Deed of chew a Fiend." It occurred Jan, 5, 1886, Mrs. Lucretia Peek,
her husband, and. Abram Leonard, all elderly, lived together, 63 miles
west of West Union along what is now Hwy. 18. Henry claimed he was to
be paid $500.00 to kill Mr. Leonard by Mr. Ellison Smith so the
-latter's wife could inherit property, (Henry's father had been mr-
dered in Bavaria), Henry said to Fred Schrack later that he: shot at
Leonard and Mrs, Peek got in the way. He claimed Ellison killed Mr,
Peek by beating him with a club at the gate, butEllison was acquitted
(and moved to Kansas), Mrs, Peek Lived until Sept, 25, There was a
trial on Nov, 3. Henry had been arrested inchurch, He spent’ some ©
time in the Anamosa, Iowa, Penitentiary, He was sentenced Oct, 29th,
The 19=yeareold Henry went to the scaffold (involving Ellison T,
Smith} and did not flinch at the prospect of death, The only time at
the trial his voice faltered was when he sawPeek's three sons, The
gallows was the same that was used in Charles City the.month before,
to hang Chester Bellows, There were 0 witnesses at "the chicken
coop'!, so named because someone used it later to raise chickens,"
All of above furnished by Mona Ladwig, Treasurer, Fayette~ Count yHis=
torical Society, 100 North Walnut, West Union, Iowa 52175,
Ses Spear Ue. ‘
ee une /— lov More
Deed of kee a Fiend." It occurred Jan, 5, 1886, Mrs. Lucretia Peek,
her husband, and. Abram Leonard, all elderly, lived together, 6% miles
west of West Union along what is now Hwy. 18. Henry claimed he was to
be paid $500.00 to kill Mr. Leonard by Mr. Ellison Smith so the
latter's wife could inherit property, (Henry's father had been mur-
dered in Bavaria), Henry said to Fred Schrack later that he: shot at
Leonard and Mrs, Peek got in the waye He claimed Ellison killed Mr,
Peek by beating him with a club at the gate, butEllison was acquitted
(and moved to Kansas), Mrs, Peek lived until-Sept.25, There was a
trial on Nov, 3, Henry had been arrested inchurch, He spent some
time in the Anamosa, Iowa, Penitentiary. He was sentenced Oct, 29th,
The 19=yeareold Henry went to the scaffold (involving Ellison T, -
Smith} and did not flinch at the prospect of death. The only time at
the trial his voice faltered was when he sawPeek's three sons, The
gallows was the same that was used in Charles City the.month before,
to hang Chester Bellows, There were 0 witnesses at "the chicken
coop', so named because someone used it later to raise chickens."
All of above furnished by Mona Ladwig, Treasurer, Fayette- Count yHis-
torical Society, 100 North Walnut, West Union, Iowa 52175,
LLU R IR OM poy
Deed of thm a Fiend," It occurred Jan, 5, 1886, Mrs, Lucretia Peek,
her husband, and Abram Leonard, all elderly, lived together, 6% miles
west of West Union along what is now Hwy. 18. Henry claimed he was to|
be paid $500.00 to kill Mr. Leonard by Mr. Ellison Smith so the
latter's wife could inherit property, (Henry's father had been mr-
dered in Bavaria), Henry said to Fred Schrack later that he: shot at
Leonard and Mrs, Peek got in the way. He claimed Ellison killed Mr,
Peek by beating him with a club at the gate, butEllison was acquitted
(and moved to Kansas), Mrs, Peek lived until Sept, 25, There was a
trial on Nov, 3. Henry had been arrested inchurch, He spent some
time in the Anamosa, Iowa, Penitentiary, He was sentenced Oct, 29th,
The 19-year-old Henrywent to the scaffold (involving Ellison T
Smith} and did not flinch at the prospect of death, The only time at
the trial his voice faltered was when he sawPeek's three sons, The
gallows was the same that was used in Charles City the.month before,
to hang Chester Bellows, There were 0 witnesses at "the chicken
coop', so named because. someone used it later to raise chickens,"
All of above furnished by Mona Ladwig, Treasurer, Fayette-CountyHis-
torical Society, 100 North Walnut, West Union, Iowa 52175,
Seg als Towa 169
VAIN pirat CMW = poy Tne
nod af ‘Tt cocurred Jans Sp
‘Set ante ary ie
11 of seve fenkshed by None Lay Preatoreny Faget
fries sciotyy 100 forth Neawty ext Uden, Tow 2217s,
Lp OM) or Pera
Sam’, Henry TT eee Nc eee ted
Hanged, West Union, Fayette County, Iowa, January 15, 1888, _
The following from Fayette Coj History Book, published 1976, page 388;
"In 1888, Christ Dummermuth walked from Clermont to West Union to wit-
ness the hanging of Henry Schmitt, who was accused of murdering Lucre=
tia Peek, He had a ticket which was issued by the sheriff at that
time, H, R, O'Neel." Page 21: "One of the best known and most fear=
less of public officers in N. E, Iowa was Henry O'Neel, who became
sheriff on Jan, 1, 1888, and just in time to officiate at the first an
only public execution in Fayette County, (Farr was sheriff and would
not have anything to do with a hanging, so he quit and O'Neel got his
job." The following from a diary in the George Blunt Home: "Henry
Schmitt was hanged in the courtyard square at 10:35, AM, Friday, the
13th, 1888, Eighteen degrees below zero and a blizzard, Twenty be-
low that night." The following from memory of Mr, Jacobson who had
charge of West Union Cemetery for years - where Schmitt was buried:
"Henry Schmidt was a Bavarian = slow of mind = and it came out he had
been paid to kill both Mr, and Mrs, Peek, Lawyer Murphy, prosecuting
attorney,from Elkader, Iowa, E, N. Phillips was @ommander of the mi-~
litia who guarded the courthouse square. A small building was built
for it and later used for a chicken coope" The following from letter
from Mrs, Ladwig dated August 3, 1979: This taken from microfilm in
office of Fayette County Union: "H, Schmitt's crime was headed "The
SCHMIDT, Henry : ; : eee
Hanged, West Union, Fayette County, Iowa, January 15, 1888,
The following from Fayette Col History Book, published 1976, page 388:
"In 1888, Christ Dummermuth walked from Clermont to West Union to wit-
ness the hanging of Henry Schmitt, who was accused of murdering Lucre-=-
tia Peek. He had a ticket which was issued by the sheriff at that
time, H. R. D'Neel." Page l\21:'"One of the best known and most fear-=
less of public officers in N. E, Iowa was Henry O'Neel, who became
sheriff on Jan, 1, 1888, and just in time to officiate at the first an
only public execution in Fayette County, (Farr was sheriff and would
not have anything to do with a hanging, so he quit and O'Neel got his
Jobe" The following from a diary in the George Blunt Homes "Henry
Schmitt was hanged in the courtyard square at 10:35, AM, Friday, the
13th, 1888, Eighteen degrees below zero and a blizzard, Twenty be-
low that night." The following from memory of Mr, Jacobson who had
charge of West Union Cemetery for years - where Schmitt was buried:
"Henry Schmidt was a Bavarian = slow of mind = and it came out he had
been paid to kill both Mr, and Mrs, Peek. Lawyer Murphy, prosecuting
attorneyyfrom Elkader, Iowa, E, N. Phillips was @ommander of the mi-
litia who guarded the courthouse square. A small building was built
for it and later used for a chicken coop." The following from letter
from Mrs, Ladwig dated August 3, 1979: This taken from microfilm in
office of Fayette County Union: "H, Schmitt's crime was headed "The
SGIMIDI, Henry
Hanged, West Union, Fayette County, Tovey January 5,
The following from Fayette 0o) History Book, mibeanea 1516; page 388:
"In 1888, Christ Dummermuth walked from Clermont to west Union to wit-
ness the hanging of Henry Schmitt, who was accused of murdering Lucre-
tia Peek, He had a ticket which was issued by the sheriff at that
time, H, R, D'Necl." Page 21: "One of the best known and most fear=
less of public officers in N. E, Iowa was Henry O'Neel, who became
sheriff on Jan, 1, 1888, and just in time to officiate at the first an|
only public execution in Fayette County, (Farr was sheriff and would
not have anything to do with a hanging, so he quit and O'Neel got his
job." The following from a diary in the George Blunt Home: "Henry
Schmitt was hanged in the courtyard square at 10:35, AM, Friday, the
13th, 1888, Eighteen degrees below zero and a blizzard, Twenty be=
low that night," The following from memory of Mr, Jacobson who had
charge of West Union Cemetery for years - where Schmitt was buried:
"Henry Schmidt was a Bavarian = slow of mind = and it came out he had
been paid to kill both Mr, and Mrs, Peek, Lawyer Murphy, prosecuting
attorney,from Elkader, Iowa, E, N, Phillips was €ommander of the mi~
litda who guarded the courthouse A small building was built
for it and later used for a chicken The following from letter
from Mrs, Ladwig dated august 3, 1979:
office of Fayette County Union: "H, Schmitt's crime was headed "The
Ee eRe Lae
