Executions in Madison County
ELIPHALET GREEN
For the Murder of William Wright
On Christmas Eve, December 24, 1823, two men – William Wright and
Eliphalet Green - were working as laborers in the distillery of Abel
Moore near the Wood River Creek, which ran near Moore’s property.
Moore’s homestead was located along Rt. 140, just east of the Alton
State Hospital. A quarrel began between the two men, which ended in
a fist fight. Green was badly beaten. He became furious with rage.
Green, who was thought of as “half-witted,” took his gun, loaded it
with a charge of gunpowder and one lead bullet, and deliberately
shot William Wright as he was retreating to the house. Wright was
struck in the right side, and died immediately thereafter. Green
went to Edwardsville to the office of Squire William Ogle and gave
himself up. After hearing Green’s story, Ogle committed him to the
jail, where Sheriff Nathaniel Buckmaster took charge of him. Green
was tried and convicted or murder, and hung on February 12, 1824.
To
read the full story, please click here.
GEORGE SHARPE AND JOHN JOHNSON
For the Murder of Franz Jacob Barth
On May 1, 1857, Jacob Barth, a peddler, was traveling on the road
between Troy and St. Jacob. Three men – George Sharpe (alias George
Gibson), Robert Sharpe (alias Joseph Watson, and brother to George),
and John Johnson (alias Edward Barber) “waylaid” Barth and shot him,
supposedly because Barth wouldn’t let the men ride in his wagon. The
men had started out from Iowa, with the intention of robbing and
committing murder, if necessary. All three were captured early the
next morning near Lebanon, and taken to the Edwardsville jail. They
were tried and convicted of murder and sentenced to hang. However,
Robert Sharpe’s sentence was commuted, as he was but a mere youth.
George Sharpe and John Johnson were hung on June 19, 1857.
To read
the full story, please click here.
JOSEPH MARSHALL AND ANDERSON REED
LYNCHING
For the Murder of Mr. Lutka, 1868
In 1868, a German man by the name of Mr. Lutka, who lived in the
American Bottoms near Venice, was murdered in his home. Two men -
Joseph Marshall and Anderson Reed - were charged with the horrible
crime. Mrs. Lutka, apparently at home at the time of the murder,
identified the two men. Anderson Reed escaped, but Joseph Marshall
was caught. Instead of being taken to jail and given a fair trial,
he was taken by a mob, who tied him to a wagon and dragged him over
the ground until dead. In February 1870, Anderson Reed was arrested
in St. Louis. The Governor of Illinois issued a requisition to bring
him to Edwardsville, Illinois, for trial. However, he was placed in
the jail at Venice, under the charge of Justice Robinson. The news
spread that Reed was in Venice. Justice Robinson placed Reed in a
wagon to take him to Edwardsville, but instead of taking precautions
and having more men with him, he started off alone with the
prisoner. The wagon was stopped by a mob of men, who took charge of
Reed and shot him to death.
To read the full story, please click
here. SEE ALSO: The lynching of Joseph Tuttle below, which involved
Justice Robinson.
JOSEPH TUTTLE LYNCHING
An Innocent Man Lynched by Mob in Venice
On March 1, 1870, Joseph Tuttle was riding his horse through the
streets of Venice, leading another horse. A remark was made by
someone, that he appeared to be a horse thief. Tuttle passed the
Venice ferry, and took the road leading to East St. Louis. While
talking to a man from Edwardsville, Justice Robinson from Venice
caught up with him, but rode on toward East St. Louis (supposedly to
notify the police there). Unsuccessful, Justice Robinson turned
around and found Tuttle near the Wiggins Ferry. He arrested Tuttle
and took him to the jail in Venice. He left Tuttle in the charge of
Deputy James Dickey, and left for Edwardsville with another
prisoner, Anderson Reed. Tuttle was allowed to go to a saloon owned
by Mr. Lammert, and passed some time away there. It later alleged
that Tuttle went out of the saloon, and ran. Deputy Dickey followed
and shot at time. A mob joined in the pursuit, also shooting at him.
He soon fell into their hands and was thrown into a wagon. Tuttle
was then hit with clubs and stones, and died at their hands. He was
about 25 years of age. It was later found that he was engaged in
stock trading, and was an honest, upright man. His body was never
found. To read the full story, please click here.
WILLIAM C. BELL
For the Murder of Hermann Wendell
On November 21, 1868, a German farmer by the name of Hermann Wendell
was brutally murdered near Edwardsville. Wendell’s wife and
father-in-law had left for St. Louis to attend the wedding of the
sister and daughter, leaving Wendell alone with William Bell, a
common laborer who had been living with the family. Wendell went to
the nearest neighbor – about 100 yards away – and then returned to
his home. Shortly after, a gunshot was heard. When the wife and
father-in-law returned, Hermann was missing. Bell told them he gave
Hermann $2, and that he left with the intention of going to St.
Louis to attend the wedding. Suspicion was raised, and Bell was
arrested. The body of Hermann Wendell was found buried in the hog
pen. Bell was tried and convicted of murder, and sentenced to hang
November 12, 1869. To read the full story, please click here.
WILLIAM FELIX HENRY
For the Murder of Henry Depugh and Henry Ross at Rocky Fork
On March 28, 1883, a double murder was perpetrated at Rocky Fork in
Godfrey Township (this area is near the Boy Scout Camp Warren
Levis). Two young African-Americans, cousins, were gunned down in
their home. Henry Depugh, son of Reverend Depugh, and Henry Ross
were both shot in the head. On Tuesday evening, March 27, Henry
Depugh had gone into Alton and purchased a pair of shoes. He left
for home in a wagon at about six o’clock. Ross had been at the home
of a neighbor, but left for home at an early hour, saying he
expected DePugh from town. The next morning, Joseph Green, a young
boy, went to the home to borrow some eggs. The door was locked, so
he peered into the window. Horrified, he saw the body of Depugh
lying on the floor, and ran to tell his father. An investigation
followed, but the murderers were not discovered until February 1884.
William Felix Henry, a 23-year-old African-American, left a
breech-loading shotgun behind at R. H. Flagg’s store in Alton for
security on purchasing some goods. The gun fit the description of
one of the weapons taken from the Depugh home the night of the
murder. Further investigation found a revolver, similar to the one
possessed by DePugh, at A. S. Bennet’s second-hand store in Alton,
left behind by William Felix Henry. William F. Henry was arrested
and placed in the Alton jail. His uncle, Reverend Jacobs, visited
him in the jail, and after a conversation, Henry was ready to
confess.
William F. Henry had gone to the Depugh and Ross home on March 27,
1883, and slept part of the night with them. He rose, and in cool
deliberation, shot Henry Depugh while he was cooking a meal for his
guest. It was later determined that he shot Depugh because Depugh
had shot his dog years ago. After shooting Henry Depugh, the
assassin put another load into his victim, and then finished him
with a bullet from the revolver. Henry Ross, according to William F.
Henry, slept through the murder. William F. Henry, started to leave,
but feared that Ross would tell that he had been there, so he went
back inside and killed him as he slept. He then set the house on
fire, and left in the darkness of the night.
After the confession, which was kept quiet in fear of a lynch mob,
William F. Henry was taken to Edwardsville to the county jail. A
trial was held, and he was sentenced to hang on January 16, 1885.
However, William F. Henry soon retracted his confession, and
implicated others in the crime. Because his stories kept changing,
no one believed him.
Deputy Sheriff Volbracht made a trip by stagecoach to Fork McKinney,
Wyoming Territory, to arrest Reuben Morris, a U. S. Cavalry soldier
who William F. Henry implicated in the crime. Morris surrendered,
and was brought back to Edwardsville and jailed, along with Lemuel
Welch, who was also implicated by Henry. After further
investigation, it was revealed the men were innocent, and Reverend
Henry Depugh, father of one of the murdered men, withdrew his charge
against them and they were released.
William Felix Henry was hung on the gallows on January 16, 1885.
To read the full story of the
murder, please click here.
PATRICK BOYLE
For the Murder of John Muench
On August 12, 1891, two men – John Muench and Patrick Boyle – were
“tramping” near Nameoki. They went to Charles Forcade’s Saloon,
where Muench treated Boyle to a drink. He laid down $1 and received
90 cents change from the bartender. They left the saloon and started
north on the railroad tracks. After proceeding some distance, Muench
stepped off the track. When he was a few yards away, Boyle drew a
pistol and shot Muench in the back, telling him to give him all his
money and everything else he had. Muench handed over the 95 cents
and a bundle, which contained several shirts. Boyle then ordered him
to go back where they came from. Muench made his way to the saloon
in Nameoki. A doctor was called and the wound was pronounced
serious. Boyle was later arrested at Carlinville on a Chicago &
Alton fruit train. In the rail car was the bundle of clothes
belonging to Muench. The Madison County Sheriffs went to Carlinville
and took possession of Boyle. They waited for the 9:30 train, but it
was late. As the Sheriff stepped into the operator’s office, leaving
the prisoner in the hands of his assistants, Boyle escaped. He was
later found in a farmer’s field, still handcuffed. He was arrested
once again and taken to Edwardsville.
John Muench was placed in the hospital with a bullet lodged in the
lungs. He was suffering intensely, but was able to identify Boyle
and the bundle of clothes Boyle had taken. Muench died on a Sunday
morning. A trial was held and the verdict was murder. Boyle was
sentenced to hang, however Illinois Governor Joseph W. Fifer stayed
the execution until January 23, 1892, to give time for the Supreme
Court to review the case. Patrick Boyle was hung on January 23,
1892. He was buried in the Catholic Cemetery.
To read the full story
of the murder, please click here.