Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-01-29
The Hanging at FarmingtOn,

| from Special Dispatch to the Republican L
| DE LASSUS, Mo-, Jan. 23.-Chas. III
Han din, perpetrator of one of the grav
est crimes that has been committed il
Southeast Missouri for the past twenty
years, passed the last seven days of his
life in hopeless anxiety, walking to and
fro in his cell, even the seconds being
recorded by with the exactness of hours
the moments as days. From the date
of his confinement Hardin's features
underwent gradual change, and his
language and actions correspondingly
varied. At all times, however, he had
| hoped that some unknown power might
interfere and preserve him from the pen
atty about to be inflicted, though he new.
er gave any sign of fear, at all times act
in that bulldog, independent manner
| which characteriZes the criminal of the
| basest grade. In stature, T.. II. Hardin
was short, and in weight, light. His
hair was dark brown and clothed a head
by no means indicating in it's shape a
remarkable degree of intelligence. A
wOe-begOne face, the lower portion COW
cred with light, heavy beard, relieved
with eyes of sallow blue, was the picture
framed by the square window of his cell
door as he stood there this morning.
Hardin was born and raised in Bedford
county, Tennessee, where he has rela-
tives living, and is said to be 81 years of
age. His career in Missouri has been
one of wretched disrepute. While saun-
tering through Ripley county, in the
Southeast, he performed his first nota-
BILE exploit, stealing team and wagon
load of peanuts. Afterward he COM
mitted several thefts and was finally
sent to the penitentiary for two years.
THE HISTORY OF THE CRIME
for which he was hanged is pretty we'll
known to the readers Of the Republi-
can. 1t was the night of the Goth of
last October, when Chas. III. Hardin,
Robert Ferguson, and the latter's little
four-year-old son, all travelling togeth-
er toward Illinois, had reached a point
called Hog Eye, in st. Francois county.
The team driven by Hardin was the
property of widow woman living at
Sedalia, and had been placed in his
hands that he might do some moving.
Thus provided he started out and met
up with Ferguson, who was journeying
East from Kansas.
The night of the Goth was a favOra-
BILE one for the diabolical work that he
had plotted, and at the dread hour of
twelve he stole upon the man Fergu-
son, who was sleeping with his infant
in his arms, and struck him several
deadly blows with the sharp edge Of an
axe. That the traces of the murder
might be covered, the murderer reliev-
ed the dead mans wagon OF one wheel
and scattered its contents, giving the
scene the aspect of runaway. Hardin
then took both teams and the dead
mans child, and proceeded to the rail-
road station at De Lassus, where he
shipped the teams to Columbus, KY,
and offered in payment for his eXpens-
rs and freight, money out of roll of
S25S, which he had taken from the body
of Ferguson. On the 10Th inst, Hardin
was ARRESTED at the last named place
and returned to st. Francois county,
where he was indicted and convicted of
murder. To cover himself he made
strenuous endeavors to have the dead
fathers child call him father, but the
little one at all times refused. The citi- |
zens of this county became aroused at
the idea of so foul deed being COM
mitted in their midst and if the law
had rot dealt out justice in the case,
there is no telling who the eXecutioner
would have been.
GATHERING OF THE CROWD.
Early this morning the populace of
st. Francois and adjoining counties be-
gan to arrive at this place, and there
were soon upon the streets, upon the
and in the trees gathered
fully five thousand people. At an ear
ly hour your reporter visited Hardin in
state of mind. He thought the
Republicans reports had misrepresent-
ed him, yet he bore no malice toward the
author of aught that ever appeared re-
garding him. The builder of the scat
fold approached the condemned man
and informed him that he had erected
the structure, yet not from the fact that
he bore any malice toward him. Sher-
if Thornburg, of BOllinger county, was
also present and explained to the pris-
Oner that he was present at the request
of Sheriff McMullin to assist him in the !
to do what he could to allevi- |
ate his sufferings upon the gallows. A
was impaired him from the
widow of the murdered man, request !
ing a statement as to how the deed oc-
but he refused to give any sat
isfaction. The rope used was the same |
that was provided for Degonia lat Wash |
ingtOn county, whose sentence was COM |
muted before the execution. A Repub-
tican reporter approached Hon. Jasper |
N. Burks, condemned mans attorney,
and CLEANED from him the following |
statement: "Yourinterview a few days !
since with Hardin think was correct,
the statement that he had |
been with Ferguson five years: it should |
have been five days, and supposed it |
was Typographical error, and when l
informed the prisoner he was perfectly
satisfied. / did not take his case to the |
Supreme Court, from the fact that 1
was unable to Dear the expense of trans
script, etc. l also know the rulings of
the lower court were fair, just, and ac-
cording to the law, and / knew the Su-
preme Court would not reverse the de-
cisiOn of the lower. / did all in my
power to save Hardin, but the people /
were against him, and the judge and I
both received
THREATENING COMMUNICATIONS
signed Many Citizens pending the
trial."
Judge William Carter thought Mr..
Burks could not bear the expenses at
tending the removal of Hardin's case
10 higher court, and also that the YER
1ict OF the jury in the case was fully
m a rro =, fo,. hv fha ayiIopco in fho o,So |