Buchanan County, Missouri - Chapter 23: Legal Executions. - Otis Jennings, the First Man to Die Upon the Scaffold in Buchanan County. - Execution of Green, the Slave, 1900

Burries And Jim Pollard

LEGAL EXECUTIONS. - OTIS JENNINGS, THE FIRST MAN TO DIE UPON THE SCAFFOLD IN BUCHANAN COUNTY. - EXECUTION OF GREEN, THE SLAVE,. AND OF WILLIAM LINVILLE. - JOSEPH LANIER TAKEN FROM ST. JOSEPH TO SAVANNAH AND SHOT. - HANGING OF A. J. BOWZER AND HENRY GRIFFIN. - JACKSON JEFFERSON PUBLICLY SHOT. - GREEN WILLIS, A NEGRO, HANGED FOR MURDER. - THE EXECUTION OF JOHN GRABLE. - EXECUTION OF PETER HRONEK, THE FIRST PRIVATE HANGING IN THE COUNTY. - LOUIS BULLING HANGED AT SAVANNAH. - EXECUTION OF JOE BURRIES AND JIM POLLARD.

The first legal execution to take place in Buchanan County was that of Augustus Otis Jennings, which occurred on September 2, 1853. Sheriff Joseph B. Smith was the executioner, a scaffold having been erected southeast of the Patee House.

none of them suffered the extreme penalty of the law except Jennings. Langston was convicted of complicity, sentenced to the penitentiary, but was subsequently pardoned by Governor Robert M. Stewart. Of the others, the records only show that a change of venue was taken to neighboring counties.

The murder of Willard, which occurred on July 27, 1852. in the brush north of the city, the location being at present in the corporate limits, was most attrocious. The victim was a man of family, a carpenter by trade, and also an auctioneer. He became indebted to the parties named above, and to others, and a supposition was entertained that he was about to leave the country. These men, solely, it seems, with the idea of extorting the money from him - he claiming to have money buried in the woods adjacent to a graveyard, took him to the brush. They were amply prepared, having in their possession a rope, a pair of hand-cuffs and a cowhide. Upon arriving at the point where it was said the money was secreted, Willard was threatened with torture provided the money was not forthcoming. Willard, according to the confession of Jennings, seemed to be indifferent, and finally declared he had no money. Upon this admission Langston, who took a leading part in the affair, commanded Willard to remove his shirt, whi-ch he did. They placed hand-cuffs upon him, and with a rope, procured by Jennings, the victim was Bound to a tree and the cowhide and switches applied until life was extinct.

Arrests followed and Jennings made a full confession, detailing all the events connected with it. His trial resulted in a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree within thirty minutes after the -evidence was given to the jury. An appeal was taken to the supreme court of the state, which tribunal sustained the action of the lower court. Many friends, among whom were Revs. Vandeventer .and Boyakin, interceded with Governor Sterling Price in his behalf, but without avail.

Sheriff Smith summoned Captain Hughes of the Robidoux Grays, the only militia organization in the city, to escort the procession to the scaffold to preserve order. About 8,0c o people were present at the execution. The prisoner firmly ascended the scaffold, expressed the hope that he would die easy, and also a firm faith in Christ. Contrary to his hope, however, he struggled long and died bard.

In the early part of July, 1859, a young negro slave, who had been purchased in the section of country northeast of St. Joseph, killed Francis Marion Wright, a slave buyer, who was bringing him to St. Joseph. Green was tried, convicted and sentenced to hang. The execution took place on December 2, 1859. Jonathan M. Bassett was state's attorney and Judge Elijah Norton was on the bench. Michael Morgan was sheriff and executioner, with Wash Brown and Sam D. Cowan assistants.

It appears that while en route to the city in a buggy, the negro, by some means, came into possession of a pistol belonging to Wright, and shot him through the head, the wound proving fatal at once. The deed was committed on the road running through a heavy body of timber between Rochester and St. Joseph. Wright's corpse remained in the buggy and in a short time the horse, with its ghastly burden, swerved from the main road and stopped at the residence of

December 2, 1859, was a cold and bleak day, but notwithstanding that fact a large number of curious spectators gathered at Fowler's Grove, south of the city, to witness the execution. A rude scaffold had been erected, four poles having been sunk into the frozen ground and a rickety platform placed thereon. Among those who mounted the insecure structure were Sheriff Morgan, Deputy Wash Brown, Rev. Tackier, who conducted religious services, and several physicians. Hie Emmet Guards, under Daniel T. Lysaght, formed an escort from the jail.

The executioner was a bungler. When the trap was sprung the condemned man secured a hold upon the rope, and braced himself against the side of the trap with his elbows. Sheriff Morgan pried the victim loose, and after admonishing him to "behave like a gentleman," forced his body through the trap.

Green cared little for this life or for future existence. He was a great lover of the good things of the earth, especially of liquor and eatables. Several physicians in the city took a fancy to him and gratified his every want. When those who had buried the body in the county cemetery, north of the city, were returning they met the physicians en route to the graveyard. Green had sold his body to them.

One dark night in July, 1863, a number of men, said to have belonged to Joe Hart's gang of bushwhackers, entered the home of a man by the name of Burns, in Andrew County. During an altercation which ensued George Henry, son-in-law of Burns, was killed,. Burns and another man were wounded and the marauders escaped. Subsequently a young man by the name of William Linville, only nineteen years of age, was apprehended as one of the gang, and charged with the murder. The military authorities had possession of the city and surrounding country, but young Linville was, from some reason or other, turned over to the state authorities for trial. Judge Silas Woodson was on the circuit court bench at that time, having control of civil as well as criminal cases. A trial was held in September, and on the 29th of the same month a verdict of murder in the first degree was returned. Sentence of death upon the gallows was at once imposed, and Friday, November 6, set for the day of execution.

The hanging took place at noon a few rods southeast of the Patee House, now McDonald's factory. The hills adjacent were covered by many witnesses of the sad scene.

The cortege left the jail, preceded by two companies of the Ninth cavalry, followed by Captain Dolman's company, guarding the prisoner. The condemned youth rode in a light double-seated carriage, seated between the Rev. Dr. Dulin, his spiritual adviser, and Barnes, the jailer, with Deputy Sheriff Matney in the same conveyance. He was followed by Sheriff Enos Craig and his assistants, and an express wagon, wherein was an empty coffin.

"The witnesses who swore against me swore to the wrong man. You hang an innocent man. You take the life of the wrong person. I left the Confederate army on the 20th of May last, and, since then, have never fired a gun or pistol at any human being. The witnesses who swore that I killed that man were mistaken. I did no crime, but it can't be helped now. Remember, all of you, that I die innocent. I am perfectly willing and ready to die, for I expect to find rest in another world. I die an innocent man."

When the time approached for the execution, a prayer was offered, after which, with unfaltering step, Linville approached the drop in the platform and stood unmoved while the sheriff, assisted by the physicians, adjusted the fatal noose. A glove was placed in his fingers, which was to be dropped by him to indicate his readiness, the black cap was drawn over his face, the minister and all on the platform bade him good-bye. At a few minutes before 12 o'clock he dropped the glove, the cord was cut and all was over. In four minutes life was extinct.

Joseph Lanier, who was tried by a military commission in this city, was excuted at Savannah, June 10, 1864. The crimes for which he was convicted, under three charges and specifications, were : "Encouraging and aiding rebellion against the United States," "Violating allegiance to same," and "violating laws and customs of war." It was charged that he, with other marauders, burned a mill belonging to a Mr. Caldwell at Rochester, Andrew County.

and Patton formed a camp near Rochester, which Joseph and his two brothers joined. Tiring of life in camp he returned and became a member of the celebrated Hart gang. He was subsequently arrested by Major Bassett and Captain Davenport of this city, tried by military commission and sentenced to be shot. He was sent to the Alton penitentiary, where he remained nearly two years, awaiting a final decision in his case. The verdict was affirmed and he was sent back to be executed.

A military escort accompanied the condemned man to Savannah from the H. & St. J. depot in this city. The details were all arranged and carried out under the directions of Captain Theodore Griswold. At noon the prisoner walked between two ministers of the gospel to the place of execution, a few rods northeast of the depot. A coffin was placed before him, and facing the coffin and his executioners, Lanier uncovered his head while Rev. A. H. Powell uttered a prayer. He was unmoved and unconcerned when the death warrant was read, and when he was asked if he desired to be blindfolded, he replied, "Just as you please." He was requested to kneel by his coffin, which he did. Six bullets pierced his body. Upon the breast of the corpse, suspended by a black string around the neck, was a picture of the Virgin Mary, and in his pocket a crucifix, given him by a Catholic priest who had visited him in jail.

In the case of A. J. Bowzer of Linn County, charged with being a robber and guerilla, a member of Holtsclaw's band, the work of the military commission was quick. The evidence, in their minds, was conclusive of guilt. If it is true, as is said, that the testimony of one side only was taken, a decision was not difficult to arrive at. Bowzer was tried on September 8, 1864, and his execution was ordered to take place on the 9th - the next day.

The gallows was erected a short distance below where the K. C., St. J. & C. B. roundhouse is now located. When the prisoner mounted the platform his step was firm and not a gleam of fear was depicted on his countenance. Lieutenant Harding, provost marshal. officiated, and at a signal from him the trap was sprung.

On the 23d day of the same month, in accord with the finding of the same tribunal, Henry A. Griffith, said to have been a member of the same company of soldiers as Bowzer, was executed on the same scaffold.

On August 27, 1864, while drinking in a saloon in the southern part of the city, known as the ''Cottage Home," a soldier by the name of Jackson Jefferson became enraged at a fellow soldier and struck him over the heart with a stick of cord-wood, death resulting at once.

- Jefferson was sentenced by the court-martial to be executed on October 22, the place of execution being arranged for in the vicinity of the Patee House. When the guards arrived at the jail to take him they found the door barricaded by the prisoner. He threatened death to the first one who entered. After some time, however, he yielded peacefully. He was placed in an ambulance, and, sitting on his coffin, was conveyed to the fatal spot. At 4 130 o'clock p. m. the prisoner marched to the center of the square, where his coffin had been arranged. When all preparations had been made, the man having given up all hope, a message was hurriedly delivered, givin.q him one week's respite.

At 2 o'clock on Friday, October 29, the time of the respite expired, and he was again escorted to the execution grounds. At the provost marshal's office he entrusted to a friend a number of letters, among which was one to his mother. Some difficulty was experienced by the officials in adjusting the handcuffs, when the prisoner, with composure, assisted in placing them in position. Having been blindfolded, he knelt beside his coffin. A platoon of soldiers leveled their muskets. Four bullets penetrated the condemned man's frame - two almost severing his head, one passing through his breast, and one through the left shoulder.

November 9, 1865, Jacob T. Kuhn, a tenant of J. C. Roberts, about four miles east of the city, on the One Hundred and Two River road, was killed while en route home from the city, his body being discovered a few rods from his house. It was found that Kuhn had been murdered and robbed, an axe which he had taken to town being near him, covered with blood and hair. No clue was discovered as to the guilty party until December 20, 1865, when Green Willis and Charles Clark, negroes, were arrested, charged with the murder of John Lohr, on the Brierly farm in Marion Township, a short time previous. Upon being examined before Justice J. C. Robidoux, Clark, the younger of the two, made a confession, which cleared up both the murder of Kuhn and Lohr, fastening the guilt upon Green Willis. The testimony was to the effect that Clark and

Willis overtook John Lohr on the public highway, and Green Willis made a proposition to kill him, saying he had money. Clark assented, whereupon Willis struck Lohr upon the head with a stone, after which both dragged the body to a slough in Brierly's field. Clark had heard of the killing of Kuhn, and at that time Willis told him that he (Willis) had committed the act with an axe, and that he had thereby secured the sum of $25.

A special session of the circuit court was convened on Monday, January 22, when the jury, within five minutes after the evidence was closed, returned a verdict of "guilty' against Green Willis, convicting him of both the murder of Jacob Kuhn and John Lohr and fixing the punishment at death.

The date of execution was set for March 1, 1866. On that day a large number of people came to the city. The scaffold, which was located on the bottom land in the southern part of the city, was surrounded by at least 5,000 people. The prisoner was attended by Rev. J. M. Wilkerson and Rev. Adam Dimitt, both ministers of negro churches in this city. Sheriff Ransom Ridge was the executioner. The prisoner was informed that he had but a few minutes to live and was urged to make a full confession, which he did. He requested that his body be given to his wife for burial.

Charles Clark, the young negro associated with Willis, was convicted as an accessory and imprisoned for life, but it is said that he has been pardoned and is at large.

August 22, 1870, John Grable was executed for the murder of Joel Drake, Sheriff Irving Fish being the executioner. Although neither the evidence nor the confession established the exact locality in which the murder was committed, the defendant was indicted, tried and convicted in Buchanan County, Judge I. C. Parker being upon the bench.

On January 6, 1870, John Grable went to Parkville, Mo., for the purpose of securing a coffin in which the bury Joel Drake, first making arrangements with neighbors for the grave, etc. Statements made by him as to the manner in which deceased came to his death caused suspicion in the minds of some, and on January 9 an affidavit was filed before Justice Saltzman in this city by one Daniel Bender, m which he stated that he believed that on or before January 2 John Grable had murdered Joel Drake.

County, and the former had accompanied the latter to Gentry County in a wagon to secure money due Drake for property sold by him in that county, he having formerly resided there. The evidence tended to show that the deceased secured a check for $475 on a St. Joseph bank; that the parties were seen together at several points between Albany, Gentry County, and St. Joseph ; that the check was cashed by Grable on the 3rd day of January; that Drake was not seen alive in St. Joseph ; that Grable put his team in a feed lot in the city, at the same time warning the owner thereof that it would be dangerous to venture near the wagon, as a vicious dog was kept therein ; that he drove the team to Halls Station, at which place Mary Nolan, a sister of Grable's wife, got into the wagon, the dead man meanwhile lying in the rear portion of the vehicle ; that they then drove to their home near Parkville, where the body was buried.

John Grable made a statement to his brother, sister-in-law and others that he and Drake arrived in St. Joseph on Saturday, January 1 ; that Drake cashed the check, giving him $120 to hand to Drake's wife ; that they stopped at a boarding house not far from the Blacksnake ; that he saw nothing of Drake until Sunday afternoon, when he found him dead in a questionable house in the vicinity; that the body was rolled into a blanket and placed in the wagon by three women, who threatened, in case he divulged anything, to swear the crime of murder against him.

Acting upon the" statement in the affidavit, a coroner's inquest rendered a verdict that the deceased came to his death at the hands of unknown parties, and on the Sunday following, armed with a warrant sworn out before Justice Saltzman, Sheriff Fish went to Platte County after Grable, and brought him to St. Joseph.

A preliminary examination was held and the accused bound over to await the action of the grand jury, which found a true bill against him. The trial -was set for Wednesday, May 25, 1870. A change of venue was asked, but denied by Judge Parker, and the case went to trial. Circumstantial evidence proved Grable's guilt, and a verdict of murder in the first degree was rendered June 1. He was sentenced to be executed on Friday, August 20, 1870, but Judge Henry S. Tutt, his lawyer, petitioned Governor J. W. McClurg for a respite, which was granted until September 9. Before the day of execution arrived the condemned man made a confession of guilt, in which he admitted the killing, detailing every fact in connection therewith, and when on the scaffold he reiterated the substance of his previous statement.

When the hour for leaving the jail arrived, at noon, Grable, accompanied by Sheriff Fish, with his deputies, Charles Springer and Captain Lund, marched out of the jail yard and entered an open wagon in waiting to convey him to the place of doom. At this juncture the sheriff remarked that it was about the noon hour, and asked Grable if he did not desire his dinner. The prisoner readily accepted the invitation, remarking, "I always eat when I can get it." He ate a hearty meal. The repast completed, he again entered the wagon, seated himself upon his coffin, and was conveyed to the place of execution, located in the southern part of the city.

The cortege was accompanied by mounted guards, under command of Captain Saltzman. who, upon arrival at the grounds, formed a cordon around the scaffold.

Grable asked for whisky, which was furnished him, and also asked permission to make a statement, as untruthful reports had been published about him. He openly confessed the murder, and gave a warning to those within his hearing to avoid the use of intoxicants, as by that means he was brought to his present position. During the preparations for the final act he gave instructions as to the placing of the rope around his neck. Soon the body shot down, the drop being about eight feet, and within a few seconds life was extinct.

The first private execution in the county occurred on June 30, 1888. On April 16, 1887, Peter Hronek, a Bohemian, who lived with his wife and one little child at 1705 Olive street, cruely murdered the woman by shooting her with a pistol. Hronek was drunk when he committed this crime.

He was convicted and sentenced to be hanged, August 19, 1887, being fixed as the day of execution ; but the case was taken to the supreme court. The lower court was sustained, and the condemned man was legally put to death on the scaffold in the jail yard on June 30, 1888, at 1 130 o'clock p. m. Sheriff Joseph Andriano was the officer in charge. Hronek was attended by Father Kryzwonos of the Polish Catholic Church.

On Sunday afternoon. March 8, 1888, a tragedy occurred at the Herbert Plouse, corner of Fourth and Charles streets, this city. Louis Bulling, a young man born and reared in this city, who had been separated from his wife, called at the hotel, where she was. employed, and asked to see her. After a short conversation he shot her while she was kneeling by a trunk in search of a picture of their -child, which Bulling had requested.

Bulling was tried, found guilty of murder in the first degree,, and sentenced to be hanged. The case was appealed and remanded. A change of venue was then taken to Andrew County, and in March,. 1889, the case came up for trial. The jury stood six for acquittal and six for conviction. In the following May the case was again tried and Bulling was convicted. The case was again appealed to the supreme court, which sustained the decision. The date of the execution was set for March 6, 1891, to take place at Savannah. Sheriff Berry of Andrew County secured the gallows upon which Peter Hronek had been hanged and made other preparations. However, a respite was granted to April 17, 1891. On the night of April 10, Bulling sawed the jail bars and escaped. He was captured at Chicago in the latter part of June and returned to Savannah on July 3, 1891. On the night of July 4, 1891, he made an unsuccessful attempt to suicide with morphine.

Bulling was again sentenced, and September 4 set for the date of execution. The governor's clemency was invoked, but was refused. On the night before the execution the condemned man was much disturbed in mind, although he had a slim hope that his friends would be able to secure a commutation of his sentence to life imprisonment. It was expected that the execution would take place early on the morning of September 4. but it was delayed by the sheriff. The condemned man begged for a few hours' lease of life, and the hour was set for 2 o'clock. In the meantime the militia company was called out.

Shortly before the fatal hour, Bulling, together with his spiritual adviser, went into his cell. Scarcely had the door closed before two shots were heard. Upon entering, the officers found Bulling weltering in his own blood. Both bullets had taken effect. For fear that the law would be cheated out of a victim, four stalwart men took hold of Bulling, who fought like a demon, and conveyed him to the scaffold, placing him in a chair. At 3:18 the drop fell.

Joseph Burries, known as "Dusty," a young negro, was hanged by Sheriff Andriano and his deputies at the jail on May 12, 1895, He had been convicted of criminally assaulting a little white girl on July 30, 1894. The sentence was pronounced by Judge Silas Woodson. Though a strong petition was sent to Governor Stone, the executive refused to commute the sentence, but granted a stay of execution. On the night of December 31, 1894, Burries escaped from jail, in company with Pat Crow and three others, but instead of leaving- he country, as had been planned, he could not resist the temptation of again seeing his wife, and was captured the next night while in company with her in a room on Francis street.

The last night before the execution was an eventful one within the gloomy walls of the old bastile. A number of negro ministers called, and Burries joined in the religious services with much earnestness. The colored cpiartette, all prisoners, sang religious songs, the singing being joined in by Burries. Between i and 2 o'clock the next morning, the fatal day, the condemned man awoke, sang a hymn and uttered an earnest prayer. Religious services were held that morning, and then Burries started a religious negro song entitled, "I Don't Want You to Grieve After Me," in which the negroes present joined with fervor. It was a weird performance. The condemned man then knelt in prayer, at the conclusion of which he marched in his stocking feet to the center of the platform where hung the fatal noose. He died without a struggle.

On Friday, June 25, 1897, James Pollard, a negro youth, was executed by James Hull, sheriff, on a scaffold erected in the jail yard. July 30, 1895, Pollard, who was born and reared hi the vicinity of DeKalb, returned to that neighborhood, after an absence of some time, went to the residence of Dave Irwin, another negro, with whom he had previously had trouble, and made an attempt to kill him. In shooting at Dave Irwin he shot Joseph Irwin instead, death resulting a short time afterward.

Pollard made his escape, being at large for some time, but was finally captured at Gallatin, Mo. He was tried twice for the crime, a conviction following both times. The case was appealed to the supreme court, and a strong effort was also made foi a commutation of sentence. The supreme court sustained the lower court, the governor refused to interfere, and Pollard was hanged. Pie was very pious during his last hours.