The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-09-01

first county seat of Wayne county.
This was years ago. IL has not only
ceased to be the county seat, but has
ceased to exist. 1t is now only mat
ter of memory for it's very foundations
have been ploughed up. The courts
were held in Salisbury as long as 1T
was the county seat. AS Ear as we
have any record, the first court was
organized and held in Salisbury on the
Bird day of October, 1915. On that day
the record recites, the presiding judge.
Elijah Sparks. failed to appear. George
Hunt, who had been appointed and
commissioned as clerk, was present,
but no one having authority to admin
lister TO him the oath of office, the
court for that reason adjourned until
the next term.
The next term of the court began on
the 9th day of March, 1916, Judge
Sparks being present as presiding
judge. and Aaron Martin and Peter
Fleming as associate judges. John
Turner was sheriff and George Hunt
clerk. A grand jury was empaneled.
The first case tried was entitled Thorn
as Nealy VS.. Christopher Rodgers, in
which an application for an injunc-
ton was made. The first criminal
case was entitled The United States
VS.. John Steward, which was prose
cution for larceny. A jury of twelve
men was empaneled and the evidence
was heard. The case was argued and
after the court had charged the jury
they retired for elaboration and DELHI
Grated by separating and going home
without returning verdict. The
sheriff reported the fact to the court
the next morning and asked that the
jurors be cited to appear at the next
term of court to show cause why they
should not be fined for contempt At
the next term they all appeared and
after being sworn, they each gave their
several excuses, which were so salts
factory to the court that he excused
them upon the payment of the costs.
No verdict was ever returned and SO
the defendant escaped.
The first divorce case ever tried in
Wayne county was tried on the 9th
day Of June, 1917. and was entitled
Sarah Mckee VS.. William Mckee. The
record recites that notice of the pend
ency of the suit was given by publica-
ton in the Western Eagle for eight |
weeks. The divorce was granted and |
the plaintiff was given the custody of
the minor children and two hundred |
dollars in alimony. This case may be
regarded as the divorce germ in Wayne
and it has been SO well cult
waited that it is now wonderfully pro-
ductive, there being now pending on
the docket of the Wayne circuit court
26 divorce cases.
Chryst Killed Chambers.
come now to the important homi-
eide or murder cases that have been
tried in our courts, especially those
that have transpired since ! have been
D practicing attorney, which is now
about forty-three years. Wayne
has had three county seats, Sal
sbury, Centerville and Richmond, and
n each one a man has been hung for
he crime of murder. While Indiana
vas still a territory, Henry Chryst
silled his son-in-law, man by the
lame of Chambers, IN Washington
ownship, in this county. He was in
iicted and tried for murder In the first
iegree. Tradition has it that his
laughter, Mrs. Chambers. had fire.
Iuently complained to her father about
he cruel treatment of her husband
-hryst went to their house. got into an
liberation with Chambers, attempted
% stab him with butcher knife,
Chambers ran, and as he ran Chryst
shot him with a rifle and killed him.
rhe case upon the records is entitled
United States VS.. Henry Chryst. The
Ease was tried on the 9TH day of March
lS17, and on the next day the jury re-
urned a verdict of guilty. Thereupon
he court. after over-ruling motion
or new trial, sentenced him to be !
BANGED in the public square in Sails ]
oury on the first day of the following I
April. which was done. The principal I
witnesses against Chryst were his
laughter. Mrs. Chambers. his wife and
minor son. 1t is said that when his
son took the witness chair the defend
int remarked to him:
Now. son. tell the truth, IL it con-
iicts your father"
After the execution it is said that the
l.,
he family residence on a sled in the
nighttime through the woods a dis
ance of ten miles.
The next person to suffer the death
penalty was Hampshire Pitts. who was
hanged in Centerville. Pitts killed a
nan by the name of Mail. about four
niles north Of Richmond. He was
arrested and indicted. His
rial commenced on the 9th day of No
7ember. 1922. A verdict of guilty was
on the Sth day of Novem-
Der. Upon a motion made, a new
rial was granted by the two associate
Judges, Jesse Davenport and William
dcLain. over-ruling the presiding judge
Who was not in favor of granting the
notion. On the 18th day of the same
month. the case was again tried and
he same kind of verdict rendered.
IN this verdict the court sentenced
Pitts to be hanged between the hours
If eleven O'Clock a. m. and four