted his father, a constable, in serving some legal pros

cess upon him, was one of the mowers. Heagy went into the meadow *

io“try” several of the scythes, H. Little, the leader, reguested him
totry his. Heagy advanced and was inthe act of lifting the scythe
when Hunter walked quietly bebind John Slonaker and nearly up
to Heagy, and struc't the latter “with all his might with his scythe
in the neck,” accompanying the stroke with the expression, ‘'d—-n
you, Heagy, what brought you here?” Then placing his scythe over
bis arm, Hunter walked off to his own house. Heagy received i
frightfl wound, but lived a week,

Hunter was promptly arrested, At the August Sessions the grand
jary fopnd a true bill, and at the November term he was found “guil-
ty of murder of the first degree.” Judge Hamilton, of Carlisle, presid-
ed, and the jury was comprised of George Wilson, William Cobean,
Stephen Speakman, John Black, Sr., James McCosh, William Big-
ham, John MeKnight, John Pedan, Archibald Boyd, John Harper,
John Stewert and Samuel Kennedy, :

The trial occupied two days. From the court recovds we icarn
that the Jury, Kept togegther by two constables, had lodging and
boarding at the hdusé of Barthart Gilbert, itin-keeper; and during the
noon.adjournment were “allowad not mere than two gallons of beer
or cider, with provisions,” and during thé adjournment between the
two days ‘not more thin thre: gallons of beer or cider, with provi-
sions,”’ :

Hunter was hung on Saturday, the 8d day of January, 1818, near
the fork of the Emmitsburg amd Taneytown roads, In this place.
The “Gettysburg Blues,” commanded py Capt. Wm, 8. Cobean, did
guard duty on the occasion, Hunter was permitted to walk from the
jail to the gallows, accompanied by the Sheriff (Samuel Galloway)

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andthe clergy of the town-and vicinity. After prayer by one of the
clergymen, Hunter, “with great apparent fortitude and resignation,”
inet his fate—having been swung fromacart driven under the gal-
Ws."

ae JAMES GREEN, 1853.

The next execution was that of James Green, colored, on Friday,
the 15th day of April, 1853. At the November term of the previous

. year be was convicted of the murdect of Samuel Mars, also colored, he
~ Jnaving shot the latter ata “flitting’ in Menallen township, on the

* first of April, 1852. “Judge Fisher presided, anid the Jurors were:
. Emanuel Neidich, John Coshun, Amos Mayginley, Joseph J. Kerr,
‘ Rebastian Haeffer, Samuel Diller, Henry felty, George B. Thomas,
Franklin Hersh, Heury Mayer, George Chritzman and George Hagar-
man. They were sclected out of 37 jurors called.
The execution of Green took place tn the corridor of the jail, She:-
HF John Scott discharging the duty of the ofiicer of the law, temper-
ing deeision with humanity. Green met death firmly, ILis neck was
not dislocated, and the features were but slightly distorted. The body
wus buried on the Alins-house farm,in the meadow near Rock, Creeke

FREDERICK SMITH, SUICIDE, 184g.

The gallows was “cheated of a victim” by Frederick Sinitt in
1849. He was convicted at the August Sessions of the inurder of
Frederick Forster. 2 German tailor at Arendtsville. Judge Durkee,
of York, presided at the trial. Eleven jurors were obtained out of an

array ¢ rty-eight, and the twelfth ontof five talesmen called. The
sary’ wan orenboned of John Musselman, JTS Frederick Bittinger,
James Patterson, John C, Ellis, Dauiel Trimmer, Peter Smith, Peter
R. Noel, Joseph Kepner, James Thompson, George Cuip, Peter Sell
and Robert Cobean.

Suiith receivea his sentence on Tuesday (Sept. 24.) and on the fol-—

lowing Thursday afternoon his lifeless body was found hanging in
his cell. the southeast upper room of the old jail, He had formed a
rope out of pieces of muslin used on his arms and legs to prevent the
irons from chafing him anda piece ot ticking torn with his teeth,
This he attached to an fron bar, running along the north side com-
osed of planking; and swung himself from a small stool placed upon
iis bed, :
Dr. PD. Horner and son Robert, on notice, hurried to the jail, and
yronounced Smith dead. A coroner's jury—consistiny of James A.
hompson, David Kendlehart, Daniel Lashell, George Swope, Samuel
R. Russell, Robert Martin, Solomon Powers, Jacob Troxel, George
Little, Samuel Fahnestock, John Little and Henry Saltzgiver—ren-
dered a verdict of suicide. Sherit? Fickes thus escaped an always
unpleasant duty, The body was also buried in the Alms-house
meadow.—Getlysburg Compiler, May 14, 1883,

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EXECUTIONS.

JOHN COYLE, JR., 1884.

Hung in Adams County for a Murder in York County.

The family of John Coyle, Sr., occupied a property on the west
Dank of the Susquehanna river,in Hellam township, York county,
known as “Coy le's Ferry.’ With them, employed as a maid, ved a
nandsome girl named Emily Myers, John Coyle, J, eoncelved a
warm passion for her, but his many advances were repulsed. He be-
came desperate and indulged in threats; they were disregarded by
Miss Myers, and she never showed any fear of him.

Aboutd o'clock on the morning of May 34, 1881, Emily Myers went
to the barn to milk the cows, Wuilst thos engaged John Coyle, Jr.,
appeared and insisted upon her marrying hing. She still refused,
When be drew a pistol und shot her dead,

Coyle was arrested and placed in the county jailat York June 10,
isst. He was urraigned October 1W,anl plead net cuilty. The trial
lasted nearly two weeks, aud resulted in his eonsvietion and sentenee
to be hanged. The only defence made on the trial was insanity.
Judge Wickes, before whom the ease was tried, instructed the jury
that the evidence of this plea ipust “clearly” predominue. The sue
preine Court, upon appeal, said that the Judge erred in using the
word “clearly’’—that evidence ‘fairly predominating would have
been sutticient, and anew trial was awarded. The case. again eame
before Judge Wickes in December, Is¥2, when the defense asked a
change of venue, Which was granted and the prisoner remoyed to the
jail of Adams county.

His trial here, befare Judge McClean, commenced April 23, 1883.
The jury, secured at the first session, consisted of the following gen-
tlemen: George W. Lady, David Bricker, Jobn Dubs, Abraham War.
bright, O. 8, Harner, James N, Kelly, Levi M. Plank, John F. Bow-
ers, Oliver F. Neely, Jacob L. Grass, S. H. Eicholtz, and Joseph Reb-
ert, The trial, which lasted two weeks, excited mucn irterest and
crowds constantly thronged the court-room., After an exhaustive
charge by Juage McClean, the jury retired about 3 o'clock on the af-
ternoon of May 5, and their deliberations oecupied three hours. The
court-room was crowded when they returned with a verdiet of guilty
ot Murder in the first degree. A motion being made fora new tria ,
Court. adjourned to Monday morning, when Friday, May ll, was
fixed a3 the day to argue the motion, On that day Judge McClean
heard the argument, overruled the motion and sentenced Coyle to be

‘hanged.

The case again came before the Supreme Court and there rested
for some inonths. Finally the decision, which sustained the lower
court, Was announced, The Governor's death warrant was read to
the prisoner by Sheriff Plank February 26, 1881, without visibly af-
fecting him.

Coyle persistently clung to this hope of commutatioa of sentence,
expressing the belief on all occasions that he would never be hung.
His case came befure the Buard of Pardous, They referred it to Gover-
nor Pattison, who refused a respite. Coyle’s doom was irrevocably
fixed,and he began to realize his situation, Prof, P, M. Bikle, of

Sep MMII sosesuenees no Tiibecsritectetitetestrss tense treTereyre 3 exer
és 4
' =

HISTORY OF
WASHINGTON
COUNTY |

_ PENNSYLVANIA |

qy 42

By
EARLE R. FORREST

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The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company . ip :
| 1926 (20

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256° AN Ss OF LUZERNE ‘COUNTY.

Daniel Gilligan was waylaid and murdered below
Wilkesbarre by James Cadden. Cadden had his trial.
and was found guilty at the August Term of 1848. .) He®
received his sentence from the lips of Judge Conyngham; + Sc
and was executed in the jail-yard on Friday, March 2d).

1849, William Koons: being: sheriff. Throughout the
period of his imprisonment and trial down to the moment -
of his execution, he spoke but seldom, and practiced’ a
studied reserve of manner. A few moments before his.
death, his‘ spiritual adviser, at his instance, thanked thei
officers of justice for their kindness and attention; and >
warned all young men against bad associates and the use!
of ardent spirits. This was the first execution under the
laws of Pennsylvania since the organization of Luzerne |
county. — 2h

At April Term, 1853, Reese Evans was tried and con-.
victed of murder in the first degree. He was sentenced
to death by Judge Conyngham, and was executed in thes

jail-yard, G. W. Palmer being sheriff, on Friday, Sep-?
tember 9th, 1853. Hvans was @ young Welshman about |
twenty years of age, who had induced Lewis Reese, ‘a
Jew, residing in Wilkesbarre, to accompany him to=
Kingston under pretence of procuring money there, to”
pay the Jew. for clothing purchased of him. Whil
crossing the fields, on the Kingston flats, he shot Reese:
with a pistol in the back part of his head ; then plunder-.
ing the pockets of his victim, whom he left dead on thes

eround, he fled. When his death-warrant was read t

him a féw weeks before his execution, he trembled, and
covering his face with his hands, sank sobbing on the
floor. During his imprisonment, his sister frequently
visited him, and on one occasion brought a basket which
she set down by the door of her brother's cell. By per=

mission of the jailor, Evans walked out with his sister 10

THE JUDICIARY. »-> > . 257
i

the jail-yard, and on his return, as he passed the basket
he took out a bundle from it. The bundle contained ‘6
female dress in which the prisoner intended to escape;
but its discovery by the jailor extinguished the last hope
of the unhappy youth. In his confession he stated he
had committed several robberies, and attributed his awful
end to his keeping late hours and bad company.

J ames Quinn took the life of Mahala Wiggins, b
dashing out her brains with an axe, near the alcoho
dam, as they were passing down the canal in a boat. He
escaped, but was arrested in the West, and conveyed to
the Wilkesbarre jail. He was tried, found guilty, and
sentenced to death by Judge Conyngham, at the J gauary
Term of 1854. The same year, on Friday, the 21st of
April, Abraham Drum being sheriff, he was executed in
the jail-yard. When his death-warrant was read, he
manifested considerable excitement, but soon regained his
usual composure. He did not believe in a future state of
rewards and punishments. He ran up the steps to the
platform of the gallows, and surveyed the rope with a
degree of self-possession and calmness which astonished
every beholder. A physician, utterly astounded at such
perfect composure, approached the prisoner a few moments
before his execution, and placing his fingers on his pulse
found it: beating with amazing rapidity, and giving evi:

dence of intense excitement. The ‘exterior appeared .

calm, but within there was a raging tumult of emotion. °

William Muller killed George Mathias, in his ek
house, on the Easton and Wilkesbarre Turnpike, a few
miles from Wilkesbarre. The instrument ised ty the
commission of the crime was a hatchet, and the murderer
Concealed the body of his victim in the well. He was
tmed and found guilty at the January Term of 1858,

Judge Sonynatiarn presiding, and was executed in the jail-
; 3

258 NALS OF. LUZERNE COUNTY.

yard on Friday, April 30th, of the same year, Jasper B. -
Stark being sheriff. He ascended the steps leading to the —
scaffold with a quick but self-possessed movement, and
addressed those present, for several minutes, in the Ger-
man language. His address was then read in English by
his spiritual adviser. The young man expressed his faith
in the merits of the Redeemer, and warned all who heard
him against rum and vicious companions. It is said he
believed that the physicians could restore him to life after
the hanging, provided his neck was not broken. The
fall, however, rent the vertebre of his spinal column
nearly two inches asunder. Ab
Since 1836, there has been a large influx of a thixed
population, consequent on the development of the mineral
resources.of the county. Crime and litigation have in-
creased accordingly, during the last quarter of a century.
Civil suits have increased to hundreds, while Common-
wealth costs have grown from an average of $300-per_
annum, prior to 1836, to $1000, the average since that.
year. a Ligh e
The number of deeds and mortgages recorded since the
organization of the county is 48,823. The largest num-
ber of deeds and mortgages recorded in any one year is
2257, which was done by Charles Hays, Esq., Recorder, ”
and his clerks in 1856.-° The number of executions, iss
‘from 1787 to the close of August Term, 1859, is 37,084
The largest number issued in any one year (185/)™
1979. a8 :
The number of judgments entered, since the format
of the Judgment Docket, in 1827, is 46,124. The largest
number entered in any one year (1858) is 3855. pe
In 1859, Luzerne was constituted one, the 11th, J My
cial District, having 4 Courts of Oyer and Terminer, &€
annually, besides 6 Courts of Common Pleas. In@

ORRE SUDICIABY: > 3° ogg

tion, by the Act incorporating the city of Carbondale, the
President J udge of the district is made Recorder of that
city, and required to hold Recorder’s Court. Moreover,

there are from 2 to 4 special courts annually held in the
county. é |

COURT-HOUSE, CARBONDALE.

From 1787 to 1800, the average annual expenditures
of the county were $3600. From 1800 to 1810, during
which the second public buildings were erected, the ave-
rage was $7200 annually. From 1810 to 1820, without.
Bradford and Susquehanna counties, the average was
$9000, but it must be borne in mind that a portion of the
debt incurred in the construction of the county buildings
Was paid during this decade. From 1820 to 1830, the
average was $7800 a year. From 1830 to 1842, when .

yoming county was stricken off, the annual expendi-

os averaged $12,500. From 1843 to 1865, inclusive,
© expenditures have been as follows :—

400 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

One of the boldest murders ever committed in Washington County was
the shooting in broad daylight of Joseph Dameano on the streets of Wash-
ington on December 13, 1915. Dameano was alleged to have been the
leader of the Blackhand in Washington. According to the best informa-
tion, there had been a split in the membership of the local Blackhand,
and it is alleged that the members of the one faction were after Dameano.

About 10 o’clock in the morning of December 13th, Dameano walked
out of an Italian barber shop in West Chestnut Street. As he appeared in
the door, Frank Caruso, who had been watching on the opposite side of
the street, walked across and stopped him. They stood for several min-
utes talking in front of the shop, when suddenly Caruso drew a revolver
and fired. Dameano fell to the pavement, mortally wounded, but Caruso
wanted to make sure of his work, for he stood over the prostrate body of
his victim and sent five more bullets into his body; and thereby he lost
his one chance of escape. When he turned to flee he was overpowered by
George Clutter, a former officer, and several others who had witnessed
the shooting.

Two days after this murder, the body of a young Italian named Zaccac-
nini Rodolfo, was found in a ditch in a field near the Italian section of
the Eighth Ward, Washington. Besides a bullet hole in his breast, there
were two knife wounds through the heart, and the head had been hacked
and beaten until the features were badly disfigured. The murderers of
this man were never apprehended, but it is believed to have been a Black-
hand affair, and thought to have been connected with the killing of
Dameano.

Frank Caruso was tried before Judge Robert W. Irwin, and when on
the stand in his own defense, the Italian declared that Dameano had been
the Blackhand king of Washington and that all Italians had had to pay
him tribute. Caruso declared that Dameano had frequently threatened
his life because he refused to pay, and he gave this as his only excuse
for the shooting, claiming that he believed his life to be in danger. The
jury brought in a verdict of second degree murder, and Caruso was sen-
tenced to the Western penitentiary for a term of from twelve to twenty
years.

However, officers working on the case told a different story. They
claimed that the Blackhand king of Western Pennsylvania lived in Pitts-
burgh. Dameano was a local leader, but for some reason it was believed
at the time that the king had ordered his death and had sent Caruso to
Washington to carry out the death sentence.

The Blackhand was more active in Canonsburg than in any other sec-
tion of the county. During 1917, the bodies of ten Italians were found in
the country surrounding that town, but only five were ever identified.
All of these murders are still shrouded in mystery. All of the victims
were strangers in that locality, and it is believed that they were lured
from a distance, after being marked for death. In all cases papers and
marks on the clothing that might lead to identification had been removed.
No trace of the murderers was ever discovered.

One victim was finally identified through a tailor’s tag on the inside of
the coat, as Salvatore Sasso, of Joliet, Illinois. His body was found in

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 399

© well’s store. She had also intended to go to the house of some friend in
town. When nothing was heard from her that afternoon her parents
became worried, and when they learned that she had not reached Wash-
"ington they started to search for her. The father hunted until 1 o’clock

__ Sunday morning, but found no trace of her, and he returned home.

a He started out again at 4 o’clock that morning, followed by the girl’s
pet dog. He tramped over a wide area, and about 10:30 o’clock that
morning on top of the hill between Manifold and Washington he was at-
tracted by the actions of the dog. The animal scented something in a
clump of bushes, and upon investigation the father found the body of
his daughter, covered with grass and brush. The only marks on the girl
showed that she had been choked to death, but her clothing was almost
torn from her body, and there was every indication that she had made a
desperate struggle for her honor.

The alarm was given immediately, and Sheriff Robert G. Lutton led a
large posse in a search of the entire county, but no trace of the murderer
was ever found. Two Russians and two Englishmen were arrested, but
there was no evidence against them, and they were released.

George Green, who lived within sight of the spot where the murder
was committed, had taken a very active part in the search, stimulated by
the reward of $1,000 offered by the county commissioners, and suspicion
finally pointed to him. He seemed anxious to figure in the case, and had
volunteered much information to the officials. Green was arrested on
August 8th, charged with the murder, but the evidence against him was
slight, and the investigation of the county officers brought out very little
real information.

He was placed on trial before J udge J. A. McIlvaine on November 20,
1912, and all of the evidence was completed at 5 o’clock the next afternoon.
In order to complete the case, the court held a night session, and the case
was given to the jury at 8:35 o’clock. A verdict of not guilty was re-
turned at 9:22 that same night. Green immediately went back to his
home, and tried to secure employment at Manifold, where he had worked
previous to the murder, but he was ostracized by everyone, and he soon
disappeared, no one knew where. Although no additional evidence has
ever been discovered since then, there are many who still believe that
Green was guilty of the murder.

During the past few years Washington and other counties in Western
Pennsylvania have been under a reign of lawlessness and murder that was
not surpassed by any other section of the country. This has been due to
the Blackhand, an organization which lives off tribute levied upon Ital-
ians, who are under the threat of death from this dreaded organization.
Its members are expert gunmen, who seem to know no fear when they are
ordered to kill some of their countrymen who have refused to pay tribute.
For a period of years murders were committed in Washington County at
the rate of more than twenty-five a year, and many of these were traced to
the Blackhand. The power of the Blackhand in this county seems to have
been broken, however, since the execution of Marcantonio Daniele and
Angelo Fragassa on December 10, 1923, for a murder at Canonsburg on
May 29, 1922. Since then there has not been one murder in the county
traced to this organization.

SS,
ee

Pat

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

the hills near Canonsburg on September 23, 1917, but his slayers were
never discovered.

~ About 10 o’clock on the night of March 2, 1918, Gaziano Francisco
was shot down in an alley within sight of several persons. He had been
seen to go into the alley with three strangers, and a few minutes later sev-
eral shots were heard. He had attempted to draw his revolver, but his
assailants had shot him through his gun hand and then through the heart.
His murderers were never apprehended. ;

These murders continued until the Italian population of East Canons-
burg lived under a reign of terror. None knew when his turn would come,
and business among them was almost at a standstill. The credit for break-
ing up the Blackhand is largely due to the daring work of Thomas Reese,
Bert M. Laird, William B. Dinsmore, and David W Creigh, of the county
detective force.

On the night of May 29, 1922, Gabriele Fiore was shot and killed in
his room in East Canonsburg, and Thomas Reese, of Canonsburg, then a
clerk in the district attorney’s office, was notified. Calling officers to his
assistance he began an investigation which resulted in the arrest of
Marcantonio Daniele, his son, John, and a young Italian barber named An-
gelo Fragassa. The fight to convict these men was long and bitter. County
Detectives Bert M. Laird and John Weiner worked up a strong case in
defiance of many threats received from mysterious sources. Attempts
were made to intimidate valuable witnesses, but a guard was placed over
their homes, both night and day. Threats were made against the life of
Thomas Reese and the other two detectives, but they worked on in spite
of this with a grim courage that brought about final victory and peace to
the Italians in East Canonsburg. Threats were even made against De-
tectives William B. Dinsmore and David W. Creigh, for the part they
played, although they were not appointed until after the conviction of
Daniele and Fragassa.

Angelo Fragassa was placed on trial before Judge Erwin Cummins on
November 20, 1922, and forty-three jurors were examined before the
twelve were finally selected. The case for the commonwealth was con-
ducted by District Attorney Howard W. Hughes and Assistant District
Attorney Warren S. Burchinal, while Attorneys Alex M. Templeton and
R. Kirk Wrenshall represented the defense.

There was no direct testimony against the defendant, but the circum-
stantial evidence was very strong. For this reason Fragassa not only
surprised the commonwealth, but his own lawyers as well, when he ad-
mitted on the witness stand that he fired the shot that killed Gabriele
Fiore, claiming self-defense. He said that he went to the Jacobi house
where Fiore roomed and was talking to the latter at a window, Fragassa
standing on the porch and Fiore on the inside. He claimed that during
the conversation Fiore grabbed him by the throat. Believing that his
life was in danger he drew his revolver and fired. He then told of leaving
the house through the window, but he was unable to explain under cross-
examination how he got into the house. Under rigid cross-examination
by Assistant District Attorney Burchinal he became badly mixed and
almost broke down.

The case was given to the jury at 2:55 o’clock in the afternoon of No-
26—V1

402 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

vember 24, and an agreement was reached at 2:30 o’clock the next morn-
ing. A verdict of first degree murder was brought in at 10:30 o’clock in
the morning of November 25th.

Marcantonio Daniele was charged by the commonwealth with being
the man who, as leader of the Canonsburg Blackhand, had ordered Fra-
gassa to kill Fiore. It was alleged that he had accompanied him to the
house and had helped him through the window. His case was taken up
before Judge Cummins at 2:55 o’clock in the afternoon of November 24th,
immediately after the Fragassa case had been given to the jury. More
care was taken in the selection of this jury, and it was 3:05 o’clock the
next afternoon before the twelve had been agreed upon and after sixty-
two had been examined. As in the former case, Hughes and Burchinal
represented the commonwealth, and Templeton and Wrenshall, the de-
fendant.

During both trials large numbers of Italians swarmed into the court
room. District Attorney- Hughes informed the court that these men he
believed to be Blackhanders, and he asked that all except witnesses and
Americans be excluded from the court room, and the blinds on the doors
pulled down, as he was afraid their very presence would intimidate com-
monwealth witnesses. This was done by order of the court.

Two of the commonwealth’s witnesses were prisoners from the West-
ern Penitentiary: Jim Piscrelli, serving a long term for burglary, and
Alfonso Polifrone, serving from twelve to forty years for pandering. The
latter was from Canonsburg, and had been sent from this county. Both
men were known to be members of the Blackhand, and they agreed to
tell what they knew of that organization. They had been kept. separated
in the penitentiary, and after being brought to the Washington jail were
not allowed to communicate. Neither was allowed in the court room when
the other testified, and thus there was no way of the one knowing what
the other said. Yet their stories of the initiation ceremony of the or-
ganization agreed exactly.

This was probably the first time in any court room in the United
States that the secrets of the Blackhand were laid bare. Jim Piscrelli
had joined the society in Italy eighteen years before. He said that this
is a society to rob and kill if necessary to secure money, and the leaders
have the power of life and death over its members. They must obey the
leader without question:

In a graphic manner he described the initiation ceremony and the oath.
Using five penholders, representing five stilettos, he placed them on a
white cloth in the form of a star with the points meeting at the center.
This he covered with a red handkefchief which represents the blood of
the dead members. When a new member is sworn in, the leader lifts the
red handkerchief and picks up one of the stilettos. The candidate picks
up another, and three members pick up the other three. Holding them
aloft with the five points touching, the candidate swears that he will de-
fend the society with his life and be the worst enemy of the law; that he
will obey the chief absolutely in all things without question and not think
of his own life. The witness then stated that the death penalty will be
inflicted on any member who reveals the secrets of the society.

One of the men present when Jim Piscrelli was initiated in Italy was

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fessions and Death
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Penalties
In Clearfield County From 1816 to July 1, 1914.
In Two Parts.

—By M L. McQUOWN —

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From a photograph tuxen by D. McGaughey im
"1865,

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BAr TE AAN'S ZOUNAUL PRINT,

<= INTRODUCTION. ==>

= Qe

W HEN the law was changed from the death penalty by hanging to electro-
cution, by the Legislature of 1913, and the last person was executed Jaru-

2 ary 15, 1914, we prepared a review of the Tapital Crimes in Clearfield

County, covering a century, beginuing with Monks, executed in 1819

and coneluding with John O. Keeler, January 15, 1914. This review consisted

of the story of the crimes committed, the trials, names of jurymen and judges,
confessions and death sentences as pronounced by the Courts, and scaffuld
scenes, of the six persons executed in the county during the long period: of
years. This historical research covered sixteen columns of the JouRNAL of Jan.
21, 1914, aud was the result of many days of labor in securing data, ete. An
extra edition of 1000 copies was run atthat time and the demand was so great
that these were all gone in a week. The type was kept in form, some new por-
traits collected, among them the photograph of Mrs. Lena Miller, executed
Nov. 12, 1867, and the only woman ever hanged in Clearfield county. And Ex-
Governor Cuctin counsel for defense of Lorenzo Allmanin 1819. In adJi-
tion we have added a brief review of the five convictions within the year 1914, to
date, of murder in the first degree, the convicted men have, and willbe, sentenced

to die in the electric chair at the new State prison. Ineach case the names of

the jurors trying the several cases are given, the attorneys, etc., s0 a3 to be

preserved as a matter of history. This is designated Part Il.

RAFTSMAN’S JOURNAL.
June 21, 1914

VIA BY-2 Ree!

STARTLING
DETECTIVE,
NOVEMBiR, 1950.

ALLEGHBENEY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

A MURDERERS’ row was once

evacuated — because it was
haunted! Strange as it may sound, that
is what happened in a county jail which
is about the last place one would expect
even spirits to return to of their own
volition.

Back in 1907, in the Allegheny County
Jail in Pittsburgh, a man named W,. A.
Culp killed himself in his cell in jail
while awaiting execution for the murder
of his brother.

The next night a wild scream pierced
the dark prison corridors. It came from
the cell adjoining the one that had been
occupied by Culp. Visibly trembling,
the prisoner told guards that someone
had entered his cell and had shaken him
awake. He looked up to see Culp, or
someone looking remarkably like him,
standing over him.

Then the apparition began to recount
the killing of Culp’s brother, going into
all the grisly details. After the still
shaking prisoner had finished his tale of
ghostly horror, the guards told him that
he must have had a bad dream and ad-
vised him to go back to bed.

But the next night screams again
sounded inside the prison walls. This
time they not only came from the
prisoner of the night before but from
two others as well. They too said they
Saw a strange figure who began reciting
all the harrowing details of the killing
of Culp’s brother.

From then on, night after night,
always between 12 and 1, these shrieks
of terror would come from murderers’
row. There were fourteen condemned
men and at one time or another they-
all felt they had seen the apparition.
Sometimes they all seemed to see “it”
at the same time. Apparently “it” liked
to stroll up and down the corridor in
front of the cells of the condemned men,

always talking about the murder of
Culp’s brother.

Then these condemned men began to
see another ghost. This one was that of
Mike Rumanski, a recent occupant of
murderers’ row who, like Culp, had
taken his life in his cell in one of the
most fantastically weird suicide cases
on record. The warden had been fore-
warned of Rumanski’s intentions and a
guard was stationed in front of the
murderer’s cell. And the condemned
man managed to kill himself while the
guard looked on unaware.

The murderer, who had strangled
his wife, took his own life the same way.
He slipped a thin but strong cord
around his neck and then strangled him-
self by twisting the cord. He did this
while lying on his cot. It not only. re-
quired almost unbelievable determina-
tion for the wife-strangler to garrote
himself, but he managed to do it with-
out making the slightest untoward
movement or outcry.

In a few nights, the occupants of
“death row” began to see the apparitions
of two brothers who had escaped from
their cells only to be mowed down by
officers’ bullets. And they began to de-
tect the presence of other former
murderers who had occupied the cells
and gone to their desserts.

As the date of their own executions
neared, the terror and hysteria of the
fourteen conscience-haunted murderers
increased. They saw a ghost in every

.shadow and their screams and cries at

might kept awake other prisoners which
played havoc with prison routine and
put all the inmates on edge,

Quiet came only after Warden
Edward Lewis had the fourteen con-.
demned men moved to another part of
the prison, far away from old murderers’
row. —By George Baker

If Summers was our ;
whoever he might still prc
another fact was evident—h:
canny. The removal of the “t
to make it look as though t]
been sold and his getting ¢!
move in to make the
legitimately tenanted had ¢
thinking. The man had mas
Howard Easley successfully
days to keep hidden the do
of the Easleys. So with that |
go on, I was figuring in my o
some pretty clever trailing
find him.

If our man was Sumnie:
myself, where would be the
place for him to hide out?
he choose that place?

It seemed to me he would ,
was familiar with the te:
probably had friends—a :
maybe. What more likely
Selah, where he had previou
Yakima, the closest town to ;

And what. better place
bodies than Naches Pass? W}
Puyallup on Sunday night
when he met Wade? Becaus.
way to the pass—Puyallu;
Buckley, Enumclaw, and on
the bodies even then in the
car? .

N THIS assumption I ¢

stations and found twc
route who said a man answ:
mers’ description had inquirec
est route to Yakima.

But before I could check
my theory, a call came in 0;
night at 7:30 from Edward Ne:
owns the Naches Tavern on :
Highway. He reported that a (
and his wife and two children
wild-blackberrying, found
thought was a body. He gave t
of the discovery as two and om
east of the tavern and about fi:
feet south of Highway 410. T|
party had traced an odor to a;
and brush and, investigating.
what they thought was a hum

Dave Ward and Lyle La:
with me in Car 9. Sheriff
Captain Kendersi left in Ca:
Tonetti and Dr. Charles |
Tacoma’s “crime doctor,” we
15, and Coroner Paul Mellinge
in the ambulance.

We met the Gills who were
the tavern and they directed
spot. As we stopped the cars |
old logging road I noted a sig
“Government Property. No
ing.” I asked the Gills why
disobeyed it.

“But this isn’t government
We've been coming to this
years and it’s never been ther:

Just another clever ruse of
derer!

We made our way with t!
flashlights. Logs and large hou!
strewn in the road to prevent th
of cars. But fresh grass un:
belied their having been there .
This was more trickery on th
the killer.

Then we saw the mound. 1
River, just a few feet beyond, v
ing its way to the sea betwee:
banks. No grave had been di
green tarpaulin had been throw:
bodies and the logs and brush s:
concealed the spot that the berry:
would never have suspected an:
it hadn’t been for the odor.

There was no doubting that t!

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 377

ford City, Ky., who was murdered by his slave, Christian, near this
borough, on the 1st of February, 1828, in the 25th year of his age.”

That is all; and although nearly a century has passed since then, this
inscription tells a story that is still related among the annals of the olden
times. It goes back to the old slavery days, long before the Civil war was
dreamed of, when Washington County bordered on a slave state and when
a majority of the people of this section favored slavery. This was the
first free state, and, although that was long before the time of John Brown
and his famous “Underground,” many runaway slaves came this way.
The abolitionists were just beginning, and there were a few of them
here, always willing to help a runaway slave on his way to freedom, while
the free Negroes in this section always gave aid to members of their
race trying to reach Canada.

On the morning of Friday, February 1, 1828, the body of a murdered
white man was found on the National Pike, near the Red barn, a short -
distance west of the present Baltimore & Ohio Railroad crossing, west of
Washington. This building is still standing, one of the old landmarks on
the pike, and is still known as the Red barn.

The murdered man was recognized as a “Negro Drover,’”’ who had
passed through Washington a few days before on his way south with
several runaway slaves, whom he had captured. The first news of the
crime was given at the nearest house by a Negro, who stated that his
master had been attacked by three men while walking along the road. The
alarm soon spread, and in a short time a number of people had gathered
at the spot. The man’s head had been crushed with a club or a stone,
and the freshly fallen snow that covered the ground was stained with
blood. The murdered man was afterwards identified as Robert Carlyle,
from Woodford City, near Frankfort, Kentucky.

Carlyle had been in Washington several days before with his slaves,
and had started for Wheeling with them, but some distance west of here
one named Christian Sharp, better known as “Kit,” escaped. Leaving the
other slaves under guard, Carlyle returned in search of the runaway and
captured him somewhere between Washington and Brownsville, for on
Thursday night, January dist, he had arrived in Washington with Kit on
the westbound mail stage. They stopped that night at Briceland’s Tav-
ern, now the Hotel Auld; but before daylight the next morning they set
out on foot for Wheeling. Carlyle was not taking any chances of escape
again, and he had the Negro handcuffed.

The remains of the murdered slave owner were interred in the grave-
yard at Washington, where his grave may still be seen, a grim reminder
of the old slavery days before the “Underground.”

Blood stains on the N egro’s clothing led to his arrest for the crime, and
the coroner’s jury returned a verdict that Robert Carlyle came to his
death by the hands of his Slave, Christian Sharp.

Kit was brought to trial on June 25, 1828, before Hon. Thomas H.
Baird, president judge, and Boyd Mercer and John Hamilton, associate
judges. William Waugh, deputy prosecuting attorney, assisted by John
S. Brady, conducted the case for the commonwealth. The accused slave
did not lack friends; for, although he was without money, no less a person
than Samuel McFarland, one of the prominent members of the bar of his

374 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

cousin of the murdered girl, who had been with the Ridgway family at
church on the night of the murder, was traveling down the Ohio River in
his vocation as a New Orleans trader, and one night he met the man
named S in a barroom. They recognized each other, and while
talking over the events of their home section, the murder of Mary Stewart
was mentioned. 8S asked Mr. Brownlee if he had ever heard his
name connected with the crime.

Feeling that it was a time for plain talking, Mr. Brownlee replied:
“Yes, I have so heard,” and, looking the other straight in the eye, said
further, “I believe that you were the murderer of my cousin, Mary
Stewart.”

Without a word S left the room and was never seen or heard
of again by any one who knew him.

Although Mrs. Ridgway lived for many years after the terrible death
of her daughter, she never ceased to mourn for her loved one; and it is
said that she never smiled afterwards. By those who knew him best,
James Ridgway was considered to be above reproach, and they considered
the suspicion directed against him as unjust. He died in 1834 in West
Middletown, at an advanced age.

Another murder committed in early times in Washington County,
which is talked of to this day, was the shooting of Henry Crawford by
his aged father, William Crawford, because the son persisted in singing
and whistling “The Blackbird.” This occurred at the Crawford home in
what was known as the Horseshoe Bottom, in Fallowfield Township, on
Tuesday, July 30, 1822.

William Crawford was a peculiar character, to say the least. He had
been a British soldier during the War of 1812, and he proudly referred
to himself as “Old Britannia.” He and his son, Henry, did not get along
well together, for the latter had inherited some of his father’s spirit and
resented his parent’s severity. “The Blackbird” was a popular patriotic
American song of that day, and the son took great delight in aggravating
his father by singing and whistling it.

The trouble seems to have had its origin in difficulties between Craw-
ford and his wife, and the son naturally took the mother’s side. Relations
had become so strained that Henry and his mother left the old man and
were living in another house nearby. Henry baited his father, and when
he discovered that it angered the old man to either sing or whistle “The
Blackbird,”’ he lost no opportunity of arousing his parent’s ire. The old
man had frequently threatened to kill his son, but on account of the
former’s age, Henry did not fear him. He was afraid that he might
shoot, and so he had broken his father’s gun, but the old man had it re-
paired unknown to his son.

On July 30, William Crawford held a “frolic” of hauling manure, a
custom of early times, in which a man’s neighbors would all join forces
and help him in a certain line of work, such as harvesting, ploughing,
building a house, or in fact anything about the farm. This is still observed
by farmers of the present day in harvesting and threshing.

During the morning, when Crawford invited several of the men into
his house for a drink of whisky, he told them that his son, Henry, had
come to torment him and he would kill him before night if he did not go

376 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

man, who was past seventy years of age, exhibited an indifference that
was amazing. He never expressed a regret for his terrible deed, and he
went to his death without once asking for spiritual consolation.

This execution, the second in Washington County, and the first for
murder, took place on Gallows Hill, where Thomas Richardson had been
hanged for robbery over thirty-eight years before. The case had attracted
wide attention throughout Western Pennsylvania, and on Friday, February
21, 1823, between 8,000 and 15,000 people gathered in Washington to
witness the public hanging of this man; and it was necessary to call out
a company of militia to keep back the crowd and preserve order. The
hanging was in charge of Sheriff Robert Officer and his deputy, Robert
McClelland.

When taken from the jail to the place of execution, Crawford’s conduct
was most amazing, and it is doubtful if any man ever went to his death
on the gallows either before or since who appeared to care as little. His
face was full of color and his eyes were clear and untroubled. The ground
was covered with snow, and he was taken through the streets of Washing-
ton on a sled, riding beside his own coffin. As he rode to the gallows,
between lines of thousands of people, he leaned on the coffin, peeled and
ate an apple, and talked of worldly affairs with an astonishing air of in-
difference, telling the boys who ran beside the sled not to hurry, as the
hanging would not take place until he got there. He was accompanied
by the sheriff, his deputy and several clergymen, while the militia marched
with the sled to keep back the crowd. In the narrative of his life, which
he had written in jail, he said: “I do not fear, but I can not hope. I
shall die like a soldier; but I dare not die like a saint.”

When the gallows was reached he exhibited a complete indifference to
the divine services conducted by the ministers for the salvation of his soul.
At the close he mounted the platform, and while Sheriff Officer read the
death warrant sat with his back against a post. In a last attempt to get
some expression of repentance from him, the Rev. Charles Wheeler, the
Baptist minister, entreated him to forgive his enemies, and especially the
members of his own family, but Crawford only replied: “God may for-
give them, but I will have nothing to do with them. They want my life.
Let them take it. I am ready to die. I ama murdered man. My death is
occasioned by a set of rascally, perjured witnesses, and a weak, partial
jury.”

When the Rev. Mr. Wheeler urged him to pray, the condemned man
told him to mind his own business.

- Crawford was placed over the trap door, and the rope was tied around
his neck, after which those on the gallows, with the exception of the
sheriff, bid him farewell and descended to the ground. When Sheriff
Officer asked him if he wished the execution delayed to the last minute
allowed by the warrant, he replied that he wished it over with, as he
wanted to give his friends time to take him home that night. The black
cap was drawn over his eyes by the sheriff, who shook hands with him,
and picking up a hatchet, cut the cord that held the trap, and plunged
the soul of William Crawford into eternity.

On a small headstone in the old graveyard in Spruce Alley, Washing-
ton, is the following inscription: “In memory of Robert Carlyle, of Wood-

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 375

away. Some of the men went to the barn and warned Henry, but he only
said that he did not think “Britannia would shoot.”

That evening Henry was sitting on a log near the door singing “The
Blackbird’; and just as he started the second verse he was shot and
almost instantly killed by his father. As the young man fell several men
rushed from the barn, and one bent over him and asked, “Henry, are
you hurt?”

“T am not as bad hurt as you think I am,” he replied, and died within
afew minutes. He was aged twenty-eight years.

In firing the fatal shot the old man rested his rifle against the door
frame and took deliberate aim. He was captured immediately, and while
waiting for the arrival of Parker Scott, a justice of the peace, the old man
stated that he had intended to kill his son, and would do it again if he had
it to do over. ;

William Crawford was lodged in the county jail at Washington, and on
Thursday, November 21, 1822, was put on trial for the murder of his son,
before Hon. Thomas H. Baird, president judge, and Boyd Mercer and
John Hamilton, associate judges. The best legal talent of that day was
arrayed on opposing sides. William Baird, the prosecuting attorney, was
assisted by Joseph Pentecost, while Crawford was defended by James
Ross, Parker Campbell, Thomas M. T. McKennan, and John Kennedy, all
of whom ranked with the best of that time.

Thirty-four jurors were called before the twelve were finally selected
to decide the old man’s fate. The case was hard fought, but: it was finally
completed and given to the jury at 3:20 o’clock November 22nd, and an
agreement was reached at 4:30. The little courtroom was crowded with
people as the jury filed in, and the foreman announced the verdict, “Guilty
of murder in the first degree.”’

On the following morning Crawford was sentenced by Judge Baird
“to be taken from hence to the jail of the county of Washington from
whence you came, and from thence to the place of execution, and be there
hanged by the neck until you are dead. And may the God of mercy speak
pardon and peace to your soul.”

This was followed by a long address to the prisoner by Judge Baird,
but the condemned man showed little or no concern in what was said; and
at the conclusion he said that he felt no remorse of conscience. Such were
his feelings to the very end. A writ of error was refused by the attorney
general of the state, and an appeal was taken to the Supreme Court, but
this tribunal refused to interfere. This ended the last hope of William
Crawford for escaping the death penalty.

The death warrant from the governor was received by the sheriff on
January 21, 1823, and when it was read to the old man in his cell, Craw-
ford exhibited very little emotion. Crawford refused to eat for several
days following, and it was feared that he would starve himself to death;
and this was evidently his intention, but hunger finally overcame his
resolution.

The hanging of William Crawford was, in many ways, one of the most
extraordinary affairs of the kind that ever took place in Pennsylvania.
While in jail awaiting execution he wrote a history of his life, which was
afterwards published in The Examiner. To the very last this gray-haired

196

a Oh eh ae ke ee ee oe

Santee’s mill, on the old road leading to Bath. They had a boarder, Joseph Snyder,
who was 24 years of age and also worked in the Coleman mine.

Snyder frequently attempted to molest Alice for which he was severely rep-
rimanded by the girl’s father, which occasioned Snyder's harboring a grudge
against Jacob Geogle.

The Geogle household enjoyed the Christmas season. Snyder dressed himself
as Santa Claus and paraded around the community. On the day after Christmas.
a Sunday, the Geogles entertained Constable Samuel B. Fogel and his family
at supper. Snyder participated in the afternoon festivities but at the supper table
it was noticed that he ate very little or nothing at all.

After the family had retired Snyder arose from his cot, picked up an axe,
entered the bedroom of the Geogles, who were asleep, lying on their backs,
crushed the skulls of both and then cut their faces from ear to ear, their heads
being nearly severed from their bodies.

Snyder then went to the children’s bedroom and attempted to ravish Alice,
but was frightened away by all of the other children’s screaming. In addition
to the Geogle children there were two other children who were visiting and
spending the night with the Geogles. He locked the children in the room and
after midnight went to a neighbor’s house to report that the Geogles were dead,
killed by burglars (four in number) whom he fought off.

Snyder and the neighbor went to the Geogle home, where Snyder described
how the burglars had made their getaway. Meantime Alice had told about the
attempted assault on her and expressed her belief that Snyder had killed her
parents.

As excited people were gathering in the house, Snyder repeated his story, but
soon was found missing. The neighbors began to suspect Snyder and set out in
search of him. One of the pursuing crowd, Detective W. W. Yohe of Bethlehem.
found him concealed in the upper mow of the barn on a neighboring farm. Yohe
handcutfed Snyder and took a four-barreled pistol from him. When the crowd
saw Snyder they yelled “Hang him,” “Cut his throat,” “Hang him up by the
thumbs and burn him.”

While Snyder was being brought back to the Geogle home, the crowd tried
to get him away from the detective. At the house a neighbor harangued the
crowd: “If we let it go to the courts, this will cost us thousands of dollars in taxes.
and even then he may escape.”

About 10 o’clock Coroner A. J. Uhler drove up to the house in a sleigh. The
prisoner, guarded by Detective Yohe, was brought in amidst cries of “Hang
him.” Coroner Uhler impaneled a jury on the spot. Snyder had confessed to a
minister that he committed the deed. After the jury had heard the testimony
and viewed the victims, a verdict was rendered: “That the said Jacob Geogle
and Annie Geogle came to their death by blows and cuts inflicted upon their
heads and bodies with an axe in the hands of Joseph Snyder, on the night of

December 26, 1880.””’

194

The surviving members of the family testified as to the taste of the coffee they
drank and the sensation it produced in the throat, which physicians testified were
possible effects from arsenic poisoning, Every member of the family who became
ill had partaken of coffee at supper. Allen and the small child did not drink
coffee. A post mortem examination revealed traces of arsenic in the stomachs
of the deceased. In the coffee pot which had been used by the family a white
sediment was analyzed as arsenic—and from appearances about four and a half
ounces had been deposited in the pot.

Subsequent to the poisoning, Laros told witnesses about having made a pur-
chase of the dentrifice and the bottle in which it was contained was found in the
decedents’ home. He also mentioned concealment of money belonging to his
father and to the boarder, and the money was found in the place indicated. A
brother of the deceased boarder asked Laros what he meant by doing a deed
of that kind, alluding to the poisoning, and Laros replied; “Bill, I don’t know
why I done it; I had no cause to do it, and I am sorry it is the way it is; but it is
too late.”

It also appeared that Laros was at home an hour or two before supper and had
the opportunity to deposit the poison in the coffee pot.

The defense was that the defendant, at the time he committed the act, was
insane and therefore not criminally responsible. There was proof that he was
subject to epileptic fits and testimony that they affected his mind. An attempt
was made to show insanity in the defendant's family.

As he imposed sentence after the jury (out only three hours) had returned a
verdict of “guilty of murder in the first degree,’ Judge Meyers, addressing the
defendant said in part, “from day to day by telegraph and the press the terrible
tragedy was heralded far and wide and your name indissolubly linked with one
of the blackest and most atrocious crimes of the age.

“You have been defended by counsel of your choice, who have brought to
your behalf such evidences of industry and learning, zeal and eloquence to save
you from the fate that now confronts you, as has been seldom witnessed in the
history of criminal jurisprudence of this Commonwealth. For 15 days they
struggled to save you. They failed only because the evidence against you was
overwhelming and the evidence in your defense lacked that inherent force and
power that produces conviction.

“By some mysterious visitation of Providence you may have been so afflicted
in body and mind, unseen to mortal eyes, as to have rendered your unconscious
that you committed a crime. But, judging the verdict by the law and the evidence
which was the only guide and rule for the jury, our judgment as to your guilt
is clear.”

Laros was sentenced to be hanged and the death warrant issued on November
15, 1876 by Governor Hartranft directed the execution to take place in January

1877, but was recalled when the defendant's counsel swore out a writ of error

in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

The case of Laros vs. the Commonwealth was argued in the Supreme Court
on March 27 and 28, 1877. Chief Justice Daniel Agnew delivered the opinion
of the Court on June 11, 1877, when an order was entered approving the sentence
of the trial court and directing.the record to be remitted for the purpose of
carrying the sentence into execution according to law.

The Court held that “proof of epilepsy furnishes no immediate presumption
of insanity” and that the question as to the defendant’s state of mind at the time
of the commission of the crime was adequately presented to the jury for their
consideration.

JUDGE LYNCH

While the lynch law of the South and vigilante justice in the West were a part
of the living law of criminal procedure in those regions in the 1880s, none of the
factors on which such procedures were based were present in the well ordered
society of Pennsylvania and especially in Northampton County where religious
influence was predominant. And so it could not have happened here—but it
did! :

Not only did it happen here but it happened while the community was cele-
brating Christmas. A murderer was lynched by a mob of citizens of Bethlehem
and Bethlehem Township on December 27, 1880, two days after Christmas.

The crime for which punishment was summarily administered was a double
murder reported in The Bethlehem Daily Times, issue of Monday afternoon,
December 27, 1880. The news reporter wrote: “Scarcely have the gladsome
chimes of Christmas bells ceased to echo o’er hill and plain in this vicinity, than
our community is thrown into a fearful state of excitement concerning the
perpetration of a double murder about four miles north of Bethlehem. The
horrible deed was committed shortly before midnight of last night.

“Before break of day this morning, George Young and George B. Ritter,
farmers, residing close by Santee’s mill, in Bethlehem Township, came to town
in a sleigh and presented themselves at once before Squire Theo. Fradeneck,
where they hastily gave the facts of the finding by Constable Sam B. Fogle, of
the murdered man and wife, Jacob and Annie Geogle at their home in Bethle-
hem Township. Squire Fradeneck proceeded with the 6:30 o’clock train, on the
Lehigh Valley Railroad, to Easton, for the purpose of notifying Coroner Uhler
and also District Attorney Anstett.”

The reporter continued: “The horrible news spread like wild fire, and the
excitement throughout the Bethlehems continues to be intense... . the Nazareth
road and its branch roads were lined with sleighs filled with people from the
Bethlehems and adjacent towns—all driving in the direction of Santee’s
Mill.”

Jacob Geogle, age 38, an employe in the Coleman ore mine, lived with his
wife, Annie, and three children, Alice, 14 or 15, Mary, 12 and Henry, ll ina
two-story house on an elevation on the south bank of the Monocacy Creek, near

195

p. 427), but re-enacted in Section 76 of the same act, which was enacted “To
Consolidate, Revise and Amend the Laws of this Commonwealth relating to
Penal Proceedings and Pleadings.” The re-enactment was in language precisely
as in the 1834 Act except that the feminine pronoun wherever it appeared in

the earlier statute was not repeated in the re-enactment. The effect of the

omission of the feminine pronoun and inclusion of only the masculine pronoun
was never submitted for adjudication. Also, “district attorney of the County”
was substituted for “Attorney General or Deputy Attorney General of the
County,” the office of district attorney having been created after the enactment
of the 1834 statute.

Hanging was abolished and execution by electrocution was provided by an
act approved June 19, 1913.

THE CASE OF ALLEN C. LAROS, AN EPILEPTIC

The Trial of Allen C. Laros, indicted for the murder of his father by poisoning,
attracted a great deal of attention. Popular interest in the case presumably in-
duced Francis W. Edgar, a member of the Northampton County Bar, to edit
the record of the trial and publish it in readable form entitled “The Trial of Allen
C. Laros for the Murder of His Father, Martin Laros” (Cole and Moritz, Eas-
ton-Easton Area Public Library).

Laros pleaded insanity, but his eminent trial counsel failed to convince both
the trial and the appeal courts that proof of the defendant’s epilepsy was pre-
sumptive evidence of his insanity and that, as a matter of law, the defendant
should be adjudged not guilty by reason of insanity. Fifteen days were consumed
in the trial of the case and two days in arguing an appeal in the Supreme Court.

The issue was tried at the August 1876 term of the Court of Oyer and Ter-
miner before President Judge Oliver H. Meyers and Associate Judges Joseph
Laubach and Josiah Cole. John C. Merrill, district attorney, and Edward J. Fox
appeared for the Commonwealth. The defendant was represented by William
S. Kirkpatrick and Henry W. Scott. ;

The proof was that Allen C. Laros,; a young school teacher in Forks Township,
purchased in a drug store in Easton four and a half ounces of arsenic for the
purpose, as he alleged, of killing rats, and that at the same time he bought a bottle
of camphorated dentrifice.

Laros lived with his family, which consisted of his mother, father, two brothers,
two sisters, a niece and a family boarder.

On the day following the purchase of the poison the whole family and the
boarder all sat down to supper. Shortly thereafter one after another of those at
the table, in quick succession, were taken suddenly and violently ill with similar
symptoms, with the exception of Allen and the small child, his niece. From the
effect of this sickness, Allen’s mother was the first to die on the following
morning, his father followed shortly after and the boarder died on the following
day.

193

4 Andrew Tracy wes huns at
Smithport Penn. on Dec. 4, S77
Poy murder.

WiSe , Brandt and Hummel all
hung ot Lebeanen, Penn. on May

(3, 18%0 Pore murdering Mr.
ni f eseph Raber.

Georg @ Smith P| Cy therine Mifler
were ho ts huns at WMixmsport,
Tenn. on feb 3) /88! fer murder,

Dincel Sullivan £ Patrick Miyes were.
both hung at PhiladeloMnr, enn on
Tanry b, (881. The former fer murder~
rng Fesephine Lrvirs & the letter fr
Wiivlerias. Ad tikes

Hezekirh Sheffer wes hung at
| Chambersburg , Penn. on Apri [6,
1879 for wife- urder, )

Franklin Co-

Peter Swing ler Wes hanged af
Chambershurs | Penn. on JineS,
1899 for mucder.( Franklin )

Mernred Spattenhuber wes Aung
at Le banen, Penn. on July 3, 1879
Fir murdering Fuk Eaueler

Charles Dreus P Franklin Strebler
were both henged at Lebenory

| ee: cn Dee. 14, (§79 fer mur-
eriks My. Joseph Riber > Dec. of If 78

| Eyed ebvekes fh ercecs Bhd hung at
Philadelphia, Penn, on. Jan 20, 1875"
ine paurdering Gud Frey ie hale.
on Dee. 31, 1873,

Samuel Beighley hanged at
Greensburg, Penn. on-Jan. 20

r A

87S foe murdering Toseph kerr

Westmoreland: Ce.

Ernest Ortwein huns ot Pits
burg, Penn. on Feb. 23, (STS
fic murdering all Ave membes

Harres Blank and. TSaar
Rosenung were both Aung af
Tonkhannock , Penn. on May
18, 1893 fr murdering a
Peddler named Tecoh Marks
bn Dute4 Moun hun in Wyoming
Coun ty on March 18, 189

Pretro Jgueeterc wes hung af
Readtng . Penn. 6” Jane 27;
1$93 For Slaying anu...

(Berks Co.)

390 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
road near his father’s house, which was on the next farm from Harry’s
home. The father believed that his son had hurriedly caught a train ‘for
Pittsburgh on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and he put the horse in
his stable. When Mrs. Lane found her husband absent the next morning
she also believed he had gone to Pittsburgh, but when he failed to return
on the morning train she became alarmed and communicated with the
father. The horse showed that it had been ridden very hard, and an in-
quiry was started.
Daniel Lane, a brother, and Stewart Early started for Pancake, but

on the way they made a gruesome discovery which led to the belief that he
had been murdered. Lying at the side of the road, near a watering trough
within a few feet of the National pike they found his hat, covered on the
inside with clotted blood, and with a big dint as though the wearer had
been struck a blow with some blunt instrument.
The news of this discovery spread like wildfire, and in a short time
hundreds of people had gathered at the scene of the supposed murder.
Searching parties, stimulated by the large rewards offered by the father,
were formed. The greatest excitement prevailed, and for days hundreds
of people searched the entire country. The hills were black with people
and searching parties could be seen in all directions, combing every con-
ceivable hiding place. The river at Brownsville was dragged, and an oil
tank, where it was believed that the body might have been concealed, was
drained. But Harry Lane had disappeared completely.
The authorities took the matter up under the belief that a murder

had been committed. Robbery was thought to have been the motive and
they worked on this theory. A tramp had been seen in the vicinity and
it was supposed that he had seen the roll of bills Lane displayed at the

store. Late that Saturday night two men were seen boarding a freight
train at Eighty-four, and a search was. made to locate tnem, but they
had also disappeared. The blood in the hat was pronounced by local physi-
cians to be that of a mammal, but whether man or beast was not deter-

mined. Pittsburgh detectives expressed the belief that an amateur in
crime had committed the murder; for they reasoned if professionals had
killed Lane they would never have taken the trouble to conceal the body.
Blood stains were found on the top rail of a fence several hundred yards
from the scene of the supposed murder, and a few spots that were pro-
nounced blood were found in the road in front of R. J. Lane’s house; but
there the trail ended.

When the amateur theory was advanced, neighbors expressed the be-

lief that the supposed crime had been committed by another farmer who
had had some trouble with Lane. A party went to this man’s house to
lynch him, but the advice of cooler heads was heeded, and the would-be
avengers of Harry Lane did not carry out their purpose. But for several
years this man rested under an unjust suspicion.

After many weeks of fruitless searching the hunt was given up, but
people still continued to speculate on the fate of the missing man. Many
people became suspicious; for they could not believe that the body of a
full-grown man could be made away with so completely in a thickly settled
country. On the other hand many people personally acquainted with Lane
believed that he was dead. His relations at home were of the best, and
no reason was known for such action. It was also known that several

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 407

ennsylvania in April, 1681, when William Penn received his charter; and
ninety-nine years later an act was passed by the general assembly for the
gradual abolition of slavery in this state.

.. The Virginia settlers who came to this county prior to 1780, when this
“region was claimed by Virginia, evidently introduced slavery; for a regis-
try list of slaves owned in the county in 1782 shows that many of the
. people living here at that time were slave owners. The list of negro and
mulatto children in bondage in the county from 1788 to 1820, gives the
names of many prominent people as holding slaves. Some of them were

2 David Bradford, Washington; Zephaniah Beall, Bethlehem; Benjamin
~~ Parkinson, Nottingham; Neal Gillespie, Nottingham; Thomas Scott, Wash-
_. ington; Abraham Fry, Fallowfield; Rev. John Brice, Nottingham; Joseph

Bentley, Nottingham; Sheshbazzar Bentley, Somerset; James Gillespie,
Hopewell; Andrew Swearingen, Washington; John Dodd, Washington;

a“ James Ross, Washington; James McFarlane, Fallowfield; James Edgar,
— Smith; Adam Wickerham, Jr., Nottingham; Charles Valentine, Washing-

ton; Absalom Baird, Washington; James Hughes, Strabane; Alexander
Sweeney, Peters; James Kerr, Strabane; Hugh Wilson, Washington; John
~ Simonson, Washington; John Hoge, Canton; Daniel Moore, Washington;
Alexander Reed, Washington; Thomas Smith, Cross Creek; Joseph Pente-
cost, Washington; Thomas Smith, Washington; Mary McCamant, Wash-
ington; Thomas McGiffin, Washington; John McDonald, Robinson; Eliza-
beth Cunningham, Washington; John Krepps, East Bethlehem; Thomas
Cherry, Mount Pleasant; William Hoge, Canton; Isabella Hoge, Washing-
ton; Rev. Thomas Hoge, Washington; John Neal, Washington; John
Mitchell, Smith; Thomas Brice, Washington, and many others. The
majority of these owned only one or two at the time the registry was
made.

That the Hoges were slave owners is a well known fact, and there is
a tradition that the many log cabins in what is now the third ward of
Washington, embracing North Lincoln and East Walnut streets were
built by slaves of John and William Hoge. According to this ancient tra-
dition the Hoges gave a lot to each slave who would erect a cabin; and
that is the reason that section of the town has been from the beginning
of the town the negro section.

On March 1, 1780, the general assembly passed an act for the gradual
abolition of slavery in Pennsylvania. This law was so worded that it
would not work a hardship on slave owners by suddenly depriving them
of their property, but it was to be accomplished gradually over a period
of years. It provided that no negro or mulatto child who should be born
within the state after the passage of the act should be deemed or consid-
ered as servants for life, and that all slavery of children by reason of the
slavery of their mothers should be and was utterly taken away, extin-
guished and abolished. The act provided further that every negro and
mulatto child born within the state after the passage of the act, who
would in case the act had not been passed, have been born a slave, should
be deemed to be a servant until the age of twenty-eight years, to be held
as servants bound by indentures are holden, and to like freedom, dues,
and other privileges.

All slave owners had to register on or before November 1, 1780, with

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 389

in front of the door, the bullet passing through his heart. The stricken
man staggered back several paces and then fell. He was married and left
a wife and several children.

The crowd went mad, and cries of “Hang him; burn the building; blow
him up,” were heard on every side. A terrific rifle fire was directed on
the ice house, and it was completely riddled. The wonder is that Reed
escaped the bullets.

Richard Singleton, a torpedo shooter in the oil fields, secured twelve
quarts of nitro-glycerine, and it was decided to blow out one end of the
building so that Reed would be at the mercy of the riflemen. A can of
five quarts was placed against the corner farthest from the platform on
which Reed lay, but the explosion only made a hole in the ground and
tore off a few boards. A dynamite charge placed under the edge of the
building did little more damage.

The mob was now getting impatient; it was 6 o’clock and darkness
would soon make it possible for Reed to escape from the building. Sam
Norcross piled some boards against the side of the ice house, poured a
bucket of oil over them and set them on fire. Quickly the building caught,
and as the flames leaped up a pistol shot was heard. Then cartridges
began to explode one after another like firecrackers until about 150 had
gone off. Finally, when one side of the building fell in, the body of a man
was seen lying against the opposite wall wrapped in flames. A hole was
chopped through, and the body was recovered but it was terribly burned.
And thus ended the tragic, thrilling story of Martin Reed.

One of the most sensational mysteries of modern times in Washing-
ton County was the disappearance of Harry E. Lane, a young huckster
and farmer of South Strabane Township. It was believed at first that he
had been murdered, and Robert J. Lane, his father, offered a reward of
$100 for the recovery of his body, and $1,000 for the apprehension of his
Supposed slayers. Officers from three states joined in the search, which
was kept up for many months: but this man had disappeared completely,
and the only trace left was a bloody hat. Long afterwards it dawned
upon the people that they had been the victims of one of the greatest
hoaxes of modern times; but to this day there are still a few who believe
he was murdered.

Harry E. Lane was a young farmer and huckster who lived about a
mile from the National pike on the road from the pike near the John
Burr farm to Eighty-four, and about six miles from Washington. Lane
was just thirty years of age at that time.

On Saturday evening, June 10, 1893, Lane rode horseback from his
home to Washington. Just where he went in Washington has never been
learned, but between 8 and 9 o’clock that night he stopped at a store in
Pancake, and displayed a large roll of bills as he paid for several small
purchases. He then mounted his horse and started towards home. The
last man who ever saw him in this section was James H. Ferguson, a
neighbor, who met him near the R. M. Carrons home about 9 o’clock ;
and from that hour Harry Lane was never seen again by any of his friends
or acquaintances in this county. He disappeared as completely as if the
earth had swallowed him.

About 11 o’clock that night his horse was found grazing along the

390 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

road near his father’s house, which was on the next farm from Harry’s
home. The father believed that his son had hurriedly caught a train ‘for
Pittsburgh on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and he put the horse in
his stable. When Mrs. Lane found her husband absent the next morning
she also believed he had gone to Pittsburgh, but when he failed to return
on the morning train she became alarmed and communicated with the
father. The horse showed that it had been ridden very hard, and an in-
quiry was started.

Daniel Lane, a brother, and Stewart Early started for Pancake, but
on the way they made a gruesome discovery which led to the belief that he
had been murdered. Lying at the side of the road, near a watering trough
within a few feet of the National pike they found his hat, covered on the
inside with clotted blood, and with a big dint as though the wearer had
been struck a blow with some blunt instrument.

The news of this discovery spread like wildfire, and in a short time
hundreds of people had gathered at the scene of the supposed murder.
Searching parties, stimulated by the large rewards offered by the father,
were formed. The greatest excitement prevailed, and for days hundreds
of people searched the entire country. The hills were black with people
and searching parties could be seen in all directions, combing every con-
ceivable hiding place. The river at Brownsville was dragged, and an oil
tank, where it was believed that the body might have been concealed, was
drained. But Harry Lane had disappeared completely.

The authorities took the matter up under the belief that a murder
had been committed. Robbery was thought to have been the motive and
they worked on this theory. A tramp had been seen in the vicinity and
it was supposed that he had seen the roll of bills Lane displayed at the
store. Late that Saturday night two men were seen boarding a freight
train at Eighty-four, and a search was made to locate tnem, but they
had also disappeared. The blood in the hat was pronounced by local physi-
cians to be that of a mammal, but whether man or beast was not deter-
mined. Pittsburgh detectives expressed the belief that an amateur in
crime had committed the murder; for they reasoned if professionals had
killed Lane they would never have taken the trouble to conceal the body.
Blood stains were found on the top rail of a fence several hundred yards
from the scene of the supposed murder, and a few spots that were pro-
nounced blood were found in the road in front of R. J. Lane’s house; but
there the trail ended.

When the amateur theory was advanced, neighbors expressed the be-
lief that the supposed crime had been committed by another farmer who
had had some trouble with Lane. A party went to this man’s house to
lynch him, but the advice of cooler heads was heeded, and the would-be
avengers of Harry Lane did not carry out their purpose. But for several
years this man rested under an unjust suspicion.

968

dey oR earners aan RR aa oe

spoon gen

DANIEL ALLEN HEARN

April 18th 1989

Mr. M. Watt Espy

Capital Punishment Research Project
P.O. Box ese

Headland, AL 36345

Dear Watt:

Before I got sick I was at least fortunate enough to complete
what I set out to do at the Pennsylvania State Archives. So the
contents of this report will comprise all known information that
remained to be squeezed out of that state.

First of all, it bears commenting that there is a severe prob-
lem in this state with missing court records from the colonial
period. The Chief Archivist told me that it is generally believed
that most of such records were carried off by the British when
they occupied Philadelphia during the Revolution. He speculates
that if they survived further that they are buried in some British
archive.

You'll recall that we already speculated along this line in the
case of Virginia. Evidently others have thought the same. Further-
more, I was able to learn that at least one portion of the Virginia
records are indeed in England! The folks at Williamsburgh told me
that the Records for the Colonial Courts of Admiralty were recently
discovered over there.

I should also inform you that the records for early Delaware are
not in the Pennsylvania archives. The people at the latter place
told me that such records were surrendered to Delaware years ago
and are in keeping there. So I'm going to be forced to examine
Delaware as a seperate jurisdiction.

Now to the Pennsylvania data that turned up:

Note on source: All of the following information is drawn from
Record Group #33 at the Pennsylvania State Ar-
chives; a series of seven boxes which bear the title Records of
the Supreme Court, Eastern District, Courts of Oyer & Terminer."
Each case will be cited by the number of the box in which its or-
igional papers were found along with what action we need to take
with them. Cases which we already have correctly documented are
omitted. /

BOX NUMBER ONE: THOMAS PORTER, condemned at Reading, Berks Co.
on 5-14-1770 for burglary and executed on /-/7.
Name changed required. Actual name 'Porter'
whereas Teeters gives it as 'Proctor'. He is
described as a 'labourer' and robbed the house
of one William Neal on 7-25-1769.

LAMBERTUS SCHELEIN, condemned at Reading, Berks
Co. on 5-13-1776 for counterfeiting the fifty

shilling bills of Pennsylvania. This is a new possibility not carried
on either Teeters listing. The case file bears the following Latin
endorsement on its outside cover: "QVOD SVSPENDATVR PER COLLVM", which
literally translated means "In consideration whereof he was hanged by
the neck". However there is a very tricky contingency in the direct
interpretation of the Latin verb SVSPENDERE which causes me to sus-
pect that the actual intention of the notation was meant to say: "In
consideration whereof he ts to be hanged by the neck." In any event,
there is no date of execution specified which means that the case was
automatically reviewed by the governor in council. Hence I durst not
regard it as a confirmation.

BOX NUMBER TWO:

JOHN DOWDLE & THOMAS VAUGHN, both called '‘labourers' and both natives
of the town of Chester. They murdered in concert one Thomas Sharp by

cutting his throat on 3-31-1768. Both were condemned on 8-15-1768 and
both executed per Teeters.

MATTHEW McMAHON condemned on 6-12-1770 for murder of James McClester
/of Middletown on 7-14-1769. Victim died of injuries on 8-18-1769.
McMahon had called McClester a 'son of a bitch' and bashed him over
the head with a hoe as he said so.

JAMES WILLIS condemned at Chester on 8-22-1775 for murder and executed
per Teeters. He was a resident of Ridley Township and committed his
crime on 7-31-1775 by shooting one Daniel Culin who was also of Ridley.

FLEMING ELLIOTT, (a new possibility), condemned at Chester on 3-1-1776
for murdering one John Faughnan. On 9-16-1775 Elliott slashed the throat
of his victim who died two days later. Case file endorsed 'QVOD SVSPEND-
ATVR PER COLLVM.'

BOX NUMBER THREE:

murder of James Crowley on 7-9-1770 by stabbing him to death. Cumberland

</ mies O'NEAL, a yeoman of Tirone Township, condemned on 6-5-1771 for

County Circuit.

, Asses ANDERSON, a yeoman of Hamilton Township, condemned on 6-8-1774 for

murder of William Barnet on 1-1-1774 by shooting him to death. Cumberland
County Circuit.

urdering his wife, Bridget Gillespie, on 1-28-1774 by knocking her in

wa GILLESPIE, a yeoman of Rye Township, condemned on 6-8-1774 for

the head with a stick. Cumberland County Circuit.

NEHEMIAH ARMSTRONG, a labourer of Conestogo Township, sentenced to death
in 1761 for buggering a cow on April 2nd of that year. Lancaster County
Circuit.

DANIEL ALLEN HEARN

JOHN ADAM BERGER, a yeoman of Lancaster County, condemned on 5-15-1769
for beating his wife to death with a stick on 12-24-1768. Her name was
Regina Magdelina Berger. Lancaster County Circuit.

Note: These were all executed per Teeters and are all endorsed QVOD
SVSPENDATVR PER COLLVM. I am including them for sake of little

incidental details.
BOX NUMBER FOUR: Contains nothing we don't already know.
. BOX NUMBER FIVE; Contains nothing we don't already know.
’ BOX NUMBER SIX:

JOHN ROBINSON, (a new possibility), condemned on 5-21-1770 for murder

of one John Laird. Robinson was a cordwinder by trade. On 3-17-1770 he
bashed his victim over the head with an ‘iron potrack' at the house of
one James Black. He was a resident of Cumberland Township in York Co.

and was condemned by the York County Assize.

JOHN SHANNON, (a new possibility), condemned on 11-18-1768 for burglary
at the York County Assizes. He is described as a 'labourer'. His crime
consisted of robbing the house of one William Scott of Berwick Township
and was committed on 10-15-1768.

BOX NUMBER SEVEN:

Robbery. He was a 'labourer'. His crime was committed on 9-5-1771 when

THOMAS ROSS, condemned on 5-29-1772 at York County Assizes for Highway-
_/® held up one George Buchanon on the highway.

END OF ARCHIVE SOURCES.

From The Pennsylvanta Gazette issue of 3-22-1750: There is a notice
that the Governor of Pennsylvania issued out a Special Commission of
Oyer & Terminer to sit at Lancaster on April 30th 1750 for the trial
of one Hannah Gertrude Flemer for the murder of her bastard child.
This is one of those type of leads that can mean either something or
nothing. There is no followup to be found. But the case was obviously
egregious so as to warrant a Special Commission.

—

Rb? areacaNe 2036 ORC
GETTER, Charles (Carl), hanged at Easton, Pa., 10-11-1833,
DILLMAN, John, hanged at Easton, )-18-188h,

® HANDY, William C,, hanged at Easton, 2-21-1908,

KURUTZ, John, electrocuted, State Prison (Northampton) on 6-26-1933,

VOLUME V

? NORTH QUBY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, 1752-1976,

BENCH AND BAR

by
Michael C. Schrader

J.D.—Harvard Law School
Member—Northampton County Bar

The Law, wherein, as in a magic mirror, we see reflected not only our own lives,
but the lives of all men that have been

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
Justice of the United States Supreme Court

L. Ann Oftle y exe sometime iin Seatewber, 1742, for the
murder of ve bas Id. Her mother, Mary Otley, was tried as an
accessory at the same ed the death ~ Be Mules
oF the Cher County Bo nts 3 1740-1935 pees prge 37,

Aho See ‘Chester Co
which allotted co

ty Prison Exper

17+40-(749" tatry dated 8-29-1743
. Achial trial record }

érished but the ‘mone y Tra/ Survives,

a. Triple execution at Aitsburgh on August Xb, 1/792. — Three soldiers of the
Federal Army shot on the Commons near this place for desertion * Names not given,

Pir The Federal Gazefle b Philadelphia Daily Advertiser 9/14/92 3:3

3. Execution at Pith burgh on November I1, 1792. | John Treffer , @ Sergeant
jn Capt. Faulkner's RiBle Company, wus shot on the Communs of this town ter desertion’

Fer the Federal Gazette 6 Philadelphia Daily Advertiser Wfd3/ 9d 3:4

UY, Put. Jonathan Fandon of Col Hartley's Regiment, executed by tiring Syucd at
Wooster Township ‘ Ii ennsyl vania ‘ f about 20 miles fran Philedelphrs ), on October 10,1779

for deserting, Amervean forces were Camped there at the tine, Ptr ‘The Order Book
of Capt. Robert Kirk wood’. Published by The Misteneal Steciety of Delawere . With Ton,
[9l0o. Pages 15/1, 174,196 +198.

g. Put. Thomes Koche of Capt, Seqjeaats ArhWery Company ; ( Cs. Crane's Resimeat),

executed by firing Squed of Germantown , Pemsy/vanra, en October 27,1777 for
desertion and affempphy to go ever Fo the enemy. Py Ibid, pages al8- 207

she
Fis. Dicky eevee L/ioffGe pl

——ae

:
3
x

cars OCR ce eee
PP Yaw. Dak, Usd ld LFF © F

—

fenns sy/vania Pickins

Dryeai
Alexander Duff executed at Chester on 2-22-1728 for
burglary. A bill of expenses for his trial, imprisonment and
execution is found in a tile entitled "Chester County Commissioners
and Treasurer's Bills, 1720-1729’ Jocated at the Chester County
Archives, 601 West Town Road, West Chester PA.

Thomas Brown executed at Chester on or about 2-1-1754

for burglary. PennsyWama Gazette [15/54 reports his trial and
conviction ; Says that he pled quity and was sentenced 10 death.

No further mention by newspapers. ft now develops that he was definitely
hanged. A file at the Chester County Archives entitled ‘Commissioners
Bills, 1750-1759’ contains an themized expense shect for Ais Cage
dated 2-27-1754 tn which the public hangman is allowed 5 for
execufong Thomas Brown plus an additional 5 shillings To a gravedigger
for burying Thes. Brown. Another defendant named Tipper was

burnt in ‘s hand for arson at the same time that Brown was hanged.
The actyal tral record fs lost.

Homing Elliott legalh hanged at Chester on or about 3-29-1776
for murder. 5; laesit Survives tn Record Group # 33 entitled
‘Records of the Supreme Court, Eastern District, Courts of Oyer b
Terminer. Box No. 2, at the Pennsylvania State Archives. The
record states that he was sentenced 10 Swing at Chester on 3-1-1776,
that being merely the date of convictian. No merttion in any newspapep.

ft was charged that on 9-16-1775 he purdered a peddler named

John Faughnor on the road near the Red Lion tan, Unichlan Tomunship,
by slashing Ins throat. The vichin died two days fater and was also
robbed. the margin oF the trial record bears the Latin endorsement :
‘QVOD SVSPENDATVR PER COLLYM’ which Trans/ates To ‘By virtue
of which he is to be hanged by the neck’. The Governor wautd have had
fo issue a death warrant fixing the date of execution under Penns y/vansa
law. No record of such is found » a common problem in Pennsylvania
colonial Cases even when other sources provide contirmation. Af any rate,
this Hleming Elliott was indeed hanged for his crime. Confirmation Comes
by an odd chance. On 5-23-1797 the Fennsy/vania Journal printed
avi editorial on the case of one Robert Elott, who had been hanged at
Chester on 5-12-1787 for burglary and Stated that tus Robert Elliott was
a brother of the Herning Eliott ‘who had been hanged Some years
before at Chester for murder’. Hence we have contirmation for Fleming

Elliott albeit eleven years after the tact.

sue was in when she was shot, She ,rooat.

sald she wa3 sitting on the bed. When

Elizabeth Ray, sw—Was at John

I first got there I did not take notice |Cathcart’s house on Saturday after

whether there was any one present|bis wife was shot.

John was there.

tut John and his wife, She was sen-|His wife said she was bad enough.

sidie till sLe died.
she spoke she spoke sensibly.
Samuel Ray, sw.—I was
when John put his head out and said [
should come up.

passing

The last words|John allowed she would get well.

She said she wouldn’t.
Margaret Miles, sw.—Was at John
Catheart’s house about noon on Sab-

I started and went|bath after Mrs. C. was shot, Martha
up. On the road I met the old man,|aS then dead.
who told me Martha was shot. When|Sbe was put in the coffin.

Heard John say after
Did I

I went into the house, Martha was ly-|€ver think that the devil would have

ing on the bed and John standing by
the head.’ 'Says she, Sam, it appears
to me I haye all the bad luck in the
world, He then took the clothes off
the wound and showed me the bullet
hoie. He asked me whether I didn’t
think it was a glancing stroke. I
looked at the wound, and by the cut
of the hole knew it was no glancing
stroke. I asked whether the bullet
hadn’t gone through. He said not.
He then went on: to show how the
gun went off; that he was walking
backwards, with the gun lying on his
arm; that he went to cock it; that
the cock slipped from under his
thumb, and the gun went off. He
showed me the gun. It was broken
off at the breech. He said she had
blowed all to h—l. I examined the
gun; saw no hole in the breech; it
wasn't bursted. Says I, John, powder
never did this, He said, he didn’t

know, but it had blowed all to h—i
any way. The gun appeared to me as
if it had been struck across some-

thing. J}-.have been accustomed to
handlea rifle. The guard of this gun
was broke and twisted off. It was a
strong guard, and must have had a
hard stroke to break it. A percussion
lock. It was about sundown that t
happened along there, on Saturday.

homas' wife and John were there.
I didn’t stay long.

A.—I was going home when John
called me. I was on the road, I was
about 7 or § rods from John’s house.
The gun was an old hunting gun. It
was a rifle—large ball.

Sarah Jackson, sw.—I was at Jolun
Catheart's after his wife was shot. As
I passed into the room, between 4
and 5 o’clock on Sabbath evening, Mrs.
Catheart lying on the bed a corpse.
Mr. John Cathcart rose to his fect off
the bed and said. Little did I think
yesterday the devil would have tempt-
ed me to shoot poor Martha. He wa3
weeping very much. I am a stranger
in this neighborhood. Never wag there
bcfore nor since.

A.—It was in the same room with
the corpse. Old Mrs. Cathcart and
John’s two small children were pre-
sent. Several persons in the outer

tempted met to do an action like this.
lt was in the room where she was
lying. Several persons were stand-
ing about the room-door. Martha
was my daughter. On Monday even-
ing previous John and his wife came
to our place. He wanted her to zo
home. It was after dark.

Thomas Cathcart, sworn.—I am a
brother of the prisoner. Live about
torney Wallace, at 3 p. m., Weduesduy

from John’s. Martha came up to
my house to have me haul in the
grain. Hitched up, went down and
hauled it in. It was in the afternoou.
We had just got one sheat on when
he came down the hill from Hegarty’s
He said it wasn’t fit to go in and we
had better let it stand till Monday.
;‘Turned round my oxen, took them
‘Eome, unhitched them, and put them
in the pasture field. Went to work to
build up fence to keep hogs out of my
buckwheat. Went down to my bro-
ther John’s. John, his wife and two
children were sitting on the bed to
the right of the door. They were
looking at a little frock Mrs. Hagarty
[nae sent to his baby. John was
making fun about the little one going
to aunt Lydia Hagarty’s to live; that
she wanted the baby the worst kin:T
of a way. John took up the gun and
went out to the door. He snapped
her off. I think he said the load was
long enough in the gun, that he would
put her off. He snapped her twice.
Didn’t go off. He turned round and
had the gun in his hand until he came
to step into the room door. He threw
the gun across his arm. He reached
out for the shot pouch, but before he
got a hold of it, the gun went off. It
made a great smoke in the room.
Martha hollowed out, my God, John.
you have shot my poor children. Not
certain whether she was sitting on the
bed-side or laying the dress into the
box. When the smoke cleared off,
she was standing, and John flung the
gun behind him and run in to the chil-
dren, I was sitting on the bed to the
left of the door when the gun went off.
My God, Tom, said John, it is my wife
that Is shot. He ran to her. and
caught her side. As he sald that I

Page 6.

started to run oul aud miei iy seve
ther between the kitchen stove and
cradle. Ran out to get pig dung, as I
heard it often said it was good to
stop blood. ‘From the crack of the
gun something took me across the
back and tore the skin in two places.
Could find none at my brother’s pen
and so ran down to my father’s, and
could find none there. Jumped over
the fence into the wheat field before
my father’s door, got a chunk and
fetched it up. He was holding his
hand on the wound. I said, here,
John, put this on, for I often heard
it was good to stop the blood. For
God sake, he said, take Bob and start
for the doctor ag fast as you can go.
Caught the horse; he brought out the
saddle, and I went to Glen Hope for
Dr. Caldwell. Going out or coming
home I was to call for old.Mrs. Miles,

The case was opened by District At-
When I was starting, John said, for
God sake put him through and fetch
Dr. Caldwell, if the horse should drop
down under you. Caldwell was away
from home. Went down for Dr. Rhule
He was up at Adam Herdman’s. Went

‘there, but he was gone from there.

I then went on the hunt for Dr. Cald-
well. Asked every man I met whether
they had seen the doctor. Not finding
him, I started for home. When I
reached home, Dr. Fetzer was there
and the woman was dead.

After many more witnesses had
been examined the case closed at 19
a.m., Saturday, Judge Linn gave an
exhausting charge to the Jury, which
retired at 10:30 and did not agree on
a verdict until 7 p. m. when they re-
turned a verdict of murder in first
degree.—The motion for new trial
was overruled and Judge Linn im-
posed sentence of death as follows:
THE DPATH SENTENCE IMPOSED.

His Honor then proceeded to say:

On an occasion so solemn as this,
in view of the melancholy result of

and pleaced not guilty. A jury of
your country wero called, and twelve
ef your feliow citizens wer2 chusea
vy you to try whether you we-e guilty
uf the churge. You were allowed! 20
peremptory challenges, and altho’ the
Coiumenwealth’s council demanded
their right to challenge four jurors
reremptorily, the Court dou>tct the
right, and the bencfit of that dount
was given to you. You were confront-
ed by the witnesses of the Common-
wealth, and you had the process of
the law to summon witnesses in your
vefence. You were defended by learn.
ed and able counsel who have conduet-
ed your defence with a degre2 of zea:
and ability, and with a manifestation
ct interest which does credit as weil
to the head as the heart. In all ques-
tions of evidence and questicns of
latv, you received from the Court th2
full benefit of all our doubts. Tire
Court in their charge to the Jury en-
deavored to present your case faitr-
ly, and in such a way as to bring to
the notice of the jury all the requis-
ites of the crime alleged against you
and the circumstances out of whico
doubts might possibly arise. The
jury were duly cautioned as to m-
tertaining any feeling or prejudice
against you, and thus they were 51-
lemnly charged to determine the ques-
tion of your guilt or innocence. They
found you guilty of murder in the firs:
dezree. A motion was made for a new
trial ang in arrest of judgment, which,
for reasons which you have just heard,
the court have felt obliged to overrule.
You have had in our opinion a full
and a fair trial. which has resulted in
your conviction, In passing sentenc?
upon you We are bound to assume the
\finding of the jury as true, and we
therefore charge you to consider well
the nature and consequences of your
crime. You have been found guilty
of the willful and deliberate murder

this case, we cannot conceal our deenlof a fellow creature—nay more, i
emolion. in approaching the discharge | partner of your life and the mother
of the last duty which the Court hevejof your little children—of her whom

to perform. The circumstances in

you had but a few years previously

which you are placed demard our|sworn to protect and love until death

decpest sympathies, as well wit you should separate you.

So far as we

as with the little ones who have al-|can learn from the evidence, she was
ready been deprived of the affection-|a gentle, faithful, lovins wife,; had

ate eure of a kind mother, and who

cared well for you and for her off-

by the issuc of this trial, are to lose | spring; her last wishes, and ~e yor
the trotection which it was yur duty | expressions of desire before she clo

to ufford them, Whatever your wish

ed her eyes in death and fell a victim

es may be in reference to their wel-|to the mortal blow that _ —-
fare, we will try to carry out so far|had given, were for your anc '

as lies jn our power, You have been} temporal and eternal bch ie
charged with the crime of murder.) true woman, her heartstrings,
-At.the last regular term of this cour

Like a
until

t|they were sundered in death, continu-

a true bill was found against you byled to vibrate to the gentle touch of

Vage 7.

Was restive—‘half ang said: “she conld not eat any

ald to stay {np more.” At a quarter before one

‘spooks,’ o’clock, a hymn Was sung at her ra

quest, and a prayer offered in her be-

acknowledge | half by Rey. Harrison. At on2

t to be just; but J look | o’clock Sheriff Faust appeared in the

to the mercy of God, and trust that/ cel] and announced to her “that fax
He will forgive me.” hour had come.” Without the lea.-*
Tho Execution, ement she arose im-

At 9 o’clock the Sheriff hastene?
black covering, which

affold, drawn Over her

The Sheriff and T. J. MeCul-

ack dress | ]ough, one of her counsel, led the way

e@ cambric neatly |2nd she walked down the stairs, with

Tound her neck./a firm step, keeping her eyes steadily

e the night pre-/on the floor, leaning on the arm of

vious, for her|Rev. J. G Archer, and followed by
breakfa y Perfectly Rey. P, a. Harrison, Spiritual

a chair,

Archer offerad an

t and affecting Prayer in behalf

of the Prisoner, commending he: t3
tae mercy of Gods":

Mr. Archer then said: “The pris-
oner wishes, through Me, to’ express
Publicly her thanks to the Sheriff ana
his wife for their kindness to her du--
ing her imprisonment, and also to
Say that she confesses this great sin
for which she Suffers, and trusting in
the forgiveness of God she is Willing
jto die.” :
| After this statement, the Sheriff,
and those who ascended the seaffoid
With him, took their leave of the con-

;demned, and all retired except Sheriff
| Faust.

The Sherjff, after having Pinioneg
ithe prisoner's feet directed her ta
arise, when he tied her hands behind
her back, and then adjusted

At ten
o'clock, everything being in rediness,
the Sheriff descended from the scaf-
fold and as he re
Steps he touched
drop fell, and th

Dr. JAMES p. BURCHFIELD,

n in 1830—die1 November 4th, 1904. | Peaced between
was the lawfully summoned physici- | There Were but f

‘it both the execution of Mrs. Misler| ments, which did not last more thin
John Nevling, 15 years later, three minutes, when the spirit of the
~— ----—. [¢ondenmed had fled to the presenci-
of its God.

Smoking. She conversed but little | In the fall, the
! seemed Tather absorbed in her | dresy back of her head
1 Meditations, in a full realizat Pended in this
er condition. She, however, aQ-i manner for 25 minutes, the Physi-
red Promptly all questions and ciars, Drs. Hartswick, Burehfiel4 and
ily Maintained her trust in the Fetzer examined the body anq pro-
‘cy of God, and her Willingness to nounced life extinct, and ten Minutes
About 11 o'clock a bowl of oys- | thereafter the boby was taken doi
Was brought to her. She ate about and Placed in a neat coffin, having

—_—. a

knot of the nucse

Page 10,

a ti 2 fing tion or religious

emained: suspended 35 Minutes, giving her no educa rellg
Upon examination it was found her iustructions. When about 15 years
face was not all distorted, and pre-/|old she sailed for America. Her rea-
sented a@ perfect natura] appearance, /s0n for this, as she states, Was on ac~
except a slight discoloration of thy;count of her desire to Marry a man
lips. Who came over with nr Foe es
: 4 —| eIng un RS
Sheriff Faust deserves great credit 1 Detail coche eg oot and
for the manner in Which everything, sessine the requisit amount of proper-
Was conducted. There was no alsor- a nt
ps or confusion. Besides the jury, mine tee Pe ta
Piel eager hea he ee m. aa went immediately to Williams-
he poet SE tha ton burg, in the vicinity of New York,
f houses and aheds was Bie srina by | Where they lived — ropiaricad aie
ps efficient military company, secur- | Wife though without an Wiel

ed for the occasion married, for about a year,

”

JAMES MAHAFFEY. -ALCERT M. ROW.

: as ; Sheriff
JAMES MAHAFFEY—Now Proprietor of the Windsor Hotel, was Sheri
of Clearfield county from 1880 to 1884, and was the High Sheriff hee sank
the law in the Nevling case, March 24,1882, BL. Thompson, of Curwe
was Deputy Sheriff. See full account Nevling case next page. ae
ALBERT M. ROY, the Junior Editor of the RAPTSMAN’S JOURNAL a ee
period of history published the statement reproduced in Nevling ar ho ree
J2-15. Me, Row went, with his family, to Lis Angles, Cal., in mt oer
He is now church Editor of the Los Angles Yines, the leading paper of the so
= aan ee em soe ee
Her Former Life, sober, Barrett was quict, aie
Mrs. Lena Miller was, (as she told | good-hearted, but cheer ves —;
us) about 40 years old. She was born | ly, and as both pociboat bey aren,
in Hanover, Germany. Her maiden draw both her WARES: aoe hetecoae:
name was Lena Fadden. Her parents |and spend their money Matta
both dicd when she was very young Jing liquors; seep Ries » _ aes:
—having no recollection of either of noisy and abusive. seh ‘geytrskaat
them. She was raised by her hat:/ened to leave him _ =e lind her,
brother, who, when she was nine himself, and as Hed poe iter i
years old, put her out to the service| she did sealed h a saa Uefere heated
of stranzers, who treated her badly— | the house a "hie ceat Fotis:
compeliing her to. work hard, andlof him since. ‘She

Pare 11,

qaternal love. But she has gone to
yat country whence no traveler re-
irns, and we hope is enjoying the
lessedness of the redeemed. As
yur time in this world may be short,
e would admonish you kindly to ap-
ly for final pardon for forgiveness
here it has been promised to the
uiltiest of sinners, and lose no time
1 preparing to stand before the Great
udge of the quick and the dead, No-
iing is left for ug but to impose up-
n you the penalty inflicted by the
iflexible and stern rules of law; but

the Divine dispensation a way oc
cape has been provided and a ran-
»m has been paid for all who wi!l
scept pardon on the terms of the
spel. We are to take the verdict

ronounce the sentence of the law,
‘hich is—

That you, John Cathcart, be taxon!

ence to the place from whence you
sme within the jail of the couniy
2? Clearfield, and from thence to the
iace of exccution within tne walls or
ard of the said jail, and that you be
rere hanged by the neck until you
re dead. And may God have mercy|
pon your soul.

During the delivery of the sentence
1g prisoner was considerable atfect-
d. When the allusion to his wife and
hildren was maag, tears started from
is eyes re ‘

In February 1861, the -’Suprerie
ourt affirmed the judgment: of the
»ywer Court and Cathcart became do~
pondent as all hone had gone. Twice
e attempted suicide and on February

Which jury found that he met his
death in the manner above described.
(Our readers will note that none of
the Jury are now living; Justice M.

A. Frank, died two years ago in Ne-~

braska.)—Ed. Journal.

The officers who were in office and
figured in this trial were, President,
Judge Hon. Samuel Linn, Bellefonte,
Associato Judge, Wm. IL. Moore, Clear-
field, Benjamin Eonsal. Luthersburg,
Sheriff, Fred K. J, Miller. Deputy,
Sherif?, James L. Leavey, Prothono-
tary, John J. Cuttle. Commissioners,
Win. McCracken, Limbes City, Wm.
Merrill, Clearfield, S. C. Thompson,
Morrisdale. (All the above name!

‘Ccunty Officers are now deceased).—
: , Ed. Journal.

? the jury as establishing your guilt:
ith absolute certainity, and however’
‘e may wish that we were quit of;
iis painful duty we must proceed to!

CLEARFIELD COTNTY'S FIRST EX-
ECUTION

The Confession ef a Weman Who Was
Determined fo KilL

As stated in the JOURNAL last
weak we give for the information of
our readers the following account of
the Exocution of Mrs. Lena Mi'ter, for
the murder cf her husband which oc-
curred in July 1866, the trial follow-
ed itn Jan, 187 the eas? he'ne taken

| to the Sepreme Court and hefore the
ij Foard of Pardcns both of whom r2-

{used to interfere. The Execution oc-
curred Nov. 13, 1867. The Miller
family then resided in Covington
township.

The following confession tells the
complete story of her crime:

Vier Confessicn.
“T first thought of murdering my

. =: : } ; ¥ ~~ . e ° +4
ith succeeded in accompiishiny self | husband in the summer of 1565. I

estruction. Fe seems to have placed
handkerchief around one or the
ron bars which run across the plank

| first tricd to poison him with tea made
; of laure] Ieaves andthe filings of a

brass buckle. Then with the quick-

‘ning of the cell and theh tied. it | Silver off the back.of a looking glass.

round his neck. In order to prevent
im froin using his hands he had tted

| Then I gave him, in two doses, cut of

a hottlo of laudanum, which I got from

“em together and passed them over! Dr. Potter for the cramp.’ Then some

» that he stood astradle of them.

raw up him feet to keep off the fioor, :
r rather, perhaps, he had to lean
orward in his stooping posture fc
ccomplish his fearful purpose. M.
\. Frank Justice of the Peace sun-
noned the rollowing jury, Feb. 25th,
1SG1.

A. K. Wright,

H. H, Morrow,
Isaac Johnston

L. R. Merrill,
Wm. Radabayush,
Wm. R. Brown,

'
n order to strangle himself he had toi

indigo. Then one day, going efter
the cows, T killed a small green grass
snake, which I boiled and gave to
him in coffee. All these things were
given either in tea or coffee, accors-
inglv as one or the other was used at
neals. None of them had the least
effect on him—did not even make him

sick. Tne time occupied in giving.

them all, was xbout four wecks. I
then gave it up, because I did not
know of anything that would kill him.
But I thought of it every dav and

could not cet it out of my mind, trv-
jing to think of something to poison

lhim with. At last I remembered that

some of the neighbors had got some-
thing at the store to poison rat3 with.
The next time 1 went to My. Crans
ton’s store, which was in tha latte7
part of June, (18865), { asxei for
rat poison.’ The first he gaye me,
upen my asking him, he said would
not kill a man, but would make him
very sick. I then asked him fur some
thing stronger, and he gave me th:
arsenic and told me how to use It.

een A NE OE NT ES OF ONO

LE We RE MRT Tip RMN 1 BT

Neneh eY cdiealo and? dim $ iaeakal, i Riien acer eed ade 9 biltaeensNa 6 tt 0085 - m center lan Nn

fainah ae

MRS. LENA MILLER

Who poisoned her hushand July, 1866,
and who suffered death penalty for:
same Nev. 13, 1867, From a photo-:
graph takenzby D. McGaughey in 1895. |

(Miller never told me to get any ‘rats
poison, and my littte gir] swore to.
that because 1 told her tc d2 so.) 1t
took it home, but in a day or two,
Miller went to the Horse Show and
was gone until Saturday, and I hal
ro opportunity to give it to him. He
came home on Saturday at noon
(Juno 26th,) and at supper I put a
teaspconful in sone rice and set it at
his p]ate. He took two or three knife-
fuls, and then got up from the tabte
and went out on the porch, when he
commenced to vomit. The vomiting
cottinued more or less frequently un-
til bed time, when he told me he fel!
hetier. The next morning J gave him
what you could hold on the. point of
a pen-knife, in his coffes, This made
‘him sick again, Then I gavo it to him

again at night; and g0 on, in abou
the same quantity, two or three times
a day—the puinber of tinies depen -
ing on whether there were strangers
at the house or not—until the Joth,
of July, the day Dr. Lititz came first,
when the paper ran out, I had given
him all. On the llth of July, after
dinner, I went to the store to set
some vinegar to mix a mustard plast-
er with, for his” breast, ag the Dr.
had told me. I coutd rot get rid of
the thought that I must not give it
up, so I bought ancther paper of the
same kind of ‘rat poison’ as I got be-
fore. I left the store about thre»
o'clock and got kome about four.
Miller was tmauch worse. I could hear
the ‘death rattles,’ and knowing thea
that he was about to dio, I dd not
give him any more. I went ani iold
some of the neighbors that they must
come over, that he was going to dis
that night. He did die the next day.
I never opened the last paper of poi-
son which I bought, but nut it in th>
cupboard, where it romained for thre?
jJavs after the fungral I then took it
and put it in my posket book, and
carried it two days, when one morn-
ing, going over to Mrs. Preteits, I
found it in my pocket, out of the
pocket beck, with my tobacco, anl
fearing that I might pofson mvself I
threw it away, where I said I had
Cone it: but as 1 was noticii..

ealiy those who were with ime an

whore I was throwing it, I covld not

-fol’ exaccdy the spot. Besides, the

eround was covered with laurel and it
had raised in the meantime and as
the run (small streatn) is there clese

‘to the read, it may have fallen in

that, so that it could not be found,
he powder which was found on the
cieck, was the ene loft by Dr. Litz,

jen the 12th, to be given him) that

night, but 23 he died before that he
never get it. The powder they came
cut in the kitchen to get, and gave
him the night before he died, was a
powder left by Dr. Litz on his first
visit, I gave him all the medicine
the doctor left, just as he told me.
My metive for killing him was be-*
cause he treated me badly and .adused
me so. He made me work hard out-
icors on the farm. THe would some
times get mad and kneck me down,
and the marks of abuse could often
be seen upon my body. I could not
loave him, becauso I could not bear
to leave my children, whom ] loved
dearly. As soon, however, as I saw

he was dead, T was alarmed and sorry
that I had dene ik. I could not bese
to look at him after he was dead,

lace 9,

ville, Pa., and worked for two mo :
thence to Selins Grove, where seer.
Mmained three months; and then to
Schweinsfordstown, Where she lived
one year. From the latter place she
wen: to Lewistown, whero She was
taken sick with typhoid fever anj
étayed at the hotel of Mr. Moyer tour
Monins; thence to Potter’s Band, in
Centre county, Where she lived with
Henry Fero, three years; and thence

to Lellefonte, where she Worke} one!

year with Mr. Ben Bennett, Here she
Met Xalier Miller, who was als>
working for Mr. Bennett. Taney W3rA
married in Bellefonte and went im-
Inediately to Snow Shoe, and after
one year moved to Frenchville, in tha
neighborhood of which place they Lv.
ed until the time of the murder —
about fifteen years. The only incident
Worthy of note during the time ther
lived there until the murder was tne
burning of their “shanty,” With all
its contents, which she herse]f ser
- tira to. oe
Her general appearance was that uf
a large, strong well developed woman.
Her face was rather masculine, her
Ipouth expressive of dsterminating
with dark skin, high cheek bores
deep sunken eyes, of a brown colo;
and hair of a grayish tinge. Her
mind was-a remarkably good one fer
her idvantages, She spoke Germay
and Enslish, although she could read
but little, and that Only in the Ger-
Tan. yet during her imprisonment,
her improvement in reading was
muirked and rapid. She cculd conversa
well and comprehend easily and clear.
ly instructions given her; especial:
the great truths of the plan of Re-
demption. ‘As to her disnosition, ste
Was sullen and revengeful under pis-
vocation, cunning and Ceceitful in
her burposes, stolid and indifferent inj
ahnost every phase of her eireuma- |
clances, until the last few days pre-
vious to her execution. Her habits of
life were the fitting preparative fw:
Morstrous crime. he was addicted |
te frischood, vulgarity and pro‘aive |
Swearing and had a slavish apno-

tite for stronz drink.

Neverthciess,
she professed a sincere repentance fo:
her wicked deed, as a great 3ir
against Goa ang man; and we com-
mend her tio the mighty grace whicl,
Was eble to save a penitent thief, and
to that blood whieh Cleanses fron

all alttasy

ONE MORE UNFORTUNATE
John A. Nevling Expisies the Murder
of Samuel Venninzton—He Pro-
duces A Concealed Knife and
a Sensation, Je Dies a
Penitent Man.

; The execution of John A. Nevlinz,
|convicted of the murder of Samue!
| Pennington, tock place in the jail yard
iat this place on Friday March 22nd,

1852, at half past one o'clock.
; 7/We have no desire to dwell upon
; the particulars of the crime nor up-
,On the unimoortant aud stereotyped
'details attending the execution of tho
‘stern mandate of the law. It will
,sufice for those unacquainted with
the circumstances to know that on
'Fearuary 17, 1889, John A. Novling,
‘While under the infiuence of liquor,
shot down famuel Penninzton upon
ithe streets of Houtzdale, this eounty,
with whom h?> had quarreled the day
befcre, from the effects of which Pea-
ninston diod on the 18th of April fol-
lowing. There were eye witnesses :o
the murder and therefore there was
RO question as to who committed it,
nor was there a denial on the part of
the prisoner. After a fair trial he was
convicted of murder in tho first jde-
gree and sentoreel to be hanged. His
atiorness took the case to the Sunrenie
Court but failed to secure a reverscl
of the judzment of the Court of this
county. Ther then anpealed to the
Board of Pardons asking that the sen-
tence be commuted to iayprisonment
for. life, but this prayer was nat
ranted. and Friday, the 24th day of
March 1882, betwe the hours of 10
and 3 o'clock, was fixed by the Gover-
nor for his execution.
PREPARED FOR Tile END.

The announcement of the final do-
cision gave no surprise to tha esn-
demned man, ho said ke had exnectel
it and it was received without anv
emotion. The ministers who visite?
him were kindiy received, and for
several weeks past Rev. Georze Leidy
and Rey. A. J. Bean, one cr the other
or both, have been frequent visitors
to his cell. Several weeks azo he vro-
fessed religion ard was taptized Witte
each visit he looked more calmly up-
on his fate, though he had hbeon re-
signel to it from the first moment.
He talked freely with his spiritual ad-
visors, and lenked with no fear upon
the terrible end. The fcllowing lotter,
written by him to Wenry Pennington,
and dated March 12, 1882, is a soot
itdex to the condition of his mind:

TO HENRY PENNINGTON—Dear
Sir:—It is with trembling hand that I
prepare to write to you, asking your-

Page 12.

self and your wife to forgive me for
tne pain and distress % have brough:
upon you by shooting your son Sam.
I am sorry it ever happened and was
so five minutes after the shooting oc-
curred. I prayed for him daily as
long as he lived, ang trust he went to
Heaven—pray God J may be able to

meet him there, and love him as aj

brother. I heard he had said that he
wished that I would get free and it
has been very confronting to me to
know that he was willing to forgive
me, I hope you will do the same. 1
am willing to forgive all men, anil
hope that I may be forgiven. You
may find it hard to say you do forgive
me, but I know it will be a comfort to

peel

give mo and relieve my anxiety by
‘writing to me and tolling me that I
am forgiven. If you have any desire
to come and talk with me tefore I
dle. I will gladly welcome you.
Think over this, and don’t do ansthing
Which will cause you pain in your
last days.
I feel that you cannot refuse to
grant my request; if you hope to re-
ecive pardon for your sins, you surely
will forgive me, as I trust God will,
as I forgive all men. If you believe
there is a merciful God, I ask you to
forgive me as you expect to de fer-
given. You cannot deny me this ro-
quest, which will comfort me in my
last hours, and also comfort you when
you come to cry “Ob, merciful God,
forgive mre!” Then you will say, “I
am glad I did forgive that poor
wretch.” and it will bring you peac2
and comfort in your last hours. I
will close, trusting to hear from you
soon. Believe me yours, and trust
me, ag I have bosomed up no evil
against you.
JOHN A NEVLING.
Clearfield, March 12, 1882.
In accordonce with the request con-
tained in this letter Henry Pennings-
ton visited the jail on the morning of
the day fixed for the execution and
bad an interview with Nerling. He
said that he could now freely forsive
the murder of his son and reccived a3
a reply from the condemned man:
“Thank you! Thank you! You have
relieved my mind of a great burden.”
‘THE DAY OF THE EXECUTION
was one of little excitement. We be-
lieve that we are safe in saying that
sere not over five hundred strange
faces in town. The bars were clos21
and those persons who weTe on the

J. F. MCKENRICK,

street were orderly and quiet.

In the morning Revs. Leidy and
Bean, accompanied by Rev. Hicks, of
New Washington, visited the prisoner

: istrict ttorney of Clear-
yo 4 and administered the sacrament of the

field County and conducte. the pros

cution against Nevling. He diet Aug-

ust 26th 1913, aged G3 years.

7 Lord’s Supper, and spent some time
in prayer and conversation with him.
Ho was even more calm than before
ard said that he was ready and the

you when you come to die. I must; nearer
quit this world in a few short days, | stronger he felt.
but cannot die without asking your
fergiveness. This much I have tos
I never did! committed when under t

in regard to the shooting.

the hour approached the
He beifeved that
God had forgiven him and ho Was
for the erime he had

ayjready to ele
he control of

reaay

blame Sain for the trouble we had,} Satan.

half as much as I did-some

work ot the devil, hut hope we may
able to conquor him in the end.
know the devil

“oar and tell you not to forgive me.
Don't listen to hIlm. Tell me you for-] the jury in

others
about Houtzdale: J regard it as the

will whisper in your holding passe

The gallows had been earefully thy
ected in the jail yard on the night
be | previous, and everything put in readi-

Iiness. Soon atter ono o'clock those
s, to the number of about

athered In the yard, and

ighty, had &
They the corridor of the jail.

Vere 13,

388 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Reed started out his weight broke the rope when he was about fifteen
feet from the ground.

The escape was witnessed by J. B. Shaffer, who was getting a drink
from the pump in the courthouse yard. He saw Reed fall, and when he
called to him, the latter leaped to his feet and ran. Mr. Shaffer then
spread the alarm, and the man hunt started immediately. However, Reed
made good his escape and, although his movements were traced from time
to time, the officers were unable to catch up with him.

The county commissioners offered a reward of $500 for his capture.
Stimulated by this reward, officers were continually on his trail, but for
weeks he eluded them. It was known that he was in the vicinity of his
old home, in the northern part of the county.

Two officers instrumental in running him down were William B. Mc-
Bride, a deputy sheriff, and John Orr, a Washington policeman. Both
men kept the hunt up for weeks until they finally received definite infor-
mation that he was in the vicinity of Noblestown, which is just over the
line in Allegheny County.

Taking Samuel Williamson, another officer, with them, they arrived at
Noblestown at 1 o’clock in the afternoon of Saturday, August 6, 1892, and
were informed that Reed had been seen that day going into an icehouse
about 2,500 feet north of the railroad station. Each officer was armed
with a Winchester rifle, and they prepared to capture their man. Know-
ing that he would probably shoot to kill, they took every precaution. Wil-
liamson was sent to the rear to prevent escape in that direction, and Orr
entered the front door, followed by McBride, each with his rifle ready.
It was gloomy on the inside, but as soon as Orr had accustomed his eyes
to the change in light he located Reed on top of a high platform. Just as
the officer located him, Reed arose and fired directly at Orr, the bullet
striking him in the left forearm, passing out and entering at the shoulder
and then across to the right side of the spinal column. Reed dropped back
instantly after shooting and before either Orr or McBride could fire.

Realizing their danger, both officers backed through the door to the
outside, and upon looking up they saw Reed at a small door high up on
the side of the building, evidently about to make his escape. They leveled
their rifles, but he sprang back out of sight before they could shoot. Orr
had his wound dressed, but remained at the icehouse on guard.

The news that Martin Reed had been cornered in the icehouse spread
like wildfire, and in a short time a large crowd had gathered. The shoot-
ing of Orr showed the desperate character of the man, and many plans for
his capture were advanced. A number of men finally went to McDonald
' by train and secured rifles from Captain Nesbit, of the National Guard,
and returned on a special, bringing many additional men with them.

Among the new arrivals was Hugh Coyle, a deputy sheriff who had
been acting as a policeman at McDonald. Coyle was a brave man, but
foolhardy. He announced his intentions of entering the building and
bringing Reed out. Orr begged him not to make the attempt, but he per-
sisted. Reed was standing on the floor of the building directly in front
of the door, and when Coyle entered he fired at the officer but missed.
Coyle sprang out and to one side, where he would have been safe had he
not attempted to enter again. This time Reed fired just as Coyle stepped

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 387

gettstown Fair, in October, 1891. Reed and Chappell were both at the fair
on October 8th, and it was charged that the former gave the latter a bottle
of whisky containing strychnine. The motive for the crime was an alleged
affair between Reed and Mrs. Chappell.

After leaving the fair grounds on October 8th, Chappell went to the
Old Town Hotel, in Burgettstown, where he talked with James Harris and
Anthony Leggett. During the conversation Chappell took a flask from
his pocket and offered the other two whisky. Leggett drank very little,
but Harris took two good sized swallows, after which Chappell drained
the bottle. The latter started to drive to Candor a short time later, but
was taken sick on the road, for he evidently got out of the buggy and lay
down. And there his body was found the next day.

Shortly after Chappell left the hotel, both Harris and Leggett were
taken sick. The latter had taken only one drink, and he was not bad, but
Harris suffered considerably. Both subsequently recovered, and their tes-
timony did much to convict Reed.

Martin Reed was arrested for the murder, and was held by the cor-
oner’s jury. On February 15, 1892, he was placed on trial before Judge
J. A. McIlvaine. The case was given to the jury in the afternoon of the
19th, and at 9 o’clock the next morning a verdict of murder in the first
degree was brought in. He was sentenced by Judge McIlvaine on Feb-
ruary 22nd to be hanged.

Reed’s escape from the Washington County Jail, which occurred dur-
ing the evening of May 19, 1892, was one of the most sensational that ever
took place in Western Pennsylvania. Reed, being under sentence of death,
was kept locked in a cell by himself, but the other prisoners were given
the liberty of the corridor and the other cells. Five entered into a con-
spiracy to not only break out of jail, but to release Reed. Whether the
latter had anything to do with the plans for the affair is not known, but it
is more than probable that he had. The five were Fred Cotthem, a thief;
Ted O’Neil, a burglar; George Evans, charged with selling whisky, and
Fred Smith and Joe Brown, two gamblers.

During the evening these men remained close together until about 8
o’clock, when they walked into a cell in the center of the jail where all of
the other prisoners were gathered. After seeing that all were inside the
five suddenly ran out, and shut and locked the door, thus stopping any of
the others from raising an alarm. The conspirators had secured an iron
pump handle from some unknown source, and with this they started to
dig a hole in the west wall of the jail, about twenty feet from the ground.
The mortar was old, and not made with cement, and it was an easy matter
to knock a hole through the brick wall.

While some were engaged at this, the others removed a cell door from
its hinges, carried it to the top of Reed’s cell, and used it as a lever to bend
two of the bars in the top, making a hole about 12 by 24 inches. Reed was
a large man, weighing about 200 pounds, but he managed to squeeze
through this opening and joined the others.

By this time the hole had been knocked through the wall, and a rope
made from pieces of blankets in the cells was lowered to the ground.
Cotthem and Brown went first, reaching the ground in safety, but when

386 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

six minutes after the trap had been sprung the first time, William West
paid the penalty for his crime. West claimed to the last that he was
innocent; but, although the evidence was circumstantial, nothing has ever
developed since then to show that the jury made any mistake in its verdict.

While William West was on trial for his life for the killing of the
Crouch family, a murder was committed within a mile of Washington,
which created great excitement. On the night of October 10, 1890, three
men knocked at the door of the house at the Toledo toll gate, on the
Prosperity Turnpike, about a mile southwest of the Washington Cemetery.
The toll gate was kept by Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Saunders, who lived there
alone. When she went to the door one of the men pointed a revolver at
her and demanded, “Money or your life.”

She denied having any money in the house, but at the same time the
courageous woman stepped back to a desk in the hall, seized a revolver,
and fired at the robbers. The leader returned the shot, firing several
times, and one of the bullets struck Mrs. Saunders in the abdomen. The
robbers then fled.

The next day George E. Teeters, Bush Durr and Ed Durr were arrested
on suspicion. Teeters was a grown man, but the Durr brothers were
only boys. The former and Bush Durr were taken to Mrs. Saunders’
bedside, and she identified Teeters as the man who had fired the shots,
and made an ante-mortem statement to that effect.

Mrs. Saunders died on October 12, and the Durr brothers made a con-
fession to save their necks.

George Teeters was placed on trial before Judge J. A. McIlvaine on
February 18, 1891, for the murder of Mrs. Saunders. The case was given
to the jury in the afternoon of February 23rd, and that evening it was
reported that the jury was deadlocked. However, a verdict of second
degree murder was brought in the next morning at 9 o’clock, after eighteen
hours. It developed after the jury came in that on the first ballot eleven
voted for murder in the first degree and one for second degree; and thus
it was that one man eventually saved George Teeters’ life. On February
25th he was sentenced to twelve years in the Western Penitentiary.

Bush and Ed Durr had previously entered pleas of guilty to second
degree murder, with the consent of the court and district attorney, in view
of their having confessed. On account of their youth each was sentenced
to seven years in the penitentiary. After their release from prison they
returned to Washington County, and a series of burglaries followed. They
were arrested again, and in August, 1897, were found guilty of seven
charges of burglary. Judge J. F. Taylor sentenced them to twenty-five
years in the penitentiary.

The story of Martin Reed’s conviction for murder, his escape from the
Washington County Jail, and his death in the icehouse at Noblestown,
reads like a romance of the Wild West. In all the criminal history of
Washington County, no other man had as spectacular a career. Convicted
of murder in the first degree, he broke out of jail while waiting to be hung,
and was finally brought to bay in an icehouse, where he killed one man
and wounded another and then shot himself when the building was set on
fire by the crowd that had gathered.

Reed was convicted of the murder of Alexander Chappell, at the Bur-

PENNSYLVANIA.

BATTIN, William WM17 Chester
Murder, 3WM 8-15-1722

BURKE, James WM17 Philadelphia
Murder, WM 10-16-1784

SERGI, Rosario WM17 Lawrence
Murder, WM 7-14-1908

MARCAVICH, Stanley WM17/19 Northumberland

Murder, WM 11-18-E}909

DIGESO, Dominick WM, 17/18 Schuylkill
Murder, WM 12-4-1916

WAYNE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Wayne County's Leading Newspaper and Advertising Medium

THE WAYNE INDEPENDENT

Phone 717-253-3055
220 Eighth Street .

PRE ; 0
Published Tri-Weekly Honesdale, Pa, 18481 Circulation 10,90

From the Wayne Independent of Nov. 10, 1887

James P. McCabe was executed on Nov. 10, 1887 for the murder
of Michael Riley.

On New years day of 1886, Ablon McCabe found the body of Riley
when enroute to.St. Juliana'ts Catholic Church (Rock Lake).

The body was lying in the road, 30 rods from the latter's home.
The victim suffewed deep skull fracture which exvosed the
brain; snow and body splattered with blood. Injuries were
done with the edge and pnoll of an ax. Riley had been living
alone at the Riley homestead as his mother was with her son,
John in Pleasant Mount and his wife and child spending the
holiday with her parents in Clinton.

Riley was last seen at the home of James and Frank Tully on Wed-
nesday, Dec. 30, 1889 at 10 @. m. when he left for home, a dis-
tance of a half mile. McCabe kad also been at the James Tully
home, the latter father-in-law of McCabe. The men left together.
It was revealed that at 11 p. m. McCabe appeared at the Flynn
Hotel, three to four miles distance from the murder scene,

He aroused the owner and told him not to mention when he arrived.
McCabe began a spree which lasted until Friday morning of the
sSamne week, when he left for home. Previouslytthe spree he

had no money, but seemed flushed during his time on the spree.

Two weeks later Riley's pocketbook was found in the hotel woodshed.
The ax was found (McCabe told where it was) inside a slab fence
near the Flynn Hotel.

When arrested McCabe was in semi-intoxicated state. Taken before
Squire Wright of Pleasant Mount.

Feb. 23, 1886 indicted by grand jury on charge of murder. . Wasrty No
March 3 trial began and lasted 11 days. Motion for new trial ( heat
denied. RtAG
ete i RE SE
\3? J dors f
cc May 18,, escaped from the local jawl (Wayne County in Honesdale) " b-
No sign of him, reward of $1,000 offered. Staepigs(
Sept. 12, 1 found in a barn at Preston township.
\sS"

Ticketsissued for the execution on Nov. 10, 1887. 100 persons
assembled in the barn. Several hundred others were at the scene.

Joe Atxinson, professional hang man brough'the barn from
New York Tombs. Heart ceased 18 to 20 minues after the drop fell
and afterhanging 25 minutes body placed in coffin.

220 Eighth Street ae Phone 717-253-3055

Published Tri-Weekly Honesdale, Pa, 18431 Circulation 10,300

2 Wayne County Hangings

Last man hung in Wayne County was Harris Bell for murder
of Mrs. liza Williams, Sept. 29, 188.

Previous hangings were
Peter Allen, in Bethany, March 18,1809 for murdering a
neighbor , 9 “XC emnrw Lee
in Bethany,
Cornelius Jones, Nov. 15, 1817,/poisoning his stevfather.

Truman Matthews, in Bethany on Oct. 2, 1823, for killing Cok.
Brooks at Belmont.

Notes»

Old barn built 39 years ago for execution of Harris
Bell who in Aug. 1847 killed the wife of the Rev. Mr.
Williams, Scott Township. angen Sept. 29, 188.

Prison structure built in 1859, cost of $16,000 by
Kelley and McAndrew. $1,000 svent since that time.
At rear of the jail along the banks of the Lackawaxen
River a new barn was erected last summer (1886) where
McCabe was hung. Barn is evidently the structure used
for hangings.

i
peak

YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

238 HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

Striebeg,Staal,Brickel, Brenize, Yaus, Welsch-
hans, Laumeisters, Fischers, Koch, Scheib,
Kunz, Lenbart, Rothrock, Schmuck and so on,
Rankin, he was a tory in 1776; his land was
confiscated by an Act for public use and sold;
one mile from town, at the mill. He disap-
peared and went to Canada. The men that
bought the land were George Barnitz, Con-

rad Lederman, Hahn, Funk,

Goringer, Wagner, Capt. Albright,
Jameson, Pentz and James Kelley,

Attorney.”’

“T saw three hung in York for.murder. In
1805 Charles Cunningham, and in 1809

CONRAD LEDERMAN.

John Charles, a creole from France, and a
woman, Elizabeth M., a mulattress, for poi-
soning her child; the last two at one time.”

‘In my time the Reformed Church in York
burned down, the poorhouse wis built aud
a stone bridge on North George Street, and
afterward two wooden bridges at the same
place; each in its time, called Chicken bridge,
because, at the time of the srreat flood of
1817, a chicken coop with chickens in it

90. 4..,.4 dhanwan at

the old stone bridge, and a rooster got up om
top of the coop and crowed. That is the
way it got the name, ‘ Hinkle Briick.’ ”

The original drawing from which the above
likeness has been engraved, was made by
Loui himself, when he wus in his eighty-—
first year; and the picture of Conrad Leder-
man, given’ below, as a good specimen of an

‘old time Pennsylvanian German gentleman,

then (1804), as Loui labeled him, “the rich-
est man in York,’’ has been engraved from
au India ink sketch executed from memory,
by the same rude artist, some thirty years
ago.

As a rustic poet and writer of popular
Pénnsylvania German songs, Loui Miller had
few superiors. Following is his ‘*Wagoner’s
Song” of the olden time, when all surplus
farm products, no small part of which was
whisky, apple-jack, and peach brandy, since
almost every big farmer had his little distil-
lery where these popular and necessary bev-
erages were made, and which, together with

flour, clover, timothy and flaxseed, was from

this, and some other southeastern counties,
conveyed to the Baltimore market in Cones-
toga wagons drawn by four or 5 stalwart
horses driven by a jolly teamster,\usually the
farmer himself, his oldest son or hireling.
The back-loading consisted of dry goods,
groceries, etc., for the village or country
stores, and oysters and sweet potatoes mostly
for private use.

DAS FUHRMAN’S LIED.

Nooch Baltimore geht unser Fuhr
Mit dem bedeckte Waage ;
Der Turnpike zeicht uns die Geschpuur
Die Gaul sin gut beschlaage ;
En guter Schluck, Glick zu der Reisz,
Der Dramm, der schteigt un fallt im Preisz —
So blooze die Posauner—
Hot, Schimmel, Hot! ei, Brauner |

Mer fahre bis zum Blauen Ball,*

En Deutscher Wirt, e’n guter Schtall—
(Der Eirisch isch Schalk Jauncr—)
Hot, Schimmel! Hot, ei, Brauner!

Do schteht ’n Berg, dort ligt’n Dhaal,
Un’s Zoll-haus, gegentiwer :

Es singt en Lerch, es peift e’n Schtaar—
“Die Freiheit isch uns,liewer.”

Es regert sehr, der Pelz wert nass—-.
Mer schteige uf der Waage,

Un ziege aus dem kleene Fasz,
Was taugt for unsere Maage;

Seenscht net das, nau, schun schpreyer geht?
Mir bleiwe net da hinde ;

Un weer des Fuhrwerk recht ferschteht
Losst sich net lodisch finde.

*# Dia Rall tavern.

» ¢ ‘i
254 ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

and approved, not only by other states of the Republic,

‘nspectors sent’ hither by European governments,
bend the best in the world. It has been apr pn
Lancaster, Chester, Dauphin, and Seer a en =
in no case disappointed public expectation. " ry) ih a
ig now overflowing with idle prisoners, crowde vi
in small and unhealthy apartments, and supporte * 7
sively from the treasury of the county. It wou sia
economy, it would be sound policy, to erect a prison eh
large scale, having in itil the eke . =

ation of the county, an
mei discipline. Each prisoner would ee Seen
a separate and well-ventilated room or cell, an er
daily labor, whereby he would become a producer in

of an idle consumer.

EXECUTIONS.

The first sentence of death, followed by apanite:
within the limits of what is now Luzerne county, mn
under military law. Lawrence Miller and Michael Rose-
bury induced men to desert from General Sullivan's
army, then lying at Easton. They were tories, ‘end ser
arrested - and the army having in the mean time meee :
to Wyoming, they were tried here by court paiee - i ,

| erected 0
demned to be hanged. -A gallows was
a bank at Wilkesbarre, and on nk of J plein
imi i rt with their coiiins,
the two criminals, placed in a ca Hee
-ecution. Rosebury had maniies
borne to the place of execution. 4.08! tay
rm whatever during his trial, and subsequer
had utterly disregarded the instructions and admonitions

of his spiritual advisers, the chaplains of the army. \ He —

d indifference on the

THE JUDICIARY. a

a numerous family of children. He had shown deep con-
trition for his offense, and his respectful and sorrowful
air on his trial had propitiated the favor of his judges,
who had recommended him to mercy. His former good
conduct also spoke loudly in his favor, and he had listened
to and profited by the spiritual advice of the chaplains.
Fifteen minutes had elapsed since Rosebury was swung
off, and the executioner was advancing to adjust the rope
about the neck of the unhappy Miller, when General Sul-
livan announced his pardon. This sudden and unexpected
turn in his fate was too much for Miller’s nerves. He
fainted; but recovering, he took his place in the ranks,
and ever after proved an obedient and faithful soldier.

At the August Term of 1829, Judge Scott sentenced
to death Henry Keck, who had shot and killed his father
about a half a mile below Wilkesbarre. Henry’s mother
viewed the killing as a family affair, which concerned
nobody but themselves, and expressed surprise when the
officers of the law came to arrest her son. He was, how-
ever, pardoned by Governor Shultz. This was considered
an act of unbecoming and improper clemency, and excited
great indignation among the people. Keck and the
governor were both hanged and burnt in effigy in the
public square at Wilkesbarre. After conveying the straw-
criminals in a cart through the streets, with caps ready to
be drawn over their faces and with ropes about their necks,
Cuff Hicks, the executioner, proceeded to discharge his
duty in these words: “Henry Keck and Mr. Gobernor
Shuitz, you hab just two and a half minutes to stay on
dis earth, and.if you hab anything to say, say it now, or
eber after hold your peace.” The effigies were suspended
by their necks in the presence of a great multitude of

*VINVATASNNGd ‘XIMNOO SNWAZOT

‘ at Po s : ? saa ir eens Saanich hactgiinaaanaiit oy ea faerie

+ 3 y an
exhibited aice beg aanil in the presence of the people. Keck afterwards became insane, and wandered
ae oy Aiton on the other hand, had a wife and, & about the country,from place to place.
whole army. )

Eas

y tw. by. Ste Vy Care
Annals of Luzerne County J CMW. hy Steep A e_.

_y $2yies

eS Ps
ts Ne

x ve Pres at eat SEPA eH he Pe TAT i eile ae v2 , » soos — se
at : sible alias ARE a i tal Ra ait all arisen bia : : eit RRP. ade

Between 4 rhe a pint vir tot ‘
« é E =
58 Tlistorical Sketch of Feanklin County, Plieticcte a Nhat hoof Tranktit County, no

records, and their consequent inability upon coming of age to prove
who were their guardians, or the bail of these guardians; and in
other cases where the names of the guardians were known, but have
become insolvent, the moneys in their hands have been lost, because
of inability to prove who their securities were.

OUR CRIMINAI HISTORY.

Nine-tenths of the first white inhabitants of the Cumberland val-
ley were, as has already been stated, Scotch-Irish, with some Eng-
lishmen and pure Scotchmen amongst them. They were generally
of the better class, brought up to regard the laws of God and man;
the most of them being members of some chureh. They were,
therefore, desirable additions to the population of the country ; good
citizens, who generally lived at peace with each other, and when
they did violate the law, their crimes were not of a very heinous
character. Their morality was regulated by the ideas of the age in
which they lived, and in those days many things were thought quite
proper and right which would not now meet with approval. The
use of strong liquors was general amongst them, and toan excessive
indulgence in them, was attributable most of their departures from
the rules of right and good conduct. T[ence the erimes that our
courts in early times were most often called upon to try and punish
were petty larcenies, assaults and butteries, riots, &c. The higher
crimes, such as arson, burglary, robbery and murder were of rare
oceurrence among the inhabitants of this valley. Indeed, I do not
know of asingle instance, in this county, at least, where a Scotch-
Trishman was convicted of either of these offences. There have
been but five capital convictions in our county, so faras I have any
record, since its organization, over ninety-two years ago. Four of
these were for murder and one for rape.

At a court of Oyer and Terminer, held at Chambersburg, in No-
vember, 1785, before Ton, ‘Thomas M'Kean, Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court, John Tianna, of Franklin township, and Josiah
Ramage, of Letterkenny township, were severally convicted of
murder in the first degree.

The names of the grand jurors who found the indictinents were as
follows, viz.: James Maxwell, foreman, William M’Dowell, Thomas
Johnston, George Matthews, John M’Clay, James Findley, John
Allison, James Watson, Frederick Byers, William Scott, Ilias
Davidson, Richard Beard, Charles M’Clay, Nathan M’ Dowell,
James Chambers, Patrick Maxwell, William Rannels, Matthew
Wilson, James Moore and James Campbell.

John Hanna was charged with having murdered John Devebaugh,
on the 22d day of June, 1785, near the Catholic church in Cham-
bersburg, by striking him with an iron stone auger. The names of

POY dah CRRA eA EF MS

the jurors wihetried hint were Rebert Wilson, John Cunningham,
Joun Lawrenee, John Gal, Robert MM? iarland, Robert Patton,
Jatnes Withers, Matthew Ferguson, William Strain, John Young,
Themas Lucas and James M’Farland. The crime was committed
in the heat of passion, growing out of a sudden quarrel, and strong
efforts were made for his pardon, Such was the influence brought
to bear in his favor that the Supreme Executive Council at its next
mecting, on the 17th of December, 1785, refused to issue a warrant
for his exccution.

Josiah Ramage was charged with having killed his wife, Mary
Ramage, on the 24th of March, 1785, in Letterkenny township, by
striking heron the head with a pair of fire tongs. The names of
the jurors who tried him were John Young, James M’Farland,
James Withers, Robert Davidson, William Berryhill, Robert M’-
Farland, John Lawrence, Daniel Miller, John Cunningham, Wil-
liam Strain, Robert Wilson and Gean Morrow.

The eases of Hanna and Ramage were again before the Supreme
Executive Council on the 6th of April, 1786, when it was ordered
that they should be executed on Wednesday, the third day of May,
of that year; and they were on that day hung by Jeremiah Talbot,
the first Sheriff of the county, who was paid by the county in the

_ year 1788, a fee of £9, 4 shillings therefor.

A negro slave, named Jack Durham, the property of Andrew
Long, of this county, was convicted of the crime of rape, at a court
of Oyerand Terminer, held on the 3d day of June, 1788, before Hon.
Thomas M’Kean, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and Wm.
Aueustus Atlee and George Bryan, his Associates, and on the 21st
of June of that year the Supreme Exeeutive Council ordered that
his execution be ‘made and done”’ on Tuesday, the Sth day of July
following. John Johnston, the second Sheriff of our county exe-
cuted Durham, and was paid by the county a fee of £7, 10 shillings
therefor.

The crime was committed at Southampton township, upon the
person of one Margaret Stall. The jury valued Durham at thirty
pounds, Pennsylvania currency, or 480.00, which was paid his owner
by the Commonwealth. The names of the jurors who tried him
were John Ray, George King, Robert M’Culloch, James Erwin,
Robert Parker, Edward Crawford, Robert Culbertson, John M’Mul-
lan, Henry Pawling, John M’Clellan, William Henderson and Jo-
seph Chambers.

On the 12th day of November, 1807, a man named John M’Kean
was convicted of the murder of his wife, in Washington township,
on the 30th of August previously, and was executed by Jacob Sny-
der, Esq., Sheriff of our county, on the 22d day of December, 1807.
Ife was the last man executed in this county.

The jury who tried M’Kean were Thomas Anderson, Henry

*VINVATASNNGd *XLNNOO NITUNVES

60 ITistorical Sketch of Franklin County,

Davis, John Witherow, Christian Wryder, James Smith, David
John, William Brewster, James M'Curdy, (of James), John Holli-
day, David Kennedy, John Irvin and Jacob Smith, of Lurgan. _

John Murtaugh, an Irish railroad hand employed in the making
of the ‘“Iape-worm,” as the railroad leading from Gettysburg to-
wards Hagerstown was called, was convicted at the April sessions,
1838, of the murder of one of his fellow workmen, named James
M’Glinchey, and sentenced on the 7th of April, 1838, to be hung,
but he became insane after his conviction, was several times respited,
and finally died in prison.

Ramage and Hanna were hung on the hill north of the present
residence of Jacob Nixon, and Durham and M’Kean east of the
present residence of William M’Lellan, Esq., about where the new
residence of James A. M’ Knight has been built. Hence that hill was
called for many years ‘‘Gallows Hill.”

Much of the criminal business of our county for the last fifty years,
indeed the most of it, even up to and including the present period,
has been caused by the presence of the large number of colored peo-
ple amongst us. Our Commonwealth having, as early as 1780, passed
“An act for the gradual abolition of slavery” within her borders, it
became a common occurrence for the free negroes of Maryland and
Virginia to leave those States and remove to Pennsylvania, and our
county being immediately upon the dividing line between the free
and the slave States, they were content, as soon as they got north of
that line, to settle down and remain where they were safe from the
oppressive laws of their former condition of servitude. In many
instances the executors of deceased slave owners, who had manu-
mitted their slaves, brought the new freedmen, sometimes number-
ing thirty or forty in a lot, within the borders of our county, and
there left them to provide for themselves. ‘To these causes it is ow-
ing that we have had so many colored people amongst us. Some of
them were sober, industrious and economical, but the greater part
of them were improvident, lazy, and addicted to the use of strong
drinks whenever they could get them. Hence they were quarrel-
some and riotous, and through their improvidence and laziness were
frequently before our courts for fighting or stealing, or were the in-
mates of our poor house, from want, in all cases taxing our treasury
for their punishment and support.

To Pennsylvania belongs the lasting honor of being the first one
of the ‘‘United Colonies” to acknowledge before God and the na-
tions of the world, the dutics and obligations resting upon her to do
justice to the colored people within her borders, by providing for

their equality before the law as men; and by giving to them and

their descendants the right to enjoy the inestimable privileges of
life, liberty, and happiness, for which the war of the revolution
was then being waged with Great Britain.

a NH BARE,

e o an oes wana nnn ea ad a an ee lla geil Boag 3 C8

ats

Vhictoricnt Nhe tek of Drerndtin Cortney, in |

On the Sth of February, 1779, when General Joseph Reed was
President of the Supreme Executive Council of our State, George
Bryan, Fsq., Viee President, and James M'Lene, Esq., a Councilor
from the county of Cumberland, the Council called the attention of
the General Assembly of the State to the subject of the abolition of
slavery in Pennsylvania, in language so remarkable, because of its
being so much in advance of the sentiments of the people of other
sections of the land at that day, and so different from the views held
even now by a great many of our people, both north and south, the
I feel constrained to give it here.

“We think,” said they, ‘we are loudly called on to evince our
gratitude in making our fellow men joint heirs with us of the same
inestimable blessings we now enjoy, under such restrictions and
regulations as will not injure the community, and will impereepti-
bly enable them to relish and improve the station to which they
will be advanced. Honored will that State be in the annals of man-
kind which shall first abolish this violation of the rights of man-
kind; and the memories of those will be held in grateful and
everlasting remembrance who shall pass the Jaw to restore and
establish the rights of human nature in Pennsylvania.”

On the first day of March, 1780, the representatives of the Key-
stone State of the Union, in General Assembly met, in the city of"
Philadelphia, close by the Congress of the United Colonies, then
also in session there, passed Pennsylvania’s act for the gradual abo-
lition of human slavery. The struggle for national independence
was then still undetermined. Continental currency had depreciated
so much that one dollar of specie would purchase three thousand of
currency. The British on the east, and the savages on the west,
pressed hard upon the struggling patriots. The national govern-
ment was without credit; the army and the navy were without the
material needed to conduct the war to asuccessful ending; and all—
army, navy, and people—were sadly straitened for the necessaries of
life. And yet, Pennsylvania’s representatives, undismayed by their
surroundings, and unheedful what the representatives in Congress
of the slave-holding States of the nation might think of their action,
gave utterance to their views of slavery, and the conclusions they
had come to about it, in language so beautiful and so forcible, that
justice to their memory impels me to extract the Preamble to the
law they then enacted, long though it be, as Tam satisfied that the
great majority of the people have never scen or read it.

I. “When,” say they, ‘we contemplate our abhorrence of that
condition, to which the arms and tyranny of Great Britain were
exerted to reduce us; when we look back on the variety of dangers
to which we have been exposed, and how miraculously our wants,
in many instances, have been supplied, and our deliverance wrought,
when even hope and human fortitude have become unequal to the

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 385

On May 138th, 1890, all Western Pennsylvania was shocked by the
news of the brutal murder of the Crouch family, near Bentleyville. On
that day John Crouch and his wife, and their son, Andrew, were beaten
to death with a club and their home robbed. There was little to work on
in the beginning, but some days later suspicion pointed to a Negro named
William West, who had worked for the Crouch family, and knew the
habits of the members well. He knew that Mr. Crouch kept money about
the house. He was arrested as the murderer.

William West was placed on trial on October 8, 1890, before Judge
Stowe, of Allegheny County, who presided in place of J udge J. A. MclIl-
vaine. District Attorney William S. Parker was assisted in the prosecu-
tion by M. L. A. McCracken and H. M. Stevenson, and West was defended
by H. J. Vankirk and J. M. Patterson, all well known lawyers of that time.
The evidence was all circumstantial, but it was of the strongest kind, and
the jury brought in a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree.

Every effort was made to save his life, but it was all in vain. A new
trial was refused, and the governor would neither commute the sentence
nor grant a stay of execution, and William West was condemned to die on
the gallows on February 26, 1891.

This hanging, which took place in the old jail yard between the sheriff’s
residence and the old courthouse, was one of the most sensational in the
history of the county. The Negro swore that he would never die on the
gallows and he came very near to keeping his oath. On the day before the
hanging he secured a rusty nail, in spite of the watchfulness of the guards,
and tried to jab it through the jugular vein. He made some ugly wounds
but did not succeed in taking his life. Later he secured some kind of
poison, though how is a mystery to this day, but it is supposed it was
smuggled to him by a friend. He took this in an attempt to cheat the law,
but for the second time within twenty-four hours Doctors Scott and Ache-
son saved the Negro’s life to be snapped out on the gallows.

The execution was in charge of Sheriff George E. Lockhart. A high
board fence was erected between the courthouse and jail to conceal the
hanging from the public. When his attempts to commit suicide failed,
West became hard to handle, and he was given morphine and chloroform,
strapped to a board and carried onto the gallows unconscious.

His brother, Bazil, was admitted, but it was discovered that he had
been drinking, and two deputies took him before the sheriff. He was
searched and relieved of a .44 caliber six-shooter and a pint of whisky, a
bad combination. ,

As a precaution against trouble, Sheriff Lockhart appointed Charles
Greer, John Orr, Fred Naser, George Thompson, Henry Newman, William
Seaburn, Alexander Rankin, Robert Thompson, Andrew Means, and Rob-
ert W. Bolton as special deputies.

Tickets were given out to the hanging, and 175 people gathered in the
jail yard to see a human life jerked into eternity. The black cap was
adjusted and the hangman’s knot tied, and at exactly 2:34 o’clock the trap
was sprung. The Negro, still strapped to the board, dropped through
the opening, but the rope snapped in two. As the board struck the ground
with terrible force a groan came from the unconscious man. The mur-
derer was carried back onto the gallows, and the rope was tied again, and

25—V1

384 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

another. Finally Kerr served him with the five days’ notice, and Bistle
rented a house in Bentleyville. On the night of September 25, Kerr was
sleeping in the hay loft of the barn, but it was rather cold, and Bistle -
tried to get him to go into the house. This angered Kerr, and he threat-
ened to shoot Bistle.

The next day they were both drinking and quarreling frequently. Jacob
Bistle, a half-brother of John Bistle, went to the house in the afternoon,
and he tried to make peace between them. Kerr went to the barn, secured
his shotgun, and returned to the house. As he entered the house he shot
John Bistle in the left side, killing him almost instantly. Kerr was
arrested immediately, and lodged in the county jail.

On November 20, 1857, John Kerr was placed on trial for murder in
the first degree. District Attorney Wilson, assisted by Attorneys Koontz
and Hart, conducted the case for the commonwealth, while Kerr was
defended by Attorneys Montgomery, Gibson and Johnson, all well known
lawyers of that day. This was the second time in the history of the
county that a man seventy years of age was tried for first degree murder,
the first being William Crawford, thirty-five years before. Both were
old men with ungovernable tempers and they drank heavily; they were
childish and hard to get along with.

As Kerr was brought into the room, every one there pitied him, he
looked so old and feeble; but for Crawford there had been no pity. He
had killed his own son and had fought against the Americans in 1812,
only ten years before his trial.

The case was given to the jury at 7 o’clock on the evening of the 21st,
but an agreement was not reached until 11 o’clock on the morning of the
23rd, when Kerr was found guilty of murder in the second degree. A
motion for a new trial was filed, but this was withdrawn on the 26th, and
Kerr was sentenced to six years in the Western Penitentiary.

Robert W. Dinsmore, a farmer living in Hopewell Township, was mur-
dered about 10 o’clock on the night of December 4, 1866, during an attempt
to burglarize his house. The county commissioners immediately offered
a reward of $1,000 for the apprehension of his murderer, and on the
following day Robert Fogler, of Washington, was arrested. Dinsmore
had been killed during a struggle with the robber, and in the scuffle the
latter lost a heel from one of his boots. After Fogler’s arrest the heel of
one of his boots was found to be missing; and this led to his conviction.

He was placed on trial on February 20, 1867, before Judge Alexander
W. Acheson. The commonwealth was represented by District Attorney
- Boyd Crumrine, assisted by H. J. Vankirk, of Washington, and N. P.
Fetterman, of Pittsburgh. Fogler was defended by James R. Ruth, I. Y.
Hamilton, and L. R. Woods. The case was given to the jury at 4:30
o’clock on the afternoon of the 23rd, and at 6 o’clock a verdict of murder
in the first degree was rendered. Judge Acheson pronounced the death
sentence on February 28th.

Fogler was executed by Sheriff Edward R. Smith on May 15, 1867,
inside of the old jail yard, in the presence of about seventy persons who
had received tickets from the sheriff. This was the first hanging in the
county that was not in public, and the first since the execution of Chris-
tian Sharp, thirty-nine years before.

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 383

were convicted of the murder of George Wilson and Elizabeth McMasters,
and both were hung in Pittsburgh.

William Jones was placed on trial in Washington on November 17,
1857, before Judge Samuel A. Gilmore. District Attorney Alexander Wil-
son was assisted in the prosecution by Attorneys Robert H. Koontz and
George S. Hart, while Jones was defended by James H. Hopkins and
Jacob F. Slagle, of Pittsburgh. Fifty-one jurors were called before the
twelve were finally selected.

One of the principal witnesses for the commonwealth was Margaret
Tuton, who declared that Jones had told her he had killed White while
Henry Fife robbed the house. Charlotte Jones and Madison Jones had
waited in the orchard for them.

The case was not given to the jury until noon of November 20th; and
at 3:30 o’clock the next afternoon the jury informed the court that it
was unable to agree and asked to be excused. Judge Gilmore refused this
request, and the jury did not reach an agreement until the 23rd, after
being out for seventy-two hours. This is probably a record for Wash-
ington. At 3 o’clock that afternoon a verdict of guilty of murder in the
first degree was brought in. Counsel for the defense immediately filed a
motion for a new trial, which was granted by the court on February
25, 1858.

The second trial of William Jones for the murder of Samuel H. White
was started on May 19, 1858. Now comes the strangest part of this case.
The evidence against Jones was all circumstantial, and was based on the
testimony of Margaret Tuton, and his sister, Charlotte Jones, herself a
convicted murderess. Both were women of ill-fame whose reputations
for truth were very poor. Jones himself was considered capable of com-
mitting any crime; yet during the few months between the first and
second trials public opinion turned in his favor; for the finger of sus-
picion had pointed to another man. The case was given to the jury at
4:45 o’clock on the afternoon of May 21st, and a verdict of not guilty was
brought in the next day, after being out twenty-four hours.

The man towards whom the suspicion was directed lived near the
White home. There was no direct evidence against him, and not even
enough circumstantial to warrant his arrest. But older people living today
recall the feeling against him in that neighborhood became so strong that
he finally left, and was never heard of again. Several years later Mrs.
White married again, some say to a preacher, and died in Ohio. And so
the killing of Samuel H. White was added to the unsolved murders of
Washington County.

As soon as the first trial of the commonwealth against William Jones
for the murder of Samuel H. White was ended and given to the jury,
John Kerr, of East Pike Run Township, was placed on trial for the killing
of John Bistle, near Greenfield, now Coal Center, on September 26, 1856.
Kerr, who was about seventy years of age, owned a house at Coal Center,
which was occupied by Bistle and his family. On April 1, 1856, Bistle had
leased the house and lot from Kerr, and the latter’s horses. Kerr was to
board with Bistle and sleep in the house. Kerr could terminate the agree-
ment by giving five days’ notice.

They did not get along well together, and one disagreement led to

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382 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

years, were asleep in a small bed at the side. Neither was awakened until
taken from the bed by neighbors, and the first word uttered by the young-
est was “Pappy.”

Robbery was evidently the motive. White had just lived on this farm
twenty-five days, and he was to have made a payment early in April. He
had collected $750 for this purpose. The desk where he kept his money
was rifled, but there were no bloody marks about it. This led to the belief
that two had engaged in the affair.

Mrs. Nancy M. White, the wife of the murdered man, stated that they
had retired about 9 o’clock. Between 2 and 8 o’clock she was feeling ill
and went to the kitchen. Hearing a noise, she looked out and saw two men
at the woodpile. They went to the house and entered the bedroom by a
door on the opposite side of the house. She then ran out the other door to
the rear of the yard. Seeing and hearing nothing in the house, she started
for the house of James Allison, three-quarters of a mile away. She had
never been there, and she became lost in the woods. When she finally
reached Allison’s an hour later she told that burglars were at the house.

Archibald and Hugh Allison started back with her, securing John
Nesbit on the way, and when they reached the house they discovered the
terrible crime.

The next day a public meeting was held in the courthouse, and a resolu-
tion was passed asking the county commissioners to offer a reward of
$1,000. The commissioners promptly complied, and the police from Wash-
ington, Pittsburgh, and Wheeling, and officers from other sections of
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and even Ohio, joined in the man hunt.

On the night of Thursday, April 30, 1857, George Wilson and Eliza-
beth McMasters were murdered at McKeesport, just one month after the
White murder. Two days later the Allegheny County authorities arrested
Henry Fife, Monroe Stewart, and Charlotte Jones. The latter lived at
Dunningsville, this county, and great excitement followed her arrest.
When she was taken to Monongahela and examined by the police, she
declared that Samuel H. White had been murdered by her brother, William
Jones, Jr., and James Williams, both of whom had escaped from the Wash-
ington jail in November, 1856, where Jones was held on a charge of
poisoning a young man named John Archer, and Williams on an assault
and battery charge.

Learning that Jones was at his father’s house, near Dunningsville,
Harvey Lyon, William Hamilton and several others in Washington organ-
ized a posse and captured him; and on June 2nd, Williams was arrested
by the Pittsburgh police in that city. However, Williams was able to
prove beyond all doubt that he was in Liverpool, England, on March 30th,
the date of the White murder, and he was released.

From information secured by District Attorney Alexander Wilson, the
officers of this county believed that Henry Fife, who was convicted in
Allegheny County of the Wilson-McMasters murder, was the second man
with Jones. At the August term, 1857, the grand jury found a true bill
against Henry Fife and William Jones.

Fife was never brought to trial for the White murder, for the very
good reason that both he and Charlotte Jones, sister of William Jones,

any other sane man.” Consequently the death warrant was reinstated and carried
out in the prison yard at Easton on April 8, 1884, The sheriff complied strictly
with the requirements of Section 76 of the Act of March 31, 1560, as may be seen
by his report which is on file in the Archives of the Northampton County
Courthouse.

THE LAST EX=CUTION

The last execution of a condemned murderer in Northampton County took
place on February 24, 1908.

William C. Handy, aged 32, was indicted on September 9, 1907 (No. 88
September Term 1907, Court of Oyer and Terminer of Northampton County)
for the killing on August 26, 1907, of George Schuman.

He was arraigned on September 10, 1907, pleaded “not guilty,” and was
immediately placed on trial. Judge Russell C. Stewart presided at the trial. The
prosecutor was Robert A. Stotz, the district attorney. A. C. LaBarre and Floyd
E. McAlee, Easton lawyers, appointed by the Court, represented the defendant.
he having pleaded poverty.

The evidence was obviously unusually convincing as the case was given to
the jury at 8 o’clock p.m. on the same day and the jury returned with its verdict
of guilty of murder in the first degree at 9:50 p.m.

The convicted murderer was brought into Court on September 23, 1907 and
sentenced to be hanged.

The governor’s warrant of execution, dated January 10, 1908, directed that
the sentence be executed on February 24, 1908, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in
accordance with the pertinent Act of assembly.

The hanging took place in the prison yard at 10:45 a.m. at the designated
place. The sheriff reported that Dr. Nathan Siafoos had certified that the man
was dead and that the condemned man’s body was delivered to Handy’s rela-
tives. The hanging was witnessed by 12 citizens summoned by the sheriff.
Counsel for the defendant and immediate relatives of the condemned man were
also invited to be present but the record does not disclose that any of them at-
tended. The only other person mentioned as being present was the minister
requested by Handy, the Rev. Mr. T. O. Stem.

Less than a year earlier, on April 30, 1907, Joseph Boccia, aged 28, a convicted
murderer, was hanged in the same place.

Another condemned murderer, an Italian, who could not speak English and
who had no relatives in America, was scheduled to be hanged later than Handy.
He had slain a fellow workman by plunging a hatchet into his temple while his
victim was asleep. He cheated the hangman by hanging himself in the prison
with carpet yarn.

There were no executions between 1908 and 1913 at which latter date the
Legislature provided for executions by electrocution in a designated state pris-
on.

199

THE LATEST DEATH PENALTY OF A PERSON
CONDEMNED IN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

_ Almost a half-century has elapsed since a murderer convicted in Northampton
County was sentenced wydie in the electric chair.

John Kurutz, aged 47, a native of Hungary, Bethlehem Steel Company em-
ploye and farmer in Bethlehern township, divorced from his first wife and re-
married to a widow who had two children, Joseph, aged 15 and a younger girl,
Frances, shot and killed his stepson, Joseph.

In 1932 Kurutz had been out of work about two years and engaged in some
farming while his wife worked in a neighboring city and came home twice a
week. Kurutz's two stepchildren remained at home doing homework and as-
sisting with the chores about the farm.

For some time there had been strife and bickering between him and the
children. Kurutz beat the boy on a number of occasions, threw buckets and other
objects at him, abused him, kicked him until he was black and blue, struck him
and by his brutal treatment frequently bruised and marked his body. On one
occasion he told a witness that he would some day shoot Joseph.

On the day of the fatal shooting Kurutz had been away from home for several
hours and on his return angrily quarreled with the boy about how he had watered
and tied a cow. He sat down to eat with the two children. After they had left the
table, the boy, in the hearing of his stepfather, told his sister that he was going
to town to get a square meal. Kurutz came into the room and said that he would
“show him that he would not go to town.” He then went to the kitchen, picked
up his gun, broke it to load it, reached into a coat pocket and took from it a shell
which fitted the gun, inserted the shell into the gun, closed it and walked back
into the room where the children were. Kurutz aimed his gun at the boy and
fired a shot which went through the boy’s heart, causing instantaneous death.
Immediately after the firing Frances was about to run when Kurutz said to her
that if she should run or scream he would shoot her and she would be the next
to die. He then told the girl, as he told others afterwards, that it served the boy
right, that he had “too big a mouth anyway.”

Thereafter, Kurutz surrendered to the police. At the trial his defense was that
the killing was accidental, he merely wanted to scare the boy and not to kill him.
He admitted that he shot the boy while in a state of rage—with a shotgun held
so close to his victim that the chest bones were crushed and broken.

In the course of the cross examination by the Commonwealth Kurutz was
asked whether he had not pleaded guilty to firing a revolver at his first wife after
she had procured a divorce, the district attorney stating that the purpose of the
question was “that the jury, if they find the defendant guilty of murder in the
first degree, may be aided by the past conduct, or the knowledge of the past
conduct of the defendant in arriving at their verdict and in passing or returning
the verdict with the sentence.” Defense counsel’s objection was overruled. The
defendant admitted that he had fired at his wife and pleaded guilty to a charge

As reported in The Daily Times, ~ During the time the jury was deliberating
the last scene in the horrible tragedy was being enacted. The people, goaded
on by the sickening sight of the dead bodies of their esteemed neighbors, could
not control their feelings any longer. Detective Yohe was powerless to defend
his prisoner. A bed rope was secured, fastened around the prisoner's neck and
he was dragged out of the house and taken to an immense chestnut tree which
had stood on the banks of the creek for probably over a century. :

“Here around one of its branches the rope was placed, and the murderer was
hurried into the presence of his Maker, first confessing that he tried to ravish
the girl alluded to. He was left 38wing for over 20 minutes. His death was caused
by strangulation, and scarcely a limb of his body was seen to move. Coroner
Uhler cut down the body, and the same was placed in the care of Constable Fogel
who will remove it to the county almshouse, where, if no relatives claim it, it
will be buried. It is said that Snyder has a father residing at Easton.

“The same jury which deliberated over the bodies of the murdered couple
will hold an inquest over the body of the murderer at the office of Squire Fra-
deneck in Bethlehem,”

During the day District Attorney Cassius M. Anstett, who had just passed his
30th birthday and was serving the last four days of his term, appeared on the
scene and learned that his own father, a resident of Bethlehem Township, was
in the lynch mob. Neither he nor his successor, Robert E. James, took any action
against any of the participants in the hanging.

It is said that this was the first instance of a lynching in Pennsylvania.

A PRIVATE EXECUTION

The Constitution of the Commonwealth guarantees specific rights of the
accused in criminal prosecutions, among which is the right “to be heard by
himself and his counsel.” The phrase “and his counsel” assures professional as-
sistance at the government's expense for an accused person who is without means
to provide for his defense. The policy, a continuing one in Pennsylvania, was
invoked almost a century ago in the case of John Dillman, a virtual pauper, who
was charged with the brutal murder of his wife, Charlotte, an inmate of the Poor
House. Two competent lawyers appointed to defend him failed to save his life
because the evidence against him was overwhelming.

The gravamen of the prosecutor’s case consisted of the declaration of the
deceased wife of the accused, which was admitted in evidence over the strenuous
objections and exceptions urged by defense counsel.

John Dillman, unable to support his wife, had her placed in the County Poor
House—and then conceived a plan to get rid of her.

Early in the morning on the 29th day of March, in 1883, he called for his wife
at the Poor House. He presented her with a new dress which he had purchased
in Bethlehem and persuaded her to accompany him and help in removing some
furniture from Redington to Bethlehem. He told her that he had a job in Beth-

197

198

lehem and would provide a home there for her and their children. Before they
left the Poor House, Dillman was seen sharpening his pocket knife on a stone
and on his shoes.

Near Freemansburg, pretending that he was taking a short cut, he turned into
a lonely lane near the home of Benjamin Rohn (who was a witness at the trial).
There he threw his wife to the ground, tied her hands with a rope and declared
that he was going to kill her. He cut her throat with the knife which he had
sharpened at the Kar House, and, abandoning his victim, ran away. Charlotte
Dillman lingered on for about three weeks but before she died on April 23, 1883,
she related what had happened. Her declaration was offered at the trial and
submitted to the jury over the strenuous objections of the defendant’s coun-
sel. .

John Dillman was arrested on April 25, 1883. charged with murder and
committed to prison pending presentation to the grand jury in June.

On motion of R. E. James, district attorney, Judge W. D. Schuyler, on May
14, 1883, appointed H. J. Steele (admitted May 16, 1881) and Joseph V. Brown
(admitted March 18, 1878) to represent Dillman who was said to be “without
counsel and without means to employ counsel.”

John Dillman was indicted for the murder of his wife at the June 1883 term
of the Court of Oyer and Terminer of Northampton County. He was arraigned
on August 14, 1883, and entered a plea of not guilty. The trial began on the same
day. Oliver H. Meyers, president judge, presided. R. E. James, district attorney,
represented the Commonwealth. He was assisted by R. C. Stewart who was
appointed as special prosecuting attorney by the Court, as requested by Mr,
James. Dillman was represented by H. J. Steele and Joseph U. Brown, counse!
appointed by the Court.

The defense unsuccessfully challenged the array of the impanelled jury be-
cause fewer prospective jurors were selected to serve in 1883 than had been se-
lected for the year 1882. The panel of jurors summoned for service on August
14, 1883, was soon exhausted and the sheriff was directed to summon 36 addi-
tional talesmen.

More than 40 witnesses were heard at the trial which lasted four days. The
defendant interposed the defense that the wounds which he inflicted on his wife
were done in self-defense and that she did not die from these wounds but from
malpractice of the attending surgeon.

On August 18 the jury returned a verdict of guilty in the first degree, and after
the usual motions in arrest of judgment were disposed of, Judge Meyers on
October 2, 1883 sentenced Dillman to be hanged.

The governor of the Commonwealth issued a death warrant directing the
execution to take place on February 12, 1884. However, that was stayed because
of the alleged insanity of Dillman and petition for his removal to a hospital for
the insane. The commission appointed to inquire into his mental condition re-
ported on March 11, 1884, that Dillman “‘is fully responsible for his acts, like

alle Gt has Las hung at Middleburg,
Peed cnet ier| 7, /§§ 3 for murdering

Gretchen kintzler on Dec. 8, IETF.

Ward Me Conke hansed af Pitsbuergh,
Peun «an Mey 16, 1883 fosr murdering

George Me Cure,

ee McSteen huns at Pittsburgh ,
Penn. on Oct. ¥, [883 for murdering

his wite of June a. (§§2

John Me Ginnis hure at Philedelpnis,
Penn. on March 4, (884 Pre wur—
dering h'S yother- in-law, MS,
Mary Reed on Sept. 30, [&&l,

Tonathan Moyer WaS$ hang ed orn
March 24, /§§2 at Midd /e burg,

penn, Brr mord ering John £ bretchn
Kinfzrer on Dee. 8, 1877.

Edgar Smal] wis hanged ct Pittsburgh
Penn. on March 24, 1882 for mur-
dering Nichelas Jacoby 6n Jan. lg,

| 1879.

Henry S lrenk Rumberger were.
both hanged et Harrisburg , Penn. on
Menh 24, ($82 Pr mued eri

Daniel Treufman.

John Neve fing Was hanced ak Clear -
Pretd, Penh: on March a4, )§$Z =

morderity Samuel Pennington cn Feb,
17, 1880 (Clearfield Co)

Sarge at Sli eas daa

Dr. Albert Goerson hanged af

Philadelphik, Penn. on March S$,

1585 fey murder ing Ais witein
— 880.

Charles Briggs hanged ct Phila
de lphie, Din an Marc (§5S-
for murdering his us be of Tula

a, (883,

MI IISAS
Royal fotel

BRUSSELS

10-28-92

Watt, this is reference Charles Kruger, hanged at Greensburg, PA,
on Feb 11, 1904, for the murder of Constable H.F. Bierer, on
Jul 9): toa

I checked the Pittsburgh papers and nothing was found for either
date. I drove to Greensburg and checked their paper. They did
not give any personal info or full name of Bierer, nor any back
ground on Kruger.

The crime occurred on the morning of the 9th, while Bierer was
attempting to serve a warrant for arson, as a result of Kruger
placing a bomb at the Jamison Coal company several days previous.

The sourves are the Greensburg Tribune for 2-11-04 and 7-10-03.

Reference Charles Saly ards, hanged Carlisle PA 3-1-1894, victim officer
was male white age 30 an officer for 8 years, was seeking Salyards for
burglary, death occurred 1000pm 4-8-1893, officer had 3 kids. Salyards
had prior, criminal record unknown what... Source. Harrisburg Ratriot for

4-10-1893.

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 381

when they became separated at the market house he set out for Illinois
immediately, leaving his horse behind.

Long was released from jail immediately, and it is said that he was
paid by Sylvanus Cooper to drop the matter and leave this section. At
any rate, he never took any action in the matter, and soon disappeared.

At the foot of the long hill traversed by the National Pike as it leaves
West Brownsville is a small, old-fashioned stone house, a relic of the early
days of the famous highway when the travel of the nation went over this
route. This building, which is now in a good state of preservation, is
owned by the Sam Thompson Distillery. It must be considerably over a
hundred years old; for it was a tavern in the early days of the pike, and
for many years thereafter. In fact, that was so long ago and the murder
which is here related occurred so many years since that few persons living
today know the history of the ancient building. This old house was
probably built before the pike was constructed west of the river. It be-
longed to the Krepps family, and was at the northwest landing of Krepps’
ferry, which transported travelers across the river before the old wooden
bridg, was built. As this was the route of emigrant travel before the
pike v.as built, it is more than probable that the house was run as a tavern
before the pike.

One of the first proprietors of this roadhouse was a man named Vin-
cent Owens, who ‘had fought for American independence through the
Revolutionary war. Living with Mr. Owens was his aged father. One
night the latter was brutally murdered, supposedly by two travelers who
had stopped there for the night. Whether they were really guilty or not
was never known, for they fied immediately and were never apprehended.
Many of the details of this murder have been lost with the passing years;
and the motive for the crime was always shrouded in mystery.

The brutal murder of Samuel H. White, a young farmer living five
miles north of Washington, in Chartiers Township, is still told by the older
residents of the county; and although one man was tried and several others
suspected, the murderer was never found, and it is as much of a mystery
today as it was sixty-eight years ago.

Early in the morning of Monday, March 30, 1857, the people of Wash-
ington were shocked by the news of the murder of Samuel H. White the
night before, in his home about five miles north of town, on the valley road
to Burgettstown. Within a short time a great number of people gathered
at the scene of the tragedy. The body of the murdered man still lay on a
bed, so covered with blood that the features could not be distinguished
until the face was washed. The bed clothing and pillow were saturated
with blood. The body lay in a pool of it, and the whole room looked like
a Shambles. The headboard and posts of the bed, the walls above the bed,
the window, and even the wall six feet away, and the ceiling were red
with gore. In fact, the room looked like a slaughter pen, and it did not
seem possible that only one person had been killed.

At the foot of the bed lay a large, sharp ax, which White had used at
his woodpile, and which the murderer had used. The skull had been ter-
ribly crushed by a number of blows rained upon the man, and death had
been instantaneous.

While their father was murdered, two little girls, aged four and two

378 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

day, defended him. Mr. McFarland was one of the early abolitionists in
Washington, and this brought about his interest in the case. He was
assisted by William Baird and John Kennedy, two other well known local
lawyers of a century ago.

The defendant’s counsel, led by Mr. McFarland, fought hard to save
the slave’s life. Many of the important points of the evidence have been
lost with the passing years, but the blood stains on the Negro’s clothing
and certain tracks in the snow were things which the jury could not over-
look and led to his conviction. The story told by some of the older resi-
dents of Washington, which has been handed down to them by persons
who attended the trial, is that the tracks in the snow made it appear that
two men had been walking along the pike, one in front of the other. Just
before the body was found, the tracks showed that the man in front had
stepped to one side, and marks showed where he had picked up something,
‘either a club or stone. The theory of the commonwealth was that the
man in front was Kit, and that he had only intended to stun Carlyle while
he made his escape, but when he discovered that he had killed him he
invented the story of the three men. Attorney McFarland firmly believed
in Kit’s innocence to the day of his death, and he took the Negro’s con-
viction very hard.

Kit declared to the very last that his master had been set upon by
three men, one of whom was a large, black Negro of powerful build. There
was living in Washington at that time a free Negro named “Tar” Adams,
the first name being given on account of his black skin. He was a powerful
man, and was never accused of doing anything except to help runaway
slaves on their way to Canada. In this business he was a past master,
and many a Negro from the Southland owed his freedom to Tar Adams.
He is still remembered by some of the older residents of Washington,
especially among the colored people, and many remarkable stories are told
of his exploits in aiding members of his race on the road to freedom.
Many people of that day believed that Tar Adams was one of the three
men whom Kit claimed attacked his master. This version is firmly be-
lieved by the older colored residents, who knew the man when they were
children, and they well remember the stories of him and the Carlyle mur-
der, which their elders told.

On June 28, 1828, Kit was sentenced by Judge Baird to be hanged.
His execution took place on Friday, November 21, 1828. A hanging in
those days was always in public and was a big event. Between 10 and 11
o’clock that morning the two local volunteer battalions of militia, com-
manded by Majors McFarland and McBurney, formed in a hollow square
in front of the jail. The condemned man, preceded by the Rev. Mr.
Brunson and Rev. Mr. Cook, and followed by Sheriff Robert McClelland
and other civil officers, physicians, and attorneys, entered this square, and
the procession moved down South Main Street to the place of execution.

There seems to be some doubt as to the exact place where Kit was
hanged. Dr. Alfred Creigh states that it took place on Gallows Hill, but
an old newspaper account, published at the time, says that it was on the
“commons south of the borough.” This would indicate that it might have
been near the present Pennsylvania station, on South Main Street, at the
foot of the hill.

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 379

At his own request Kit was allowed to walk to the gallows, surrounded
by the militia and county officers, in the order given above, the whole
procession marching in the form of a hollow square. When the gallows
was reached the two ministers ascended the platform with the condemned
man, and after talking with him, the Rev. Mr. Brunson addressed the
people. He stated that during all of his interviews with Kit, the latter
had never denied having killed his master. The minister said that after
the death warrant from the governor had been received, Kit had taken an
oath that he would not confess, and he kept that oath to the end.

After prayer by the minister, the prisoner bid farewell to the sheriff
and others present. The rope was tied around his neck, the black cap was
adjusted, and the cord holding the trap was cut by the sheriff, and the
slave dropped through the opening. But a feeling of horror passed
through the crowd, for the rope broke about three feet above the prisoner’s
head, and he fell to the ground unharmed. The people pressed forward
as though to interfere, but the militia held them back, while Kit once more
ascended the gallows; and this time the rope held. It was believed that it
had been cut, but this was never proven.

It is a strange coincidence that when the next Negro, William West,
was executed in Washington County sixty-two years later, the rope broke
as the trap fell. ,

The slave’s body was placed in a coffin and buried in the old graveyard.
The exact location of the grave is not known, but the story is told that it
was just over the fence in the public road, which is now West Walnut
Street extended.

While the slave, Kit, was in jail awaiting his execution, the people of
Washington County were shocked by the brutal murder of Miss Rebecca
McCrory, a young lady who lived near where the town of Charleroi now
stands. On Monday, October 27, 1828, her body was found lying in the
road within 200 yards of her father’s house in Fallowfield Township. Her
throat had been cut from ear to ear, and in one hand was a bloody knife,
giving the impression that she had taken her own life. The hand was
badly cut, and this led to the belief that she had been murdered. Suspicion
pointed to a young man named Edward Nixon.

On the previous evening Miss McCrory had left her father’s home in
company with Nixon, intending to visit some relatives across the Monon-
gahela River. This was the last ever seen of her alive. She never reached
the relatives, and nothing was thought of her absence from home, as her
father supposed that she had remained on the other side of the river for
the night. Nixon had disappeared, and this strengthened the suspicion
against him. He was captured shortly afterward, and held by the cor-
oner’s jury for the murder of his sweetheart.

He was placed on trial in Washington on Thursday, March 26, 1829,
before Judge Thomas H. Baird. The commonwealth was represented by
Attorneys McGiffin, Brady and Todd, and the prisoner was defended by
Messrs. Kennedy, Baird and McKennan. The evidence was all circum-
stantial and many witnesses were heard for both sides. The old accounts
of this trial do not give the testimony in detail, and little is known of it.
The case was given to the jury on Friday evening, and on Saturday morn-

380 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

ing a verdict of not guilty was brought in. Nixon immediately dis-
appeared, and nothing more is known of him.

The murder of this girl remains a mystery to this day. It is possible
that she really did commit suicide, because of her condition, but this was
doubted by her friends, and suspicion always pointed to Nixon.

A mysterious disappearance which created as much excitement as that
of Harry Lane of later times, was that of D. B. Cooper in 1840. This
young man was a son of Sylvanus Cooper, of Morris Township, and while
on his way to his home disappeared in Wheeling. A body found in the
Ohio River a few days later was identified as that of the missing man,
and then excitement ran high.

Cooper had been living at Lowell, Ohio, and in January, 1840, left.
that place with one William Long on a visit to his home here. They
reached Wheeling on the 7th and went to a hotel, eating supper together.
Cooper then went out, and after attending to some private business,
Cooper met Long at a barber shop. They returned to the hotel, slept in
the same bed, and ate breakfast together. Walking past the market house,
they stopped to examine a load of bear and deer meat ‘brought in from
the neighboring hills by a man named Saunders. .

Cooper strolled on while Long remained at the meat, and thus they
became separated. Long waited at the hotel for Cooper, but when the
missing man failed to appear, the friend took his horse and came to
Washington, and delivered the animal to Sylvanus Cooper, in Morris
Township, at the same time telling the story of Cooper’s disappearance.

Long was suspected of having murdered Cooper, and a warrant was
issued by Justice Blaine, of Washington, for his arrest. The excitement
was intense, and the accused man was committed to jail for thirty days
unless demanded sooner by the governor of Virginia. Fuel was added to
the flames of public indignation by the finding of a body near Granville
Island, in the Ohio River, below Wheeling, on January 10. The father
of the missing man and several friends immediately went to Wheeling,
had the grave opened and examined the body. The features could not be
recognized, but after an examination of the clothing, they were convinced
that the body was that of Cooper, and a statement to this effect was signed
by Sylvanus Cooper, John A. Dille, Joseph Bryant, Samuel Day, Ezra
Dille, and Zebulon Cooper, a brother. This was published in “Our Coun-
try,” a Washington newspaper.

At a hearing before Justice Blaine, in Washington, on January 21st,
Long was held for the murder after Sylvanus Cooper and the others tes-
tified that they had identified the body.

Two months later it became known to the public and the authorities
that D. B. Cooper was alive and well, and living in Illinois. It seems that
his father had learned of this some time before, but on account of the
statement he made when he identified the body found in the river, he had
felt some shame over the matter, and had been loath to admit of his error.

It seems that after reaching Wheeling, D. B. Cooper had heard of the
many land speculations then being made in Illinois, and, having con-
siderable money, he decided to go to that state and invest. For some
reason, wh-2n was never explained, he kept this a secret from Long, and

404 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

the bank an automobile was heard, and Mr. McNutt believed they had
escaped in a machine.

The search was taken up by the W. J. Burns Detective Agency in Pitts-
burgh, and about a week after the robbery Thomas Talbot was arrested
at his home near Russellton. This man had formerly lived near Arden,
and it was afterwards learned that he had served a term in the Colorado
State Penitentiary for robbery. The detectives learned that on the Satur-
day following the Houston bank robbery he had purchased a farm near
Russellton, paying $1,800 in cash, in addition to buying a quantity of
lumber and making other cash purchases amounting to several hundred
dollars.

When his home was searched $1,005 were found concealed about the
house, and $600 in a Mason fruit jar buried in the filth of an outhouse.
Among the bank notes found were a number of new $10 bills, which had
never been in circulation. These were afterwards identified by Cashier
McNutt through their serial numbers, as they had just been received from
the United States Treasury. James Dillon, a companion of Talbot, was
suspected, but he had disappeared. Talbot tried to place the blame upon
him, stating that Dillon, who had been at his home, had concealed the
money.

Dillon was known to have a sister living in Montreal, and her home
was watched, with the result that he was captured shortly afterwards and
brought to Washington County. It was then learned by the detectives
that the robbers, instead of escaping in an automobile, had stepped into
the hallway beside the bank entrance, changed their hats, concealed. the
money in a basket by covering it with eggs, and had then gone out of the
side entrance to the building and down the street to the Pennsylvania
Railroad. Walking up the railroad to McGovern, they had gone to the
home of Dillon’s wife. From there Talbot had gone on board an electric
car to Pittsburgh and then to Russellton.

Now comes the strangest part of this whole affair. After Dillon was
suspected, the officers secured a photograph, which was published in a
Pittsburgh newspaper. This eventually found its way to the office of the
penitentiary at Canon City, Colorado, where he was immediately recog-
nized as a trusty who had escaped over a year before. As soon as he
was arrested the Colorado authorities claimed him, and he was returned
to the penitentiary to complete a sentence for murder.

On December 11, 1902, Dillon had killed a gambler who had fleeced his
(Dillon’s) partner, in a gambling hall in Conejos County, Colorado. His
partner was tried in connection with the killing, but Dillon cleared him of
all blame, and received a life sentence. He was a model prisoner, and
was placed on the prison farm in charge of the hogs. The superintendent
of schools of Canon City became interested in him, and succeeded in hav-
ing his sentence commuted to twenty-five years. For good behavior he
was given one-third off. |

The school superintendent wished to go into the cattle business in
Arizona, and agreed to make Dillon his foreman as soon as he was released
from prison which would be in a few months. One day in November, 1914,
Dillon was in Canon City with one of the guards, when he met the super-
intendent and talked for some time over their plans for the ranch in Ari-

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 405

zona. That night he made his escape from the state farm and no trace
of him was found until his picture appeared in the newspaper at the
prison office.

Talbot was placed on trial before Judge J. A. McIlvaine on May 25,
1916, and on May 29th, he was found guilty. On June 1st, Judge Mcll-
vaine sentenced him to the Western Penitentiary for a term of from
eight to twelve years.

On the night of December 21, 1919, the private bank of Jess P. Miller,
at Beallsville, was entered by burglars. The combination was burned out
of the vault door with an acetylene torch, and a quantity of bonds and
negotiable securities were taken. The exact amount was never made
public, but it was reported at the time to have been in the neighborhood
of $5,000. It was thought that they were frightened away before they
completed their work, as some valuables were overlooked.

No trace of the bandits was ever found, but it was believed that the
same gang that broke into the Fredericktown post office on May 25, 1920,
and also robbed the First National Bank at Finleyville on the same date,
had something to do with the Miller robbery. Most of the bonds and
securities were found later by a hunter near St. Clairsville, Ohio. They
were in a metal box lying in a ravine. The robbery of the First National
Bank of Finleyville, on May 24, 1920, when a total of $188,906.75 was
secured in cash, bonds and stocks, was one of the largest bank holdups
that ever took place in Western Pennsylvania. The cashier, J. H. Boyer,
left the bank at 12:10 o’clock to go to dinner, and the only person in the
bank was John H. Jones, the assistant cashier.

About 12:30 o’clock, as Mr. Jones was working at the desk, four men
‘entered the bank, three with drawn revolvers, and ordered him to unlock
the door leading back of the counter. They then forced him to unlock
the boxes containing the cash, bonds and securities, after which they
bound him hand and foot and laid him on the floor. After securing the
loot one of the bandits struck Jones a blow over the right temple with his
revolver, and the four walked calmly out of the bank, jumped in a waiting
automobile in which a fifth bandit was at the wheel, and they sped away.

John J. Zwick walked up the steps just as the four came out, and when
he saw them carrying a bag he suspected a holdup. Running into the bank
he called to Jones, but when he received no answer he ran out and called
to a colored man across the street that the bank had been robbed. He
then returned, and when he called for Jones again received a faint reply.
Hastening back of the counter he found the assistant cashier lying in a
pool of blood. Jones was not seriously injured.

Word of the holdup was telephoned to all sections, and armed parties
of officers scoured the country in all directions, but no trace of the bandits
was found. It was learned later that they had escaped to Pittsburgh over
the road through McMurray. They ran into a ditch near McMurray, and
Martin Viastel, who later identified John Hogan as the driver of the car,
helped pull them out of the ditch.

On the night of May 25, 1920, the post office at Fredericktown was
robbed of $140 in cash and $300 in stamps. John Hogan was arrested at

Elco on May 30th in connection with this robbery, but was turned over to

406 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

the Washington County authorities when he was identified as the driver
of the bandits’ car.

In addition to securing $15,328.24 in cash the robbers took $29,100 in
Victory and Liberty bonds, and other negotiable stocks and bonds amount-
ing to $144,478.41. Some time later two men known as the Davis Broth-
ers presented $64,000 in bonds at a broker’s office at Detroit for sale. Se-
lecting such bonds as he could use, the broker told them to return the
next day. In the meantime the broker from his list of stolen bonds
learned that a number of these presented had been taken from the Finley-
ville bank and a bank at Hayes station, Allegheny County. When the
brothers appeared the next day they were arrested. . _ ee

County Detective Bert M. Laird was sent to Michigan. to bring them
back, but they fought the extradition, and were released on ‘$20,000 bond.
They demanded a hearing before the governor, and when the latter signed
the extradition they took an appeal to the Michigan supreme court. Detec-
tive Laird returned with $37,000 in bonds that had been taken from the
Finleyville bank, but from that day to this nothing has ever been heard
of the appeal, and the Davis Brothers are still at large.

John Hogan was placed on trial before Judge J. A. McIlvaine on No-
vember 23, 1920, defended by Attorney John N. Piatt, of Pittsburgh, and
Attorney A. G. Braden of Washington. The prosecution was conducted
by District Attorney Erwin Cummins and Assistant District Attorney
Warren S. Burchinal. Hogan tried to prove an alibi, but he was identi-
fied by witnesses as the driver of the bandits’ car, and was convicted on
November 24th, after the jury had taken only one ballot.

In 1916, John Hogan was convicted of the robbery of the Pennsylvania
railroad station at Midway, this county, and was sentenced to ten years
in the penitentiary. He had been paroled after serving three years. On
November 29, 1920, Judge McIlvaine sentenced him to the Western peni-
tentiary for a term of from eighteen to twenty years for the Finleyville
robbery, in addition to which he must serve the remainder of his former
sentence, making a total of twenty-five years.

CHAPTER LXVII.

1781-1845.
SLAVERY IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.

SLAVES BROUGHT TO WASHINGTON COUNTY BY THE HOGES AND OTHER
SETTLERS--ACT OF 1780 ABOLISHING SLAVERY—SPECIAL ACTS FOR
WASHINGTON AND WESTMORELAND COUNTIES—REGISTRY OF
SLAVES AND SERVANTS—STATISTICS OF SLAVES FROM 1790 TO 1840—
SLAVERY DEEDS ON RECORD IN THE RECORDER'S OFFICE.

That slaves were once owned by the people of Washington County is
a well known fact today, but the extent of the business in this section is
not generally known. The first slaves were brought into the province of

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 403

Marcantonio Daniele. Seven years later Piscrelli came to America, and
at the Blackhand headquarters in Pittsburgh he again met Daniele. He
declared that there are Blackhand societies in Washington, Canonsburg,
Pittsburgh and other towns in Western Pennsylvania. He attended meet-
ings in Canonsburg, where he declared that Daniele was the leader, and
he was present when Fragassa was initiated.

Piscrelli’s testimony was corroborated in every detail by Polifrone,
although the latter had not heard the former’s story.

The Daniele case was given to the jury at 4 o’clock in the afternoon
of November 29th, and at 8:25 o’clock that evening a verdict of first
degree murder was brought in.

Appeals to the Supreme Court were taken in both cases, but that
tribunal upheld the verdict of the lower court. The cases were then placed
before the Board of Pardons, but it refused to interfere, and Governor
Pinchot set the date for the execution. The prisoners were taken to the
State Penitentiary at Rockview for execution in the electric chair, but on
the night before, Governor Pinchot granted a stay of execution to allow
the cases to come before the Board of Pardons again, as it was claimed
that more evidence had been discovered. However, at the hearing nothing
new developed, and the board again refused to interfere.

Daniele and Fragassa were executed behind the gray prison walls of
Rockview early in the morning of December 10, 1923, in the presence of
only the jury and the necessary officials of the penitentiary. Fragassa
was placed in the chair first. He gave no trouble of any kind, and died
quickly; but when Daniele was brought out of his cell he fought the
attendants, and was placed in the chair only after a struggle; and he died
with a curse on his lips.

In 1924 both Piscrelli and Polifrone were released under parole. The
former returned to Indiana, Pennsylvania, where he had lived just before
his conviction, and within a few days paid the penalty of his betrayal of
the Blackhand oath with his life. His murderers were never apprehended.
Polifrone has disappeared, no one knows where.

Shortly after noon on April 6, 1916, the news was telephoned from
Houston over Western Pennsylvania that two bandits had held up the
First National Bank of that place, and escaped in an automobile. Then
the man hunt was on, but no trace of the bandits was found. J. K.
McNutt, the cashier, had just returned from dinner shortly after 12
o’clock, and walked into the bank, accompanied by Mrs. Erwin Cummins.
Two men were busy writing at the desk, and no attention was paid to
them, as it was supposed they were there on business. After receiving a
deposit from Thomas Hudson, a butcher, Mr. McNutt transacted some
business for Mrs. Cummins, who departed.

The cashier was busy over the counter making out a deposit slip when
he was told not to move or he would be a dead man. He paid no attention
until the command was repeated, when he looked up into the barrel of a
revolver in the hands of one of the men who had stood at the desk. One
of the men went behind the cage, and Mr. McNutt was ordered to lie
down on the floor. The men then gathered up all of the money in sight,
_ amounting to $16,646.95 in silver, gold and bank notes, which they placed
- in a sack, and then departed. Just a few seconds after they went out of

VIOLENT
DEATH
IN THE CITY

SUICIDE, ACCIDENT, AND MURDER
IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY
PHILADELPHIA

Roger Lane

A Commonwealth Fund Book

Harvard University Press
Cambridge, Massachusetts
and London, England
1979

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Lane, Roger.
Violent death in the city.

“A Commonwealth Fund book.”

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Violence—Pennsylvania—Philadelphia—History—
19th century. 2. Violent deaths—Pennsylvania—Phila-
delphia—History—19th century. 3. Philadelphia—
Social conditions. I. Title.

HN80.P5L36 301.6'33'0974811 79-11836
ISBN 0-674-93946-8

To Eileen Brenda O'Connor Lewis

4 Violent Death in the City

at home were, if not necessarily quiet, at least less dangerous
than family occasions a century later.14 Without handguns
stashed nearby, domestic arguments were less likely to erupt
into truly lethal violence.

Whatever the reasons behind their changing incidence, kill-
ings in the streets or by strangers pose obvious problems of so-
lution. So does the one glaring anomaly in Wolfgang's catego-
ries of unsolved cases; robbery as a motive for murder, unlike
most of the others, was proportionately more common in the
midtwentieth century, among those cases available for analysis,
than in the nineteenth. The figures are 8.1 percent and 2.8 per-
cent, respectively. But it is hard to believe that the latter figure
is an accurate representation of reality, given the opportunities
offered by drunken roisterers, frequent collisions between
strangers, the apparent violence of street life generally. It ap-
_ pears that many robbery-murders were simply not indicted, for

- several reasons. The typical robbery involves at least a mini-
mum of calculation, always an attempt to flee, and usually a
determination to deny all guilt. Moreover, in the nineteenth
century; most were committed by young men without extensive
criminal connections. In the major eastern cities the fraternity
of professional thieves had originated in the British underworld,
one which traditionally built upon careful skills and stealth
rather than violence. The detective system was in turn not only
a response to but in origin often an outgrowth of this under-
world.'* Its apparent failure to deal satisfactorily with robbery-
murder simply underlines the fact that it was not adapted to
dealing with the homicidal violence of amateurs generally.

Before the establishment of professional police, detective
work, whether by peace officers or private citizens, was usually
done for a fee, reward, or percentage. Even afterward, well into
the 1850s and 1860s, detectives on the public payroll were al-
most wholly concerned with professionals or semiprofessionals,
men and women with whom they enjoyed a kind of symbiotic
relationship and from whose ranks they were often drawn. Phil-
adelphia’s first police detectives were detailed in 1859, and in
their earliest years made much the same kinds of arrests as the
force in general.'* Later they specialized in crimes against prop-

85 » Homicide: II

erty, suffering through the reorganizations and scandals com-
mon to contemporary police and inevitable in a working envi-
ronment so full of opportunities for corruption. If anything dis-
tinguished them from their counterparts in other eastern cities it
was that there were so few of them; as late as 1898 there were
only fifteen detectives for the entire city.’”

Although they were sometimes called upon to work in homi-
cide cases, nothing in the backgrounds of these men prepared
them to do it well. None specialized in the investigation of mur-
der, and although experienced in finding known rogues, they
had no devices, apart from a certain cynical expertise in ques-
tioning suspects, for identifying unknown killers. In some cases
solving a homicide might bring inner rewards, but few offered
anything more tangible, and detectives cannot have relished
such assignments. Their record reflects the situation.

The hundreds of murder indictments collected for this study
include incidents of almost every description, some notorious,
some highly unusual. Herman Webster Mudgett, alias Dr. H. H.
Holmes, perhaps the most celebrated mass murderer of the cen-

‘tury, was caught in 1895—by a private insurance agent—and

hanged for a single killing in Philadelphia.'* The series prepared
for this study includes two matricides, two others in which
mothers killed adult sons, one in which a young woman was
murdered by her grandfather. But the most strikingly unique
episode was the murder of six-year-old Mary Mohrman on Sep-
tember 6, 1868.'° '

Mary was found dead on an open lot near Sixth and Susque-
hanna, victim of a sexual attack and strangulation. Under pres-
sure of public indignation, the police arrested some thirteen
men over the next few weeks before abandoning active interest
in the case. A year later, however, a young married man named
Charles Hanlon, a neighbor of the Mohrman family, attempted
to assault a woman with a brick and was arrested by her escort.
Just a month after that case was dismissed, in November 1869,
Hanlon was again arrested for assaulting a female, this time a
ten-year-old girl, and was sentenced, under the name of Charles .
E. Harris, to five years in Moyamensing Prison. The local alder-
man, however, managed to make the connection between Han-

9 Violent Death in the City

lon and Harris, and arranged to bring in two city detectives,
who planted themselves in the prison and amid much hugger-
mugger arranged the suspect’s “confession” to a cellmate. Han-
lon immediately repudiated this and produced a large number
of unshakable witnesses in his own defense. The circumstances
alleged by the prosecution did sound improbable in several re-
spects, and the jury took an unusually lengthy two days to ar-
rive at a verdict of guilty. In any case, following failure of an
appeal, the young man was hanged.

What is unique about the incident is that in the sixty-three
years, it is the only reported sexual assault on a murder victim

of any age or sex. Such crimes are never common, but nothing

that we know about the sexual habits and attitudes of Victorian
Philadelphia suggests that so clean a record should be mistaken
for reality. The lack cannot be explained in terms of reportage;
while the Ledger was often reticent about details, it was not re-
luctant to report cases of “outrage” or “indecency,” and the rit-
ual disclaimer that certain matters were “unfit for publication”
left little doubt as to what was involved. The most likely expla-
nation for the almost total absence in the series of indictments
for such crimes is that they were not solved. A secretive killer,
no matter how disturbed, could easily prove cunning enough to
frustrate the nineteenth-century detective system.

Weaknesses in the systems of detection and prosecution con-
tributed to the fact that the proportion of nineteenth-century
‘cases that were “lost” between a coroner's verdict and indict-
ment—and thus not counted in Table 14—was far higher than
the 10 percent or so that are lost between arrest and verdict in
the later twentieth century. In the six years for which full coro-
ner’s verdicts are available, 1854-1857 and 1878-1880, there
were 101 indictments for murder and manslaughter. But not
counting infanticides, deaths from abortion, and either “excus-
able” or “justifiable” killings, homicide verdicts were found in
33 additional incidents. Of these, 22 were killings committed by
“a person or persons unknown” and never subsequently cleared,
and 11 involved a culprit named at the inquest but never indict-
ed. Were they included, they would doubtless increase the pro-
portion in Table 16 of street crimes and killings by strangers.

«ly Sib I. 2 gg ah a hl a
BADE Sol ae ha ?
ae ae i; ay aes EAB,

rn nas

87 Homicide: II

Far more important than this loss, however, was the loss at
the very first level, for problems elsewhere in the system point
to the need to examine the real office of the county coroner.
Historically his original function, and still his most publicized,
was to identify cases of homicide for reference to the prosecut-
ing authorities. But the fee system was rigged in such a way as
to make homicide cases less rewarding than either suicides or
accidents, even apart from the important fact that they were or-
dinarily more time-consuming. And since the rest of the ma-
chinery of justice was clearly not equipped to follow through on
incidents in which the slayer was not identified and at hand, in
terms of social function many homicide verdicts were at best
useless and at worst embarrassing, even frightening. Those that
did not ultimately result in conviction implied the failure of po-
lice or prosecutors, with whom the coroner had to work. Be-
yond that there was little utility in probing the fates of the often
marginal people, sometimes strangers to the community, whom
he encountered in death. It was possible to take an active role in
the office, as did Michael Dugan, clearly influenced by the ex-

‘ploits of his mentor, Samuel Ashbridge, who had used seven-
teen years as coroner as a springboard to the mayoralty.”° But
Dugan's activism, well illustrated by his handling of several
cases described in chapter 4, was not medical or forensic but
moral. Much like his contemporaries in the office of district at-
torney, he was energetic only in fixing blame upon people who
had clearly been the agents of death, often accidentally, rather
than in seeking oui agents unknown. No society wants to be of-
ficially reminded of problems its machinery is incapable of han-
dling. And it seems useful to explore the notion that the real
function of the coroner was not merely to “label” homicides but
in awkward cases to mislabel them, to filter out the hopeless or
difficult ones. ;

One means of filter:ng out problems was to label killings ei-
ther “excusable” or “justifiable.” In 1948-1952 this was a func-
tion of the inquest, and in 1972-1974, of the district attorney in
consultation with the medical examiner.*? The legal situation in
the previous century was not so clear. While the term was not
used explicitly, a finding of “accidental shooting” was the func-

ISRAEL TEST—Was born‘in Centre county, September 23d. 1831, he prac-
ced law in Clearfield from 1858, to his death in 1886. He was a humorist and

noted criminal lawyer. {fe assisted in the prosecution of John Cathcart 1860.
ee Page 4,

form of Death Sentence By Electricity

The following is the Sentence of Death imposed upon Geremia Acitelli
April 27, 1914. See pave 1, Part II.

Tf IS CONSIDERED and adjudged by the Court that the prisoner at ‘the
bar, Geremia Acitelli, be taken hence to the Jail of the County of Clear-
field whence he came, there to remain until, in pursuance of a warrant

vay issued by the Governor of Pennsylvania to the Warden of the Western

“Penitentiary, commandi ig such convict to be executed, the said Warden
rall give written notice under his hand and seal to the keeper of the said Jail
f the County of Clearfield to deliver the said Geremia Acitelli into the custody
f the said Warden, whereupon said delivery shal: be made and the said Gerem-
1 Acitelli be couducted to Western Penitentiary in Centre County, Pennsylvan-
1, and a current of electricity of intensity sufficient to cause death shall be
assed through the body of the said Geremia Acitelli and the application of such
vrrent be continued unti! the said Geremia Acitelli shall be dead. :

: By the Court,

xpril 27, 1914, SINGLETON BELL, P. J.

Page 22,

ta arrive Land then bieusut to
the New York Central yards here,
when Deputy Sheriff Chaplin tok
charge of him and lodged him in jail.
His wounds soon healed

Late on Monday afternoon the jury
in the case Was completed and the fol-
lowing 12imen passed upon the case
and decided Hoston should be electro-
cuted for the crime he committed:

Jacob Bennett, farmer, Burnside

James Berry, carpenter, Morris

Ii Corb, drayman, Curwensviile

James Gray, laborer, Morris

J. S. Gallagher, butcher, Coalport

W. \W. Garman, laborer, Clearfield

T. C. Hoyt, farmer, Huston

John Hummell, Jaborer, Curwensville

Mutthew Kender, laborer, Ramey

J. C. Kirchner, Justice, Huston

John Simpson, engineer, Mahaffey

James. T, Spotts, merchant, Huston

The trial occupied Monday and Tues-
day and Court was held at night, the
evidence conforming to the staments
2oove, the jury retired at 5:00 o’clock
Wednesday evening and returned a ver-
dictat 10:15 of murder in the first de-
ree.

Woile the verdict was found May 27.
1914, at this date, June 26, the death
sentence has aot been imposed.

TIE BLACK SUNDAY, APRIL |
19th, 1914. |

Fellowing the trial of Hoston the
murder case of Ralph Mastrini and
Paul Caro. charjred with the killing of :
Antonio Mata:iry in Ciearfield on Sun-
day, April 19th, was taken up having
been doeseted to No. 64, May Term
W414. These men are Italians who got
into a quarrel with Matalira and shot
lim to death. Itis believed that the
Biae< Hand had something todo with
Matatiro's death, and an Itahan is in
Juilawaitiag further investigation of
tie matter. This fellow is believed to

Was

Coinmonwealth
vs

Paul Caro and

Ralph Ma-trana

No. €i May Sessions
1914

; each counsel,

hive been at the head of a band of
Gack Manders in this county and to
have ordered the killing of Matafiro,
because the latcer refused to submit to!
the demands made upon him for money
ibe following atorneys were appoint
y Ube court to assist the District
Aitorney, A. O. Smith and A. HL {
Woodwaid end for the defense, A. L.
ae, W. Cy atiler aud A. R. Chase.
ie¢ following composed the Jury,
waich remuined out for 5 hours and re-
turne:l a verdict of murder in’ second
dezree, This trig] cost the county $3,-
aug

A motion tor anew triai has been
made in this ease.
J. W. Mooney, Houtzdale borough,
J. A. Anderson, DuBois borough,
Matthew Kender, Ramey borough,
James Snyder, Coalport borough,
James Nelson, Bradford township,
William Wade, Beccaria township.
Fred Schenck, Glearfield borouyh,
Varren Curry, Jordan township,
James Davis, Morris township,
H. R. Hunter, Irvona borough,
E. R. King, Burnside township,
Austin Davis, Decatur township.

“AT COST TO THE
COUNTY.

TUE Gt

This is Impcsed By Acts of March
22nd, 1907, and By Act
of March 18th, 1909.

So many tax payers are inquiring
why the aeavy cost of these murder
cases wnicn seem to be onthe increase.

| The C-urts and county are bound by

the two Acts of Assembly quoted a-
bo-e: The first Act provides: that
where any one charged with murder
snull make and file w'th the clerk of
Quarte. Sessions an affidavit setting
iorth that he or she is whoily desti-
tute of means to employ counsel and
prepare for his or her defense, the sit-
tiny wudge shall assign to such peraon
counsel, not exceeding two, to represent
and defend such person at the trial,
and services rendered under the ap-
pcintment shall not exceed $200 for
which, when approved
by the Court, becomes a charge upon
the county.

Second. The Act of March 18, 1909,
maxes a further provision for fees and
cvunsel in-all counties where no assist-
ant District Attorney is provided for
by existing law, and such appointment
is made by the District Attorney, with
the approval of the Court, and such as-
sistant shall be entitled, as compens1-
tion for such services, to a sum not ex-
ceed.ng $100, as may be recommended
und approved hy the Judge presiding
at the trial.

Irom these two Acts of Assembly
comes the authority for the appoint-
ment of counsel for both the defense
and prosecution, and for the payment
of same by the county, and these at-
torney fees enter into the cost bill in
no small amount, running the aggre-
gate to about $12,090 in the trial of the
cases reviewed above, in which the
defendants hed never been tax payers
in the county above a small occupation
tax,

Page 3.

tURDER IN FIRST DEGREE|

—THEN SECOND!
ommonwealth l No 11. Dec. Term,’13.

vs.
Frank Huff, j Indictment— Murder,
rom Roftsman's Journal, Feb, 12, 1511.
Frank Huff, who deliberately mur-
ered his wife, Blanche Huff, at Pen-
eld, September 2nd, 1913, and, who
ad been granted a new trial after be-
4g Convicted of murder in the first de-
ree at the December term ot court,
J13, was erraigned on Thursday, Feb-
sary 12, 1914, tor a second trial, and

efore court adjourned in the afternoon |

ie jury had been completed and their
iaces of residence follows:

Harry Cowder,. Clearfield boro.

H. H. Cpencer, DuBois boro.

David A, Mease, Decatur twp.
Alfred Clever, Penn twp,

W. T. Straw, Ferguson twp.
Norman Shaffer, Pike twp.

Elmer Hoover, Decatur twp.

James Conley Sr., Coaiport boro.

Grant Edwards, Ramey boro.

Y. L. Herthn, Karthets two.

Lemuel Shirey, Lawrence twp.

W. G. Patton. DuBois bore.

A. M. Liseright and A. H. Wood-
vard, apprinted by the Court to defend
che prisun:r struggled to ub.ain a ver-
-ict In the second degree and were st *-
cessful, A. L. Tole, James A. Gleason
former District Attorney James H.,
Kelley, and District Attorney Welch,
rrosecuted the case. Jie jury retired
:t1u PL bt, Saturday night und did rot
‘Aree Upon a verdi:eunul 4 BP. ht. Sun-
vay, the court roum was croewdee, end
-hen the verciet was rercered a smile
ren over the race of the defendant end
ue gave each juror a ‘viand shake’ bu.
"here were no congratula:ions extended
by these Who h-u listened te the trial
from start to finish. ‘he prsover be-
fure attaching himself to the Sherif for
the retura trp to the jail, took out his
cigarette box and “lignted vp” with a
neart us light as a leather. Hac he
heena man ot emotional narure he would

ave certainly shed a tear Jor the lite:

he had taken in eoid bloed withoui any-
thing, to justify his action, but he is not
baitt Gn those lines and tenderness of;

tevling ts quite toreizn to his nature as |
shown by tis Conduct througaout the
trial, Whin te will have terved his
Pag termin the pernentiavy, Hie vill

have but tew charms for tim and it is

hot like'y he will ever visit the sce-.e of
his horrible crime. [tis Pernaps notin
iro-d taste to. eriticise the action of a
Jury, their verd.et may be mure severe
thar the elestrie ensir, and if uns is
Taedr consalation then let them be fied
The severiry of tie sentence, (17 years
at hard labor in the Western peniten-

Uury) by the Court, showed that he be-

sible should be meted cut to the pris-
oner. In 1867 a woman was executed
in Clearficid, because she had poisoned
her husband, who hed abused her; in
1914 a husbatd who deliberately, and
with malice etorethought, in the most
cowardly manner, fell his wife with a
bullet ard then stoou overher prostrate
form and sent two more iaiv her body
while she pleaded for mercey,is adjudged
not ‘*guiity of murder jn the first de-
gree."’ ‘Lhis case tried twice cost the
county $4,000, .

The following are the names of the
Jury who tried Huff in Dec., 1913, and
found him guilty of murder in’ the
first degree. ;

D. W. Wilev, Greenwood twp.

Jesse Fiegal, Houtzdale boro.

H. H Shankle, Union twp.

J. R. Ardary, Pike twp.

fF. C. Farewell, Curwensville boro.

John Burns, Grampien boro.

Ecwerd Mansell, Morris twp.

Milian Dasher, Bradford twp.”

‘Lhuinas L. Smith, Westover boro.

uyec Humell, Morris twp.

tcvert Shaw, C:e:arfield boro.

bey d Mevuily, Westover boro.

THE MADERA SENSATIONAL
MURDER.

Commonwealth Ne. 48, Dee. Sess,
vs _ 1918
Geremia Acitelli Indictment Murder

This, another Italian Case, carne from
Kigier township, when the defendant,
with a brain storrn, and a fit of angec
over alleged domestic tronbles, shot
wnd kilted Guido Aquintto, in his ewn
domicile on tbe 27th day of Novembe:,
1915. The defendant it seeins was a
matried man ard nad left his wife ut
fladera while he labored st some point
in Oviv. He sent ker money but couid
; not hear from her end he began to pet
; sUspivious and cane on to M.dera un-
enuenneed, and up u investigation
: lesrned some things that were nut fav-
, ocatle to the hignest aomestic sesic ty.
| Suspiciun puinted to Aquinetto us the
tan who hed gained his. wise’s offee-
ticn, end in a fic of ar.ger he tcok his
gua, which he had brought with him
acd shot the allceed ints ucer, and the
Court held and the jury found preme-
Gitation in the case, und a verdict of
‘first degree was found and he was the
‘first man to be sentenced te the elee-

trie chair from Clearfield county. It
is said that in the juil be sits in deep
‘melanctoiy and points w the electric
‘Jamp, indicating the menner cr his
coining death. Ex-Jucge Smith assist-

lieved that the severest ptnishment pos— ----

ed District Attorney Welch in the pro-
Secution and W. C. Miller and A. R.
ase were appointed to defend the
accused. The lawyers tried hard toy
apply the rule of “the unwritten law,,
ul it wouldn’t catch satisfactorily
and the prisoner must suffer the death
penalty, although there was rauca sym-
pathy expressed for him. The follow-
Ing jury sat in this case:

SAK. Askey, Sandy township,

James Conley, Cvalport borough,

A'fred Weiszarbor, Brady fwp.,

H. C, Irwin, Lawrence township,

Ed Sunderland, Bell township,

Cc. W Cald-vell, Lumber City boro.,

P. Cy Gates, Cvalporc borough,

J. W. Svbert, Wescover borough,

A. J. Plezal, Morris township,

Chas. P. Nelson, Lawrence jownship,

J. L. Pearce, Bradford township.
They retired on Saturday morning,
Feb. 2), at 9:49, and did not return a
verdicr until Su iday m orning.

The defendant Was sentenced on
April 27th, to be elee trocuted. = This
Case cost the county $3,600.

se =

| hours deliberation.

Jesse Irwin, Pike twp,

J. R. Scott, Penn twp.

E. B. McCallister, Dulois boro,

James Gray, Morris twp.

David H. Hartraan, Deeatur twp.

Jonn Bowman, Knox twp.

J. A. Adams, Beevaria twp.

Frank Leach, Curwensviile boro.

Ifcrry Leathers, Curwensville boro.

Wiiliam Vallemont, Cooper twp.

Woedward Hall, DuBois boro.

The Court appointed A. L. Cole ard
W. C. Miller to defend the prisoner and
A. M, Liveright and William I. Swoope
Were: appointed to assist District At-
torney Welch in the prosecution. a.
motion was made for a new trial whics
motion has not yet been disposed of.
The cost to the county in this case was
$2,000. +

THE KARTHAUS TOWNSHIP
MURLER.
Commonwealth ) No. 50, May Session,
( 1914,

ws.
Clayton Moston \ Indictment, Murder.
The trial! of Clayton Hoston, accused

THE MURDER OF A BEAU-:
TIFUL }?TALIAN GIRL.

cilia i
Commonwealth j No. 51 May Ferm, 1914 |
vs. .

Poilip Cimo. ) Inchetment, Murder.

This murder ovcurre! on Sunday,
Mareh 82h, 19]4. on (nied street, in the
Boroagh of Cteirfied, and was premedi-
tated and del beraie. Miss Marie Bur-
Zoke, a hana vne youne Italian girl,
had known the defend :nt in Italy where !
they had become engaged ty be married
and Ph.lip came to this cvuntry and
labored until be had earned and saved
considerable money, when he sent for
Mane and she came ou to Cleartield. A
few weeks had pussed an} Pnilio pro-
posed marriage but tne girl seemed in
different, and later refv-ed jo marry
Philip. This seemed to vork on his |
mind and he procured a revolver and on |

this fatal Sunday morning at about 10!
A. M., he visited the home of his broth- |
er, Where the girl was stopping. They |
were alone in the kitchen talking mat-

ters over an-J it seems the girl told him |
that she was Boing to retura to her na-!
tive country, whereupon he pulled the,
revulver from his pseket ung shot her

and thea turned the gua on himself but

failed to more than wound himself and!
recovered in the hospita!, when he wasi
removed to jail and tried aj, the May |
term cf court. The girl died in the

hospital the day following the murder,

viz.: March 9th, at 4:40 Pv, The fol-
lowing Jury found him guiity of murder
in tne first desree after “shout eight

of murder in the fIrst degree for the
killing ef James Lunkle, at Cataract,
on the mourning ot Sunday. April 19th,
bexan before Judge Dell Monday after-
nocn, May 25. District Attorne

‘Yelcn was assisted by James H. Kelle

and H. A. ‘urray. The prisoner’.
counsel brought in a plea of self de-

|fense in urder to save the life of the

negro on the plea that he is- an epilep-
tic. fe wes defended by James Glez
son and John M, Urey.

Yne murcer was committed at
dance amoung the young element at Ca:
aract, where the young and mide
agedcomingle freely. There was
dance at one of the houses Saturd::
night, April 18th, and the particivant
continued the orgies until m/‘dnigt
Saturday. Hoston, a negro, helped :
furnish the music for the dancers I
had been a resident of Clearfield
some years, coming here to work

{the railroad from Virginia. Jam

Dunkle was one of the dancers and
said to have been a telegraph opera:
residing at Keating. While he w
talking to another person after a dan-
had finished {luston is said to ha:
slinped np behind him and slashed hi
across the stomach with a knife or rz:
er. Dunkle fell to the floor and la
Was carried into a hallway, where
lay until he died, some fifteen min:
after he wascut. No more atten:
was paid to him than if he had been
stuck pig. Hoston, after the attacx
Dunkle, started to runaway, but a1
named Burtield seized a 22 caliber r
ane shot the fleeing negro twice in”
back. Hoston was held until a cor

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 397
sentenced him to the Western penitentiary for twenty years. After serv-
ing about fifteen years of his term he was paroled.

Milovar Kovovick was hanged in the rotunda of the jail by Sheriff
C. E. Carothers on September 8, 1904, in the presence of a large number
of people. He went to his death chanting, “Oh farewell, everything in
this world, so dear.’

On the morning of February 22, 1904, the body of Moss Bay, a negro,
was found lying in a pool of blood in a narrow passage on the south side
of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, on Brookside Avenue, Washington.
Suspicion pointed to another negro, named James Callihan, who had
charged Bay with intimacy with Mrs. Callihan. He was arrested and
placed on trial before Judge J. A. MclIlvaine on May 18, 1904, and on
May 20th, a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree was returned.
He was sentenced by Judge McIlvaine on May 25th.

Callihan was hanged by Sheriff C. E. Carothers on October 4, 1904,
on the same scaffold on which George Ward, James Jones, and Milovar
Kovovick had been executed.

The murder of Mrs. Mary E. Pearce and her three children in their
home in Cecil Township, on Sunday afternoon, July 29, 1906, was the most
horrible ever committed in Washington County. Samuel D. Pearce, a well
known oil pumper, resided with his family in Cecil Township, just north
of Canonsburg. Besides his wife there were three children, Margaret
Esther Pearce, aged four years; Robert Edward Pearce, aged three years,
and Dwight Pearce, aged six months. ;

On Sunday, July 29th, Miss Nancy Pearce, of Burgettstown, spent the
day with her brother, Samuel, and his family. Late in the afternoon,
Mr. Pearce left the house with his sister, to take her to the train at
Canonsburg. He was gone less than two hours, and as he came within
sight of his home he knew that something was wrong, as no smoke came
- from the chimney; and his wife should have been cooking supper.

Hastening to the house he found the front door unlocked, and the
kitchen door standing wide open. He found his two children lying in
front of the fireplace, his wife stretched out on the floor, and the baby
lying in its crib, all fatally shot. The fiend who had committed the deed
had set fire to the house to conceal his crime, and after extinguishing this,
Mr. Pearce hastened to Alexander Thompson’s house, his nearest neighbor.
The mother, daughter, and infant were dead, but the son, Edward, was
still living, but he died two weeks later.

The news spread quickly, and in a short time parties of enraged men
were scouring the country. Suspicion quickly fell upon Elmer Dempster,
a young negro, who was very active in the man hunt, and he was arrested
that night. The evidence against him was very strong, and he finally
confessed. He had gone to the Pearce home to rob it, but when he was
discovered by Mrs. Pearce he turned on her with a revolver he had found
in the house, and in blind fear he wiped out the entire family of four.

He was placed on trial before J udge J. F. Taylor on September 3, 1906.
The evidence against him was overwhelming. The case was given to the
jury the next afternoon at 2:15 o’clock, and in less than fifteen minutes
a verdict of guilty of murder was returned, the jury having taken only

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 395
murderers extended across the ocean to England, and attracted interna-
tional attention when Detective Thomas R. McQuaide brought two of them
back to Washington County for trial.

On the morning of September 25, Mr. Ferguson, accompanied by
Charles T. Martin, his bookkeeper, drove to Washington and drew $3,600
from the First National Bank, and then started back to the camp not far
from West Middletown. They reached the latter place, and had started
on the last lap of their journey. As they were driving over a small stone
culvert, at the foot of Seminary Hill, one mile north of West Middletown,
a charge of dynamite was exploded. Ferguson was killed and Martin was
so badly injured that he lay between life and death for a long period. A
hole ten feet long and four feet deep, was torn in the road, and stones
were hurled hundreds of feet. The falling stones and explosion attracted
the attention of Lewis Liggett, a farmer working in a near by field, and
when he went to investigate he met a man leaving the scene of the ex-
plosion, carrying a satchel. The man made his escape, and Mr. Liggett
went to see what had occurred.

He spread the alarm and in a short time hundreds of people had gath-
ered. Searching parties were soon scouring the country, and for days
every corner of that section of the county was carefully searched, and
word was telegraphed to every town and city in the land. An abandoned
coal mine with tracks leading into it was searched, together with every
other conceivable hiding place, but the murderers had made good their
escape.

A copper wire was found leading from the scene of the explosion to a
tree, where a battery and an old shotgun, with a home-made stock were
found; and these proved eventually valuable clues. A person standing
behind this tree would have a good view of the road for a quarter of a
mile in each direction, but could not be seen himself.

The county commissioners offered $1,000 and the Ferguson Construc-
tion Company $5,000 additional for the capture of the murderers; and this
stimulated the search. Finally, after several days of fruitless hunting,
the quest was abandoned, and the officers decided that they must look
elsewhere. Men were arrested on suspicion by the police in many cities in
the land, but none of them proved to be the men wanted.

During this period, while others had been scouring the land, Thomas R.
McQuaide, superintendent of detectives of Pittsburgh, had been working
quietly on the case. One morning the entire country was electrified by
Superintendent McQuaide’s announcement that at least two of the mur-
derers were on the high seas, bound for England. He had traced them
to New York, but by changing their names and sailing on another vessel
than the one for which they had purchased tickets, they had eluded the
police.

Superintendent McQuaide, in his search, learned that Milovar Kovo-
vick and Milovar Pattrovick, two natives of Croatia, a crown province of
Austria, had been seen on the Southside, Pittsburgh, with plenty of money.
They had purchased some clothing, and a draft for $2,000 on a town in
Croatia. He had followed this up, and learned that Kovovick had worked
for the Ferguson Construction Company during the summer, and had
had charge of the batteries used in exploding dynamite.

398 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

one ballot. This stands as a record for first degree murder verdicts in
Pennsylvania. Dempster was sentenced at once by Judge Taylor.

Elmer Dempster was executed for this murder in the rotunda of the
jail on January 17, 1907, by Sheriff Thomas M. Pentecost. He went to
his death without a feeling of sympathy from anyone.

The last man hung in Washington County was Jan Ribarick, an Aus-
trian, who murdered three people at Alexander Place, adjoining Canons-
burg, on December 18, 1911. He and his daughter, Antoinette Ribarick,
lived in the second floor of a house at Alexander Place, the first floor being
occupied by Mike Novak and his wife, Matavi. Living with them was a
boarder named Frank Stavanijo.

Ribarick made an improper proposal to his daughter, which she re-
sented, and when she told Mrs. Novak about it, the latter advised the girl
to sleep with her. The daughter did so, and this incensed Ribarick very
much. He accused Mrs. Novak of coming between him and his daughter,
and declared that he would have revenge.

On December 18, 1911, he purchased a new revolver, and then got
drunk. The day before he had told his daughter that she had just twenty-
four hours more to live, and as soon as he went home he entered the Novak
kitchen to carry out his threat. Drawing the weapon he told the daughter
he would shoot Mrs. Novak first and then her turn would come. The
older woman had her back turned and was stooping over a stove, when
he shot her. He then turned to his daughter and fired but missed her
and she fled out of the door. When Mike Novak appeared, Ribarick killed
him, and fatally wounded the boarder, Frank Stavanijo.

Ribarick was arrested immediately, and on February 21, 1912, was
placed on trial before Judge J . F. Taylor for the triple murder. He seemed
very indifferent during the entire trial, except when he saw his daughter.
He blamed her for his trouble, and would have nothing to do with her.
At sight of her he flew into a terrible rage, and when she visited him in
the jail he would curse her.

The case was given to the jury at 2:40 o’clock in the afternoon of Feb-
ruary 22nd, and at 3 o’clock the jury brought in a verdict of first degree
murder, after having taken only one ballot. He was sentenced imme-
diately by Judge Taylor.

Ribarick had committed a murder in Austria. It seems that a Gypsy
woman was at his home telling fortunes. She told Mrs. Ribarick that
her husband was not true to her, and in a rage Ribarick struck her on the
head with a club, killing her instantly. He served eighteen months in
prison and then came to America.

Ribarick was hanged in the Washington County jail by Sheriff Rob-
ert G. Lutton, on June 11, 1912, in the presence of a small number of
people. He refused to see his daughter to the last, even before he went
on the scaffold. Just before the execution the rites of the Catholic church
were carried out by the Rev. Father A. Rudnicki, of Pittsburgh.

The murder of Cecelia Funka, an eighteen-year-old German girl, near
Manifold, on Saturday, August 3, 1912, is another mystery that has never
been cleared, and probably never will be. About 10:30 o’clock that morn-
ing she left the home of her father, August Funka, at Manifold, and
started for Washington to exchange a wrapper for her mother at Cald-

396 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Word was cabled to England, and on October 21st the British officers
went on board the vessel at Southampton and arrested both men, who had
$1,200 with them. They were placed in prison to await extradition pro-
ceedings. While the men were on the ocean steps were taken here for
their extradition, and everything was carefully carried out, so that there
would be no hitch, for the laws of England are very strict in this respect.
Governor Pennypacker signed the papers on October 22nd, and a week
later they were filled out in Washington, D. C.

Armed with the necessary papers, Superintendent McQuaide and De-
tective Richard Kelly sailed for England. Arriving on November 12th,
they went direct to London, and the next day met the men in prison. On
November 21st, the men were arraigned before Magistrate Fenwick, and
the extradition was granted, but in compliance with English law they were
remanded to jail for fifteen days to permit of an appeal. No appeal was
taken, and on December 9th, the officers sailed from England with their
prisoners, arriving in New York on December 17th, and on the 19th the
prisoners were lodged in the Washington County jail.

The case was called before Judge J. F. Taylor on February 15, 1904,
and a severance was granted. The trial of Kovovick was taken up at once.
Lewis Liggett testified that the man he saw leaving the scene of the
crime with the satchel was not Kovovick, and the defense tried to prove
an alibi. It was shown that Kovovick had worked for Ferguson, and hav-
ing had charge of the batteries, knew where they were kept. He had
been seen in the vicinity of the camp the day before the murder, and that
night the chest containing the batteries was broken into and one stolen.
The old shotgun with the home-made stalk found behind the tree was
shown to have been owned by’the prisoner.

The case was given to the jury at 2:45 o’clock in the afternoon of Feb-
ruary 20th, and at 4:25 the jury returned a verdict of murder in the first
degree. On February 29th, Judge Taylor sentenced Kovovick to be hanged.
A motion for a new trial was refused, and the case was carried to the
Supreme Court, but the lower court was sustained.

Milovar Pattrovick was placed on trial before Judge Taylor on May 23,
1904. The defendant claimed that he met Kovovick at Jefferson, Ohio,
after the murder, and there was considerable testimony to show that he
had had no part in the affair. The case was given to the jury at 5 o’clock
on the afternoon of May 27, 1904, and a verdict was returned on Sunday,
May 29th, at 10 o’clock in the morning. This was the first time that a
verdict had been taken by the local court on a Sunday for many years.

After all hope was gone Kovovick made a confession in which he de-
clared that Pattrovick had not taken any part in the murder. He de-
clared that it had been committed by himself and three others named
Joseph Buckovic, Nikola Katic, and Pero Barac. He charged Buckovic
with making the plans for the robbery and murder, and declared that it
was the latter who had exploded the dynamite. They met in a tunnel
after the murder, and that night walked around, hiding the next day in
the Gillespie tunnel. After dividing the money they separated. The
others escaped immediately to Europe, but Kovovick remained in this
country for a short time, and this led to his detection.

Pattrovick was refused a new trial, and on June 6, 1904, Judge Taylor

Royle , Me Cohan, Troart ty, Grreolf

Duty , Munley were. Auns, at
Pottsville, Penns on June Al, (§77
for murder £& terroris™%

Mi thiel Doyle, Edward Kelly ,
Alexender Campell and Jeha
Donahue were uns at Mausch,
Chunk, Penn. on June A, (§77
fer terrorism.

Andrew Lenchin Wis huns at
wilkes barve, Peun. on Jane 2f, (§77

fos murder. (Lideene Co.)

Dennis Domelly wes Aesrged ot
Pottsville, Penn. or Fit, /§75
fer error ism and murder.

John Keloe was hanged at
Pottswille, Penn. on Det: (S (878

Lor murder £ terroviSm

Tances McDonell and one
Sharpe hun at Mauch Chunk
Penn. on Jan. 14, 1879 Poy

terrorism b murder.

Marth Berain was hanced at
Pottsville, Deon. on Ton tL, (S79
Poe morder & tecvoriSm.

Thomas Curley Was huny at
Norvistown, Penn. on Sept 10,

1877 fue muv dering Mary
Ann Whe Hy Ge

Potrick Hester, Peter Me Hug h
and Patrick Tully were all hung
at Bloomsburs, Penn, on March

AS, |878 fr terrorism £ murder
Columbia Co “al

Themes Fisher was hanged at
Mauth Chunk, Penn. on March

28, 1£78 Por terrorism b murder,

Patrick Quigley Wes hanged af
Phi ladephve on May 4, (X77

fie murderihe he's wife,

Cece Fletcher wes hung on
June Il, 1877 for murdering

2 eg paeley on Nove 5, (§75.
At Phil elphi., Penn.

Frank Wilgon was hanaed at
Harrisburg, Penn, on July I, (877
For morderivs John Rudy in

June of (876.

have plenty of money and without
any visible means of support. The
condemned man was the possessor of
a large revolver or gun, and with this
Le committed the terrible crime. On
the afternoon of Sept. 29, the negro,
“Black Spot’, who had told “Betty
Friday” that he must g0 away from
there and had no money, went with
some of his worthless companions to
DuBols and expressed his grip to

Cleveland, O. Later he was seen
tear the scene of the crime in com-
pany with a negro named Boas. An!
Austrian laborer, named Frank
Gherardi, had a conversation with
the condemned, who was in company }
with others and who took occasion |
to speak in vile terms of the Italiaa,
Ralph Williamson, whom he after.
wards murdered. Shortly atterwards |
tbis Austrian heard two shots and !
ran in thé direction from which they |
came. He found the Italian jin a dy- |
ing condition and saw three negros |
running away. The cruel Manner in!
which the killing was done is given |
in his confession. which follows. He}
escaped. and traveled with his com-
pavion, “Little Al”, forty miles over
the mountains to Driftwood, where |
he was captured. All the Others im- j
Plicated in the crime have so far es-!
caped. He was tried at February
term of court, 1904, Judge Patton, of
Armstrong county, Specially presid-:
ins. He was ably defended by Smith |
V. Wilson ang A. L. Cole. Distric
Attorney -Swoope - conducted the
brosecution alone. ‘Subsequently |
Judge Patton overruled the metion
for a new trial and upon his: reasons
filed, the case was appealed to the
Supreme Court, which tribunal!
Promptly affirmed the lower court
The Governor early in July set Sept
Ist as the day of execution, and is-
Sued the death warrant. When the
Prisoner found that all hope had
gone, he sent for Deputy Sheriif
Carlisle and dictated to him the fol-
lowing confession, which is evidence
that he is a very deserving subject
for the punishment the lay has met-
ed out for those who kill.
HIS CONFESSION:

“Clearfield Jail, May 23, 1904, 11:30
P.M.

“At tho above stated time and
Place Henry Fitch, alias J. W. Wil-
liams, aliag “Black Spot”, called for!
me to come to his cell. When I went |
he called me to him and asked me to
do some writing. He had as already ,
Printed on a slip of paper as follows: |

‘Black Spot’, better known as J. W.
Williams—but my right name {s

Henry Fitch, of Nelson county, Vir-
ginia. My father’s name was Wood-
son Fitch. I left my happy home in
1891 and. went to West Virginia and
the first sin I did was to shoot.’
(Here the printed statement ended
and dictation began). At Red Star
W. Va., I shot a colored man. Was
locked up 21 days and was released
for want of evidence. The man dic].
Was out four days and shot Judge
Liverpool, and was locked up in Fay-
ette county jail. In nine weeks I
broke out of jail, with 20 others. This
was in the fall of 1900. Came to
Bellevernon, Pa., went from there tu
McKee’s Rocks, Fa., then to Chicora.
Pa., and shot a tramp in a box ear
and put a colored man's eye out with
a 45-calibre Colt’s revolver. Went
back to McKee’s Rocks, then to Chic-
ora in April, 1903. :

“Worked at Shaft No. 2, DuBois;
went. from DuBois to little Washing-
ton, Pa., and came back to DuBois in
three days. The story cf the shoot-
ing wt Little Washington is untrue,

“On the night of the killing of
Williamson, a man named Boas, Al
Miller and Stone Cotter, all colored,
and myself were talking, and A. Mil-
ler said: ‘Let us go to DBetty’s’ (mean.
ing Black Betty’s place.) I said xO
akead and Boas and I will be along
after while. And after Miller and
Cotter loft, Boas and I started and
got rear to the railroad dump.

I.asked Boas if he thought that
fellow had any money. Boas said I
Gcr’t know, but we will go ahead and

|see. We went up and went near the

fellow. He was pulling up ties on the
dump. I told Boas that I would
throw the gun cn him and he should
go threugh him TI walked up to him
end said; John, have you gota match?
He said ‘No, I no gotta.
T throwed the gun on him and

Poas tried to catch him, He cut at
36as with a knife and I shot; the

‘first to bluff him. He Made fer me

with the knife and the next time 1
shot to stop him. Poas ran when the
first shot was fired. I have never
seen him since. I started to run aud
Zot to Betty’s, and left there as soon
as I ceuld get Al Miller to ecme down
stairs,

“T have always denied the killing
of this man until today. Only the
two of us were there.

“T have six bullet wounds on me
that T gat in as many fishts, and I
have also shot several men thet IT
have not made mention of,

“Henry Fitch. alias J. W. Williams.

“Harry M. Carlisle, Deputy Sheriff”

age 16,

}

county, served some time in the *
Spanish Ameyican War} Came to *
Cleartield, four years before the *
Murder; aud engaged {y pursuits *
of co:nmoa labor; after the kill- ?
Ing he was tried at December *
court, found guilty of murder in *
the first dezree on Saturday *
morning, December Lith, 4912, =
The story as to'd in the trial of *
the case follows. His case later *
taken to Supreme Court; _‘was:*
twice before the Board of Pardons *
but no clemency was granted *
and the exedaticn ‘followed at *
e

“fe ee enenean tee neenveas

The trial and conviction of John O.
Keeler, charged with the murder of
Joseph W. Roessner, on the 14th day
of September, was the principal fea-
ture of our criminal court, beginning
Monday, Dee. 11, 1912. The case was
called on Tuesday morning and the
greater part of the day was occupied
in the selection of a jury, seventy men
of the panel havinz been cailed and
examined on their Voir-Dire and cha!-
longed before twelve good and lawful
men were agree] upon. The trial
closed at 6 o'clock on Thursday even-
ing the jury retired to consider a ver-
dict. The court took a recess until
11 o’clook but when that hour arriv-
ed the jury kad not agreed and the
court Was adjourned until 9 o’elcrk
Vriday morning. When court orencd
the jury was at variance and asxo]
for mcre specific instructions cn whet
constitutes murder in first degree and
what in the sesond degree. They
then retired and in one hour arrived

at a conclusicn and returned a vor-.

dict of murder in the firs degree.
When the first ballot was taken on
Thursday evening it stood nine for
conviction in the first dezree and
three for conviction in the second de-
gree. Probably fifty ballots follow
ed without change. After receiv! $
further instructions on Friday morn-
ing the 2nd ballot stcoa ten to two,
che 4th ballot stocd eleven to one and
the Sth ballot twelve for conviction
in the first degree any} the verdict
Was so received by the court in the
presence of the Attorneys and the
defendant who was as caln) and com-
fosed as a morning star.

On Saturday morning A. M. Liver-

. Tight made a motion for a-new trial

fling with the court the usyal reasons
and summing up a few assignments

V3.

Keeler, was a native of Centre $f

.JORN O. KEELER

of error which will de Passed upon
by the court oa Monday mornin: o
; Next week and it is presumed that iz
ithe motion for a new trial is overru:-
ed that Keeler will be semienced art
tho time.

The following are the namcs ant
residences .of the twelve men ints
; WhoSe hands the late Kesler fe]:

Curtis Wall, laborer, Penn town-
ship. William Stan:ey, miner, Gulie
; township. David Lonaidson, min: ry,
| Dubois. Geo. Gilletic, watchman, Ma.
| haifey. George Peacock, miner, !
; port. Blair Summerville, farne?,
Westover. IF. M. Timlin, Merchant,
Sandy township. Philip Lucas, niin-
er, Cooper township. H. A. Gorman
farmer, Burnside township. Joan Fox,
clerk, Curwensville. Harry Show, eas
builder, Osceola. Perry Grown, farin-
er, Lawrence township,

R. A. Knarr and H. L. Smith were
appointed special officers to tata
charge of the jury. District Attornes
Kelly, A. H. Woodward, W. A. Haz---
ty, Singleton Bell, and A. L, Cols,
conducted the case for the commen.
wealth and W. C. Miller, and A. MM.
Liveright were appointed by the court
to defend the prisoner whieh the;
Gid with fidelity and abilit:.

The story of the herriste erima
has already been told in the JOURNAL
but as developed at the trial is thes
briefly told. The Clearfield Drew: p
late in the month of August had von.
into the Union with new schadule of
wages, time and government. T
management had the right to re
any one of its employes at pleas ;
By the provisions of the Union there
Was time and ‘half time, the latter
applying to work over the seale, Sc
Tew days before the murder Keol-
er had asked for kis overtine and
was told the bookkeeper would have
it adjusted by Friday evening, Sent.
13, which was dene and when Keote:
‘called he rronounced it satisfactory
an@ a check was drawn for the
amount. Friendly words passed be-
tween him and Mr. Roessner’and Mr.
Roessner told him that he was tetr-
rorarily suspended for want of work.
He had been in the employ of | the
company for nearly two years, Ho
went to the Leonard House, got his
check cashed, and without goiny home
took a train for Duets. Tle met some
of the officers of the Duto'ts Brewers
Union and told them of the story of
his discharge and asked for alvice
in the premises. He was told thot
he must settle his own troubles as

will be made there today.

Clearfield town took on an unusuai
aspect for the day of the exeoutioa.
Witnesses, jurymen, county officials
and curiosity seckers from all over
the county arrived in town early and
found the execution to be the citi?
and only topic of conversation. Lovw-
ering clouds added to the gloom ut

During the morning hours Sher‘ff

McCloskey was kept busy answering
calls and vefusing applications for ari-;
Inission to tho execution. Sevorat!
were permitted to enter the jail dur-
ing the mourning but were not allowed
ty talk with Keeler and the other vris-

oners had been cut off from view by '

being within their cells.

The sheriff's twelve witnesses for
the execution were sworn in by Pro-
thorotary John H. Moore in the jai!
reception hall at 10:45 o’clock the
personnel being as follows: Con A!-
len, DuBois; R. W. Thompson, Clear:
field; Frank Laret, DuBois; Theo. 4.
Cramer, Clearfield; Conner O. Stull,
Clearfield; Charles M. Smith, Cur-
wensville; R. F. Whitmer, Madera: H
S. Gorman, Burnside; Greenwood '

Pell, Bell’s Landing; H. C. Stoddard,
2fadera; A. C. Hileman, Madera, ard
W, P. Wingert, Luthersdurg,

Shortly befor> the hanging, Rev.
Reeves made public the followfuy
statement, written to the public by
Keeler on Wednesday evening:

“Clearfield Jail, Clearfield, I’a., Jan.
14th, 1914.

“I have faith in God, and I havo
prayed to Him to forgivo me, and I

j} know He has done it. And I wish tu

say with a good heart that I have no
grudge azainst anyone, and forgive all
those who have wronged me.

‘““John O. Keeler.”

While the hanging will probably be
the Jast in this county, there are sev-
eral men who have cominitted murder
in this county, whom, if captured, con-
victed and sentenced to death, would
he.ve to be hanged, according to an

‘interpretation of the mew state law

expressed by ex-Judge Smith yester-
day morning, it being pointed out that
the murders were committed before
the iaw was passed last summer.

OT ee ee

THOMAS H, MURRAY

was born in 1845, in Girgrd township, entered: Dickinson Seminary at the age
of 17 years, graduated in 1867. Was admitted to the Clearfield bar in 1869. He
was the leading counsel] jn the Turner case for the Commonwealth, which case
went into history as the most celebrated criminal case in the annals of our
Courts. To Mr. Murray we’are intedebted for the portraits of Judges - Wood-
ward and Huston.. appearing in this book.

There were other murders in Clear-
field county where those committing
them, or~charged with committing
them,. were found guilty, but by rea-
son of the legal processes which follow
a conviction of murder, they never
suffered the death penalty. Prominent
among these was the murder of Mrs.
Maria hidps 20 of Wallaceton borough,
who was shot in the woods, one-half
mile from. the. village, en Nov. 83rd,
1876, and for which murder Martin
Turner was arrested, arraigned and
tried at the March term of Court, 1877,
and found guilty of murder in the first
degree. The following are the names
of the jurors who sat on that famous
case and rendered the yerdict aforesaid:

John Orr, New Washington borough.

James Ferguson, Ferguson township.

Michael. Kratzer, Covington twp.

Isase Wolf, Jordan township,

+ ~- Austin Lewis, Ferguson township.

Henry Pentz, Bloom township

David E. Bloom, Lawrence township.
George FE. Jones, Osceola borough.
Nicholas Martel, Covington cwp.
David S. Kephart, Decatur twp. :
F. W. A. Shultz: Decatur township.
Frank Wright, Beccaria township.
The trial began on the 19th day of
Match, 1877, and ended on April 3rd,
including Sunday... Judge Orvis pre-
sided-along with Hon. Abram Ogden
and Vincent B.- Holt,, Associates.
Thomas H. Murray was the leading
counsel for the prosecution and Senator
William Wallace for the defense. An
appeal was taken to the Supreme Court’
and argued before that body on the 9th,
10th, and 11th of January, 1873. The
Supreme Court ordered a new trial and
a change of venne was awarded.
The case was tried in Lock Haven, be-

fore Judge Charles Mayer, and the

defendant was acquitted.

Page 21,

they could not interfere. He spen

t {Settlements are nade and where beer

the night at the St. James hotel and]is served to employes) pushed his
made the rounds of Many bar rooms | way Past a number of persons who

both that night and the next day.

were there, and leaning against the

Some time before the train left for counter asked John Kirchner, who
Clearfield on Saturday, he went to a/happened to be behind the bar, for a
hardware store and purchased a Te-/}glass of beer and he was served burt
volver (the store where Purchase was] Mr. Kirchner noticed that he was

Tevolver was not Somewhat intoxicated and refused his

second request for a third glass of

: the con-|beer and passed the word to Carson,
tention of the commonwealth in the}]who had then come oa, not to give
effort to establish Premediated mur-]}him any more.

der.

The defend4nt, according to his own

Keeler heard this order and snecr-
ingly said “the less you say the bet-

statement, was in the Moose rooms at} ter it will be for you.” Kirchner not
DuBois just prior to leaving of the
train for Clearfield and in a bar room
a cme ac

eee a8
A Ml i SO a Sh a:

SHERIFF IRA C. McCLOSKEY.

Elected Nov. 4th, 1313, inducted into
. Office Jan. 5th, 1914 and ten days later
Wes calcd upon to execute John O

salys hile the duty was an un-
plecsant one all arrangements were

carefully and successfully carried oui. |

His father Edgar L. McCloskey, now
deceased, was Sheriff from i892 to
1895,
of the town, exhibited a revolver, in
rart remarking to a Mr. Holes that
he “was Going to ralse hell.”

On reaching Clearfield he remained
Upon the train until it reached the

Junction tracks at the bridge, a short |

distance below the brewery, when he
alighted from it and walked directly
to the brewery. Gathered in the bar

thinking smiled at his remark When
Keeler said that will be the last glass
you will give any one.” The less
you say the better it will be for you"
and smile and that will be your last
smile, give me five more minutes,”
and upon these declarations and oth-
er similar remarks made the Com
miouwealth built their case of pre-
imeditated murder while the defense
attempted to establish the fact that
Keeler did not know what he was
doing by reason of excessive intoxi-
cation, and to. aid this contention
Keeler testified to the fact that he had
no knowledge that he had done th»
shooting but the jury did not beliey.
him.

: On crouss-examination Mr. Kireaner
said he stopped the beer of Keeler
because of what he had heard from
me cther men as to Keeler maxinz
tnreits and not because of his condi
ti.n.

W. I. Swails, engineer at the brew-
ery, told'of Keeler telling him not to
touch him, saying: “don’t touch ve.
I am a bad man; I am going to do
something bad after while,” F. F.
Shruig, who was in the tap room,
beard him say to Rowles, “there'll be
trouble, don’t interfere, I’m a bad
rian.” iAnd many other witness:s
called by the Commonwealth testified
to threats made by Keeler. Judo
Smith made an exhaustive and im-
partial charge to the jury, at the ccu-
jectusion of which the jury filed ont
jto deliberate. ;

Yhey remained out all night and
returned to the court room at 9.00
o'clock next morning for niore sp cific
jinstructions returning again they re-
turned at a few minutes of 12
iCclo.k ‘with “Murder In First I
' pree,” Keeler’s attorneys made ‘the

usual motion for arrest of jrdziment
ipenling motion for a new teal and
;the usual time was given to file the
| tnotion. It is not likely Keeler will

room of the brewery (a place where | be sentenced for a few weeks, He

Pag

2 18.

Bas taken back to jail. The Jury
Waz o'scharged with thanks oc the
Court

Story of Nis Execution.

The following 13 the story of his ex-
ecution as told in the DuBois Courier
of Jan. 16th, 1914—andg which closed
the carzer of a wicked njan until the
very s2St Moment of his life:

“Ween you are ready, let ’er go. A’!
I have to say is boodgye gentlewen.”

Within two seconds after he had ut-
tered the above words from the gal-
lows In the corridor of the county jai!
at Clearfield shortly after eleven
o'clock yesterddy Morning, John Oo.
Keeler, murderer of Joseph Roessner,
the Clearfield brewer on the afternoon
of Saturday, September 14, 1912. haa
closed bis eyes upon the world ror-
ever. And within ten seconds after
that he had plunged to Eternity, for
Sheriff Ira J. MeClosxey and his corps
of carefully trained assistants had
quickly and deftly adjusted the black
¢ap and noose and pulled the lever
that released the trap doors,

A most remarkable display cf nerve
upon the part of the condemned man,
ard almost equally Temarkable speed
in carrying out the executfon were the
features most evident to the three
£core of persons who Were permitted
to look upon what Will probably (al-
though not necessarily) be Clearfield
county’s last lezal hanging.

Kecler had remained awake until
late Wednesday nightina long session
with his Spiritual adviser, Dr. E. Cc.
Peeves of the First’ Presbyterian
church, cf Clearfield, ang when he
Cid retire it was to roll and toss in
his bunk-most of the night. But he
arose early yesterday morning and
feemed to be relieved at the close ap-
Proach of his death. He attired him-
self in a new suit of black clothes
and after cating a breakfast of boiled
esss, toast, steak and coffec, receiv-
ed Dr, Reeves who remajned with hin
to the end.

It was originally Intended to hold
the execution at ten o'clock but Sher-
{ff McCloskey decided to delay it an
hour to Permit some witnesses to ar-
Tive from the southern end of the
county. When Keeler learned of th's
ke ordered an orange. which he ate
With a relish then smoked a cigar,

It was exactly 11:00 o'elock whea
all Preliminary arrangements had
been completed and Sheriff McCloskey
entered tho condemned man’s cell
and announced that the time had ar-

Lived... Keeler received tho. last rites,

from the minister ang at 11:04 o'clock

tho march from hlz cell on the upper *
tler commenced. The sheriff led the
Way, Keeler and Deputy John S. Chap.
lin following and Sherif Georse ff.
; Jeffries, of Indiana county, and his
deputy, Harry C, Williams, forinerly
of this town, came behind. The pro-
cession moved briskly around the
upper tier of cells to the back of th2
_corridor where tho gallows stood and
descended to the platform, which was
Six feet about the floor. Keeler, abon:

5 feet 7 inches tall and about tw
Pounds lighter than the 180 he weizh-
ed when he entered the jail walked
With a sprightly step that was almost
unbelievable. Only his face showed]
signs of the strain that he must hare
been undergoing. It was ashen, per-
haps from his long term in jail.
Sheriff Jeffries directed him to a po-
sition over the trap doors and aft-r
looking up at the noose, he looked
down upon the crowd and spying Dr.
A B. Cowdrick, who had attended him
Several times, smileg and nodded to
him, his face lighting up considerably,
While this was going on Sheriff Me-
_Closkey adjusted the ankle straps an
Deputy Chaplin the knee Straps. Tne
hands had been strapped before the
,aarch started.
| Sheriff McCloskey then asked “Do
‘you have anything to say John?” and
Keeler replied “No sir, nothing now,
J have said all I have to say. When
you are ready, let ’er go. All I-havea
to say is goodbye gentlemen.” In a
sccond Sheriff Jeffries had pulled the
clack cap over his head and Deputy
| Williams put the noose around — the
Peck and the knot under the left ear.
Siving a signal to Sheriff McCloskey
who sprung the trap. This was ex-
actly at 11:05:15, one minute and fif-
teen seconds after the mareh from
the cell started.

The body shot straight down to with-
in two feet of the floor, dropping it
inches. Ono slight shrug of the
shoulder was the only visible sign of
life thereafter. The attending phr-
siclans immediately took positions te
Make their tests and it was just
11:16:44 when they declared the man
dead. Examination showed’ the new
had been broken. It had taken 11
minutes and 29 seconds, but the body
was Icft banging for ten minutes more
befcre the “ooso was removed end
the bedy turned over to Undertaker
FC. Leavy. The public was not ner
mitred to view the remains.

The remains wero propared fer
burial and last evening were shipped
to the home of the yictim’s mother 97%
iFranklin street, Williamsport. Burial

ve 19,

The ministers were with the condemn-
ed man and his last momentg were
spent in prayer.

At half past one o'clock the jury,
the ministers and a few others march-
ed to the gallows. At their head
walked Sheriff Mahaffey and Sheriff
Junkle, of Center County followed by
Nevling supported by Rev. Leidy.
Tho prisoner walked with a firm step
and free hands. He ascended the steps
of the grim monster without a falter,
ereceded by the Sheriff and followed
ay Revs. Leidy and Bean. He betray-
cd no sign of nervousness unless it
night be found in the fact that he
‘rasped his moustache and gave either
nd a twirl as he looked from one
‘hair to the other, as if waiting to be
old which one he should take. The
sheriff motioned to the middle chair

od the ministers took those upon
ither side, but the three almost im-
ieciately knelt down and Rey. Leidy |
ittered a fervent and effecting prayer |
tanking God for His mercy and good-!
ess and asking his help jn this hour !
€ trial. They arose and with a part-!
ag word to the doomed man and a|
ast shake of his hand left the gallows. |
tev. Hicks hastened up the steps and
vas met by Nevling, who took a step
orward, with his right hand extended.
fe then turned with his face toward !
lose assembled in frunt and rested |
is left hand against one of the pos‘s
vhile the sheriff removed the chairs.
lis face as he stood there was ag
alm as if already rigid jn death.
suffering and sorrow were written
or those who swore falsely against
ipon its every lineament, but it un-
lerwent no change before the gaze of
he awe stricken crowd below. The
sheriff approached him and laying his

'
'

‘and upon his shoulder said: “Well,
fack, if you have anything to say,
ou can say it now.”
HIS LAST WORDS:
The doomed man straightened him-
elf up and stood erect under the
i00se Which dangled above his head.
‘or a moment his lips did not move,
he chilling wind blew in fitful gusts
bout him and the crowd was almost
‘Treathless for fear of losing a single
rord. He then began in a firm voice:
“Gentlemen, you have all come to
Ce me “executed” (Just at this mo-
tent the wind blew so loudly that it
impozsible to hear his words).
fe then said ! “Some of you cme to
mie and asked my pardon but I see
you here to-day with bright faces
and sparkling eyes to see me exe-
cuted, but Iam ready. The devil put
‘ft into my power to take My own

Pern

“life but God is my father and I put
“the devil off. During the speaking
of these words he had thrust his left
hand into an inside pocket in the right
side of his coat, where it remained
until he said,

“HE GAVE ME A DAGGER”

“that I might take my own life and
“here it is!” As he uttered these
words he drew a damgerous looking
knife from his pocket and held it up
that it might be seen, and while the
crowd was breathless at such a sight,
the feelings of the Sheriff, who stood
alone upon the gallows with the pris-
oner, can be better imagined than
described,
“But,” he continued, “I don’t want it,”
and he took it in his right hand and
with some excitement threw it at his
feet where it stuck upright in the
floor of the gallows. It quivered in
@ manner that showed with what
strength it was thrown. Pointing to
:t with his right hand he said with
emphasis, “The devil gave me that
dagger.” (Here the Sheriff steppcd
forward and picked it up and handed
it to one of the jury men), .“They
thought they had disarmed me, but
“with all their searching they didn’t
“find that’, He then expressed his
forgiveness of all men and his readi-
ness to die. With the words, ‘That
is all I have to say,” he turned and
kneeled at the side of the gallows
uttered in an audible voice a prayer
to God for his goodness, and asked
forgiveness not only for himself bat
him. It was a strong evidence of his
faith in the merey of God, when he
said “Oh Lord I trust thee,” and his
prayer visibly affected many of those
who looked upon the solemn scene.
He stepped to the centre of the fatal
trap and stood erect with folded arms,
and as the Sheriff took hold of his
hands and buckled them behind his
back and buckled his feet together
there was no change in his counten-
ance nor a tremor in his body. As
his face disappeared within the black
cap there was still no visible change.
The noose was hastily yet carefully
adjusted;the Sheriff quietly moved ‘off
the platform and almost before those
who looked on were expecting it
there was a dull thud and the terrible
scene was over.

The Sheriff was visibly affected
and as he sprung the trap he turned
his head away and did not look back
for some minutes.

Doctors Burchfield, Kane ana
Sweeney pronounced life extinct in

about eleven minutes, and an examin-

ation after the body was in the cofli
showed that the neck had been broke
by the fall o

managed by Sheriff Mahaffey,
this is all the more coniforting w
We read of some of the bungling af-j
flee which took place upon the same!
ay.

The knife or dagger, mentioned
above was a large sized case knife
with a japanned iron handle. The
Point had been hollowed out on top,
beginning back about 1 1-2 inches,
in the shape of a dagger and the
lower edge curved up to meet it. The
extreme point and both edges were
extremely sharp and would shave the
skin of the finger almost like a razor,
There have never been any knives of
that description about the jai] and
besides that the marks of the grind-
stone were plainly visible upon the
tlade. How it came into the posses-
sion of Nevling is only a matter of
conjecture as the secret died with him.
Concerning his remarks from ti¢
gallows there is a wide difference of
Opinion, but this no doubt is owing
to the furious blowing of the wind,
for which reason scarcely two per-
sons heard the same words. What
we heard, as given above, we can
vouch for, but there was much said
that we did not hear.

‘We protest against the intimation
given out by several newspaper re-
rerters, that the unfortunate man
faced death in an arrogant or boast-
ful manner. There was not the re-
motest tendency toward bravado tn
kis manner, but on the contrary {:

had created him to be. The Strenstt
of his character was shown by his
indescribable firmness and apparent
Christian resignation. Had it been
thus developed in early life he would
beyond doubt have been a good and
useful man.

This was the second execution that
had taken place in Clearfield County,
the first having been Mrs. Lena Mi!-
ler who was executed on November 13,
1867, for poisining her husband.

There were also hanged on March
24th, Harry and Frank Rumbarsger, at
Harrisburg, Pa, for the murder of
Daniel Troutman, on November 14
1880.

Jonathan Moyer, at Middleburg, Pa..
for complicity in the murder of John
and Gretchen Kintzler, an aged coup-
le, on December 19, 1881.

Edgar Frank Small, at Pittsburg,
Pa., for the murder of Nicholas Jac-
oby, on the evening of January 18,
1879,

‘William Heilwagon, at Rock Island
Til., for the murder of his daughter-
in-law. Dora Heilwagon, on September
5, 1881.

Jack McCartney, at Angefca, New
York, for the murder of Patrick Mar-
key, on November 19, 1881.

James P. Staver was the Sh
District Attorney who conduc

“BLACK §$POT.”

The murder was committed September 29rh, 1903. and
was tried February, 1904. Judge Patton, of Armstrong coun-
ty vresiding. A motion for a new trial was made, overruled,
and the case went to the Supreme Court, which affirmed the
Lower Covrt, and Williams wa3 executed September 1, 1904.

father conducted the prosecution in the Cathcart case 1€61.

exiff, and William I, Swoope
ted the prosecution alone. His

From Rattsmans Journal of August 31 1991,

Our readers are quite familiar with
the story of the crime for which the
last named above will pay the penal-
ty tomorrow between the hours of 10
a.’m. amd 3 p. m., The condemned
ran, along with some other notor-
jous characters, one of whom was

named “Little .Al,” were stopping
with a woman of thelr own color,
named “Betty Friday,” two miles
from the town of DuBois. They
Claimed to be searching for employ-
nient on the new road then in course
of construction, but they seemed to

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 393

had evidently escaped in that direction; but their trail ended at the Wil-
letts farm, and it has never been found again.

Dorsey was shot through the head and killed instantly. When found
he still held a cigar tightly clenched between his teeth. It was generally
believed at the time that this had only been intended as a holdup, but the
bandits’ gun was discharged prematurely.

Two years after the murder a young man who had been seen in Wash-
ington prior to the murder, but who disappeared shortly afterwards, was
arrested in Pittsburgh. He was tried in the local tourts and acquitted,
as the evidence against him amounted to little or nothing. The general
belief at the time was that he knew nothing of the murder. And so this
will remain another murder mystery which will probably never be solved.

Only one man ever convicted of murder in the first degree in Wash-
ington County escaped the gallows. That man was Frank Mosebay, a
coal miner, who, on March 4, 1895, shot-and killed Andy Price, another
miner, in a quarrel at the Jumbo Mine, near McDonald. Price owed Mose-
bay a dollar, and when the latter demanded his money, Price promised to
give it to him on the next pay day. A quarrel followed, and Mosebay se-
cured a revolver and killed Price.

Mosebay was arrested immediately, and when arraigned in court he
entered a plea of guilty to murder generally, leaving it to the court to fix
the degree of crime. Evidence was taken by the court and on Septem-
ber 9, 1895, Judge J. F. Taylor read an opinion which was concurred in
by Judge J. A. Mcllvaine, in which the defendant was declared guilty of
first degree murder. The case was appealed, and his sentence was finally
commuted to life imprisonment.

Alexander Wustlich, a German coal miner and storekeeper at Stock-
dale, was murdered on the night of Friday, September 29, 1899, during
an attempt to burglarize his residence and store. The robbery and murder
were committed by three negroes named George Ward, James Jones and
Thomas Baird, known as “Chicken Jim.” Wustlich was supposed to have
considerable money about the house, and Ward and Jones afterwards
told that the affair was planned at the house of Henry Freeman, another
negro who lived near by.

The trio went to Freeman’s early in the evening and planned the af-
fair, after which Freeman went to bed, not taking any part in the at-

tempted robbery. The three men went to the Wustlich house about 12:30 .

o'clock that night. Ward stood guard in the road while Jones and Baird
entered through the kitchen. Mrs. Wustlich, who was asleep in the next
room with her husband, was awakened by cold air coming from the
kitchen. She arose to investigate, and just as she entered the door ghe
was shot in the breast.

The shooting awakened Wustlich, and he arose immediately and went
to the kitchen, but just as he reached the door he was shot, the bullet
severing an artery in his thigh, and he bled to death in a few minutes.
Jones claimed afterwards that Baird became excited when Mrs. Wustlich
appeared, and fired both shots. .The burglars made their escape.

Jones’ hat was found in the kitchen, and suspicion fell upon him and
Ward. The latter had gone to his home at Courtney, and when he heard
that he was suspected he made his escape, and remained in hiding unti!

ciara eter Ew

2 ORS SI NRE 3

See a

stie get ey os Big at
BN dca ig aR os)

; Weta. 2.
5 a

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY 391

business men owed him money, which he had not collected before his
disappearance.

Later it was reported that he had been heard from in Canada, and
it was definitely learned that he was alive, either in Canada or the West.
It was claimed that he had left on account of some impending trouble;
and this seems to be the most plausible explanation.

Years afterwards the story was told that a friend, who was a practical
joker, knew of Lane’s plans to leave, and he decided to have a little fun
on his own account without Lane’s knowledge. After Lane left on that
Saturday night, this friend secured a hat belonging to the missing man,
made a dint in the crown, placed blood on the inside and left it at the
watering trough. When this man realized the serious manner in which
his joke was taken, he was afraid to relate his part in the disappearance,
and so the matter remained a mystery. This may be the true explanation,
but it is not vouched for, as it is one of the stories told in the neigh-
borhood. ;

In 1908 some bones were dug up near Zediker Station, not far from
the scene of the supposed murder. The finders believed them to be human,
and took them to the sheriff’s office in Washington with the announcement
that they had discovered the long sought remains of Harry Lane. The
deputy in the office had worked on the Lane case, and when he examined
the bones he admitted that they did look like those of a human being.
For an hour or two the Harry Lane excitement broke out again in Wash-
ington, and many people recalled the exciting events of fifteen years be-
fore. A physician was summoned, but after a careful examination he
pronounced them to be the last earthly remains of some unfortunate calf.

Few murders in the history of Washington County have created as
much interest as the killing of Samuel Dorsey, in Washington on the night
of October 21, 1893; and although a third of a century has passed since
then his murderer has never been found. Samuel Dorsey, a well known
colored barber of Washington, was of a genial disposition and had many
friends among the white people as well as his own race. His shop, located
the first door north of the Hotel Auld, was the most popular and best
patronized in town at that time. He was always well dressed, wore sev-
eral diamonds, and carried several twenty dollar gold coins as pocket
pieces. It was known that he always carried a large sum of money home
with him from his shop on Saturday night, and robbery is believed to
have been the motive, although other theories have been advanced.

On Saturday night, October 21, 1893, Dorsey closed his shop about
12:30 o’clock, and started home on North Lincoln Street. He stopped at
the Allison Hotel restaurant, where the William Henry Hotel now stands,
for a bowl of soup. After leaving there he went up Main Street and met
Alexander Rankin, chief of police, at the corner of Main and Deau streets;
and he was the last man who saw Dorsey alive. From there he evidently
went to East Chestnut Street, intending to go to Lincoln Street. This
was his usual route after leaving his shop.

About 1:10 o’clock a shot was heard by several persons on East Chest-
nut Street, just above the corner of College Street. Miss Nettie Roberts,
who resided with her parents in East Chestnut, was awakened by the
shot, and when she looked out of the window she saw two men bending

SSS ee

394. HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Monday when he went to Washington, and surrendered, telling all that
he knew of the murder.

Jones went to his home in Pittsburgh, and then in a few days went to
Bishop, where he was captured by Officer M. R. Conley, of McDonald, after
a fight in which Jones emptied his revolver. Baird made good his escape.

George Ward was placed on trial before Judge J. A. McIlvaine on
May 16, 1900. Alexander M. Templeton, district attorney, prosecuted the
case for the commonwealth, and Robert W. Parkinson and A. T. Morgan
were appointed by thé court to defend the prisoner. The case was given
to the jury at 12:30 o’clock on May 18, and a verdict of guilty of murder
in the first degree was brought in at 7:50 o’clock that evening. He was
sentenced the next day by Judgé McIlvaine to be hanged.

The case against James Jones was called before Judge McIlvaine on
August 27, 1900. As in the Ward case, District Attorney Templeton rep-
resented the commonwealth, and-the court appointed Byron E. Tombaugh
and C. L. V. Acheson to represent the defendant. The case was given to
the jury at 4:50 o’clock on the afternoon of the 28th, and a verdict of first
degree murder was brought in at 9:15 o’clock the next morning. He was
sentenced at once by Judge McIlvaine.

Ward’s execution was set for October 30, 1900, but it was postponed
until December 4th, by Governor Stone. On account of the fact that Ward
had surrendered and confessed, The Journey, a weekly newspaper of
Washington, raised funds and employed Attorney J. R. Burnside to place
the case before the pardon board, but it refused to interfere.

Henry Freeman and Turner Niblick who boarded at the Freeman house
were also arrested, but it was proved that Niblick knew nothing of the
affair, and he was released. Freeman who was represented by Attorney
W. N. Butler, turned state’s evidence and it was largely through his testi-
mony that Ward and Jones were convicted. He was kept in jail for a
year, and then his case was nol prossed.

Mrs. Wustlich afterwards recovered from her wound, but she always
carried the bullet in her breast.

The execution of Ward and Jones, which took place in the new jail
on January 9, 1901, was the first double hanging in Washington County,
and also the first in the new jail. The execution, which was in charge
of Sheriff Joseph T. Hemphill, was witnessed by about 300 people, gathered
on the main floor of the rotunda of the jail and the two balconies.

Thomas Baird, the man credited with firing the shot that killed Alex-
ander Wustlich, was finally located in South Carolina, and brought back
to Washington County. He was placed on trial, but as both of his ac-
coniplices were dead, there was no direct evidence against him, and he
was found not guilty.

One of the most famous cases in all the criminal history of Washing-
ton County was the murder of Samuel T. Ferguson, about a mile from
West Middletown, on the afternoon of September 25, 1903. Mr. Ferguson,
a member of the Ferguson Construction Company, a firm building the
Wabash Railroad through Washington County, was killed by dynamite
placed in the road, as he was on his way from Washington to the com-
pany’s camp with the payroll, the object being robbery. The chase of the

392 HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

over a prostrate form on the sidewalk in front of the second house east
of the corner of College Street, and on the north side of Chestnut. As she
watched them they started to run, and disappeared up the street.

Mrs. Charlotte Mills, who lived in the house just above where the body
was found, was on her back porch with her daughter, Mrs. W. N. Thomp-
son. When they heard the shot, Mrs. Mills called W. N. Thompson, who
was asleep. He dressed and went out to investigate, and found the body
of a man huddled against the fence. He started in search of an officer,
and found Policeman John Orr in Conner’s restaurant, in the town hall
basement. They returned to the scene of the murder, where a crowd had
gathered around the still form on the pavement.

Policeman Orr turned the murdered man over and discovered for the
first time that he was Samuel Dorsey. After making an investigation
the officer found. that his watch and chain, a diamond stud worth about
$400, and the money in one pocket, which was turned inside out, had
been taken. A valuable diamond ring on one finger had not been dis-
turbed, and $100 in bills in an inside vest pocket and $7.10 in change had
been overlooked.

John Buchanan, Sam Tobias, Fred Mills and William Mills were stand-
ing at the corner of East Walnut and North Lincoln streets when the
murder was committed. Shortly after the shot was fired they saw two
men hurriedly cross Lincoln Street under the electric light, and disappear
over the hill on their way out East Chestnut Street; and that was the
last ever seen of the murderers. Although officers were on the trail within
a short time they never even gained a clue that would lead to their
detection.

From facts afterwards learned it was believed that the murderers
planned the holdup on East Chestnut Street, just off of Main. Shortly
after midnight John Godfrey heard two men talking in low tones as he
was passing Seybold’s alley, and shortly afterwards two men fied from
a back yard adjoining this alley, when the residents of the house ap-
proached.

The greatest excitement followed the murder, and all of Sunday large
crowds thronged the streets. The telegraph operator at Wylandville wired
the police that two men had tried to sell a watch there, and Officers Ran-
kin and Orr made an investigation, but found nothing of them. Several
arrests were made by the Wheeling police, but all parties were able to
prove alibis. Several persons were also arrested by the local officers, but
the evidence against them amounted to little or nothing and they were
released.

The search was stimulated by a reward of $500 offered by the county
commissioners. Pittsburgh detectives expressed the belief that the mur-
der was committed by men who were well acquainted with Dorsey’s habits,
and this theory is still held.

The day after the murder, Robert A. Ashmore, who resided on the
Willetts farm on the old Pittsburgh road, about a mile northeast of the
borough line, found two coins lying in the road. Engraved upon one was
the name “Samuel Dorsey 1877.” It had been carried by the murdered
man as a pocket piece since the Pittsburgh riots of 1877. The murderers

Wilhim DonYin Aung at Phifa-
delphi, Pea. March 31, 1868 fer
murder of the SG urbb feaynsly ,

Gerald Eaten hung at Phi /a-
delohia on April §, 1869 for
Shey ing Tinumotay Heenan.

Cof#t/eif Bobner m4 Albert Van
Bordenber, hanged at Muntngton,
Penn. on March 7, 1§70 for
murdering the Peishte/ Fanarty

of Plecsant a on Nov. 17, 1869
(Hush redlen Co.

, € Cront huna at Wwest-
chesler, Penn. on Now. 12, 1872

toy murderitey Amanda Spence,
( Cheske Ce. )

Auis i Auzignani hung at Mor-
ristoun (Penn. —7) faa] May IS,
1573 for uife- murder,

aa Wade Aurs at bins
diss, Penn, on Nov: 6, (§73
fox murdor, (“jem ce)

Lous Kosertnhe & Fohn Moody
hung at Harrisburg ; Penn. en Jal,
9 (874 fr morderibs Mr. Abram

Behm

William Udder zook hanged at
West Chester, Penn. on Nov IZ,

1874 for murder,

Gothieh Willems hung ed af

Philadelohir, Peon, on June y, (867
fer morder of mrs. Miller,

Geone W). b4innemoreé hanged af
Pluled elyhir , Pian, on Aug 9, 1967
for murderihg Mrs. Dorcas Ma -
ilten in April of 1867.

Cherles Chase uns af Brok-
atts Penn on Aug 30, 1/867

dor mord er srg Eliachbeh Melan-
ald on Feb. 14, 1667, (Jefberson

Cour hy)

Mrs. Lena Miller hung of Brookudle,
Penn. on Nov: 13, 1867 fer polSonihe

her Aus bane. (Seth ersan G:)

Michae| Moore hung at

Ebens bury Penn. on Now 26,

1$72. Soe murcler ing hig wrfe,
(Cambria Cor)

Metadata

Containers:: Box 35 (2-Documentation of Executions), Folder 4
Resource Type:: Document
Description:: James Monks executed on 1819-01-23 in Pennsylvania (PA) Lena Miller executed on 1867-11-13 in Pennsylvania (PA) John Neveling executed on 1882-03-24 in Pennsylvania (PA) Frank Rumberger executed on 1882-03-24 in Pennsylvania (PA) Henry Rumberger executed on 1882-03-24 in Pennsylvania (PA) Jonathan Moyer executed on 1882-03-24 in Pennsylvania (PA) Frank Small executed on 1882-03-24 in Pennsylvania (PA) John Williams executed on 1904-09-01 in Pennsylvania (PA) John Keeler executed on 1914-01-15 in Pennsylvania (PA)
Rights:: In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Date Uploaded:: June 26, 2019

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Collection terms of access:: The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

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M. Watt Espy Papers, 1730-2008

Collection ID	apap301
Total components	25982
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Last indexed	2025-11-11

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Pennsylvania, executions recorded in city, county and statewide records, 1866-1992, Undated

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M. Watt Espy Papers, 1730-2008

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