The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1888-05-17
THE HANGING OF
PRIMER.
The Resurrection CT all
0ld-T'ime Tragedy:

by iSiSiSHCe W Jul EicS OI tue
current date, we give tho following:
The old man Fox and his wife
lived In lonely cabin on the road
side. lew miles west from Logan.
He was a man of thrift and had col
lected and saved some money. THIS
fact was generally known.
On pleasant summer evening a
man named Primer came to the
house and asked 6 nights lodging.
He was known to the old people as
a respectable young man, being a
teacher in that neighborhood, and
was taken in for the night.
The old folks went 10 bed and
gave their guest a bed. At about
10 clock, and the clock told the
time, Primer assaulted The old coup
lie with a club and killed Fox. The
old woman. almost Killed, fell under
the bed and played possom escaping
death from the hands of the demon.
After killing Fox the murderer
rummaged the house and among
other places seeking for money,
went to the clock, depository as
We all know for things valuable and
sacred. In this search for money
he stopped the clock, leaving a wit
ness mute but expressive of the hour
when the crime was committed.
After killing the old man, beating
his hands held up for protection
and crushing his skull, causing
death, and surprising the old wo-
man under the bed was dead also,
the fiend gathered loose matter
available and set it on fire, intend
ing thus to destroy all evidences OF
his crime. Then lie left. The old
woman came to consciousness, put
out the fire and watched by her
dead husband the long hours of the
night, till in the morning, people
coming to Logan came to her aid.
The club with which the old man
Fox was killed is hickory stick,
was found and is now in the muse
um of the Prosecuting Attorney.
Primer came to town next day
and taking room in the hotel, say
ing he wanted to be by himself to
count his money.
Later in the day he was arrested
in the saloon kept by Luman Rak-
er, pear where Krelg is now doing
business.
His trial was speedy. Judge
Whitman on the bench. Sanders
and Wright were for the State
Groghan for the defense.
He was found guilty. The hang
ing occurred on November 25, 1856.
In those days murders were not
frequent, and the whole country for
a hundred miles or more were im
pressed with, not only the crime,
but the penalty to follow.
We are told that not less than
Ten thousand people were In Logan
on the day Primer was hung. Kind
hearted, tender ey ed. perhaps i'll
clad men, but with a look in their
eyes that meant no mercy for mur-
derers, were on guard.
The execution was private in the
old jail yard. From Joe Kreig. who
was q guard, We get some Details
John Rochester was. captain of the
guards. There we're about twenty
of them. The hanging was u jerk
ing. A scatioid was instructed by
Butln, with contrivance of ropes
and pulleys. Primer stood Oh the
ground. Above was a box filled
with sand weighing some 500 hum
dred pounds or more. The rope was
adjusted around Primers neck. who
stood up firm and cool, and at a sig
nal Sheriff BARKER cut :, rope which
lot fall the heavy box. jerking the
condemned mah up about five feet.
He was pronounced dead in less
than FIVE minutes.
Tho murder of Fox and the exc
cution of Primer caused wonder
full excitement in the country, and
to this day the old folks talk OF 1t,
and people travelling OH the read
shudder as they pass the place where
the horrible crime Was committed.
Sheriff Barker to the day of his
death always fei; the weight Of the
great responsibility compelling him
10 execute the Jaw.
In those days murders were not
frequent and hanging man was
a terrible responsibility. Forty
years ago Sheriff's would resign
their Office rather than be the exc
cuticner. As it is now executions
are Icriarmed in the peniten;iary,
and an expert is employed for the
horrible work.
A Logan correspondent TO the