The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-02-18
A GRUESOME ARRAY
Of Blood : Stained Weapons
Confronts Visitor In M. Days
Innermost Chambsr--Some
Thrilling Traditions.

HAS STueSOme cOiieCtlOn OI TciCS ~
his Office in the court house. They
are the accumulation Of years Of crimi-
nal investigation and prosecution, and
are kept for the reason that many OF
them relate to crimes. the perpctra-
tors Of which have never been brought
to justice and for the reason that the
law does not provide for disposing Of
such articles except when confiscated
under certain conditions.
The collection consists OF hundreds
of articles that have been used In
criminal cases. Almost every one Of
them has tragic history connected
with 1t, but the present official Is rot
conversant with the details leading
to the acquiring of all Of them, as
some came into the Office many years
ago.
ROPE AND GALLoWS.
There Is a long, coffin-liks~ box con-
tanning the rope and trap that were
used in the hanging of George Nc
MILAN, who was hanged for the mur-
der of his wife IS or 20 years ago. The
iron work of the scaffolding is all In
the box. The rope is an inch and a
quarter in thickness and Is soft and
pliable. One end of it is frayed for ten
or twelve inches, the loose ends hav-
ing been used in making the splicing
for the loop.
The story Is that some years after
Mcmillan was executed, a member OF
the family confessed that the man was
innocent and admitted doing the deed,
but as one life had been offered In
expiation of the crime, the story was
never investigated. Mcmillan was the
last man hung in Stark county, his
hanging occurring year or two after
the famous triple hanging.
There Is the deadly weapon that the
notorious William Henderson is said
to have used when he murdered old
man Hartong. 1t was found in the
home the morning after the murder
covered with the life blood and hair
of the victim. The hair no longer ad-
heres to the wedge but the blood spots
are still apparent, rust having inter-
mingled with carmine hue. The wedge
Ii being held TO- be used as evidence
in case any of the others connected
with the crime are arrested. The pros
ecutor uses 1t on his desk as a paper
weight at times, and 1t Is an object
of curiosity to all who are familiar
with the crime.
SECTION OF SKULL.
There Is a top section of mans
skull among the relics, about which
no information Is to be obtained. On
the one side there is a deep indenta-
ton showing that a violent blow on
the head was the cause of death. To
one side of the dent Is a circular
hole about the size of silver
quarter, which was cut by the doctors
in an effort to insert instruments TO
raise the skull from the brain and
save the mans life.
There is the waist and corset of Mrs.
Lucy Haas, the woman at whom John
Popp shot, and for which he was sent
to the penitentiary for two years by
Judge Harter few days ago. With
the wearing apparel is the revolver
and bullet that was detected by the
corset steel, thereby saving the wom-
ans life.
The shirt that some visitor wore
to Canton during McKinley's funeral
is also in the collection. Pinkey jack
son. a noted pickpocket. took fancy
to the diamond stud the gentleman
wore, and made grab for 1t, tearing
the bosom of the shirt, but failing to
land the sparkler. He was arrested
and sent to the works.
To show the zeal Of Mr.. Day in the
Of liquor dealers are doz-
ems OF bottles of whisky and beer,
with the inscriptions upon them stat
ing where and when they were pur-
chased and by whom. Most Of them
were bought on Sundays and were used
where convictions were secured. What
is to BIO done eventually with the ar
dent has not been determined. There
Is enough OF 1t on hand to start a
small sized saloon.
CHEAP JEWELRY.
There is bundle after bundle Of
blood-stained clothing, mute Witness
es In securing the conviction of crimi-
nails from time to time. There are re-
volvers, knives, bludgeOns and other
weapons, and tied up in a large silk
handkerchief Ia about a half peck of
cheap watches, rings, jewelry. pocket
books, etc., that were taken from the
pockets of Charles White, who some
months ago was run In from one of the
outlying townships for entering q
house. He is doing time.
The prosecutor has large album,
or rogues' gallery. In It are the pic
lures of nearly every man sent from
Stark county to the penitentiary in
recent years. There Is group Of the
1S pickpockets arrested by the detec-
tives during the Mckinley funeral,
the most of whom were run In before
they had time TO mingle with the
throng or gather up single pocket
book. There are the pictures not only
OF the noted crooks, but Of many Of
the most notorious criminals of the
state or country. They are mostly In
their prison garb, and In some in
stances they are shown in both full
face and profile.
The collection IL a. interesting as
the ordinary dina muaof1m and the