The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-24
NONE SINCE 1870
First Legal Hanging in Kansas
Was in 1863.
Victim Took Part in MariaS Des
Cygnes Massacre.
ONE IN Usage COUNTY
Man Named Bates Hanged for
Murder in Court House.
Third Legal Hanging Was in
LeavenWorth Aug. 9, 1870.

Leavenw0rth. kan. May z-The
case OF Charles O'NeaL the soldier
whose death sentence for uUrderIns 4
servant zsrI On the Fort Leavsnwcrth
military reservation recently was CON-
r-1uted 70 life Imprisonment by PresI-
Dent Taft. aroused much discussion as
70 Legal h1uziugs in kansas O'NeaL
could have been hanged. because the
reservation i not subject 20 the laws
OF kansas-
There have been no hzrg1uEs IN kan
sas since 1870. 50 far as can be learned
n 1865 rhs legislature passed q law re-
curing tat all persons sentenced to
death should be sem to the peui1euriary
and kept there one year At hard labor.
The hanging could not take place with
IL Z year after the sentence vas pass
81 and the date vas 10 De set by the
governor when he signed the death
-zarrauc- No Kansas governor has sign
ed the death warrant Of any prisoner
srut 70 the peufLeuttary under & death
sentence. The Death warrants for At
least four were signed previous 10 this
Change
Hanged for Massacre
TIE first legal hanging IN Kansas
vras that u William Griffith II Mound
City Linn county. October 30. 1853 He
was punished Tor participating IN the
Na-ais Ges Cygles massacre, May 12s
ISIS \ Uarry Of MfssourIaus drove
over into Linn county gathered up al
the free sraCers they could ind took
item 70 Z rav1re and stood them II Z
row along & bank The pro-sl4vsry gang
then ranged themselves along the op-
uosLCe bank and At the word from the
leader thew shot the eleven u=u they
had captured Five were killed i've
were severely wOuudd and ore was
only slightly injured The WOUNDED
fezgued de1rh and the ruf1ars rode
away
FIVE Years later a young nan who
had sean the ruffaus make the capture
Of -wO Of the murdered men was IN
Kansas City He recognized Griffith As
Cue Of the party Of pro-S-AVeEE men
Griffin was arrested and taken 20
Mound City He asked that he De put
ID death al once This was refused he
rLeafed guilty, but the court refused .
ACCEPT his Plea and appointed soon T.
Thatcher 70 defend MIN InarcEl7r wes
T. widely known Kansas attorney he
id the best he could for his client, bur
zv=rv-r.ne was 1zaIus- nim and q. ser
t-rea Of death was passed Gr11rr1
Headed for an Immediate death out the
court allowed him 90 days 70 prepare
for death At the end Of this period
the death warrant was received rom
Toueka and the sentence was exacu-sf1-
One in Usage
Ire second hanging vas II CSage
[ county February 20. tsd7- II Old ped
I der. named Policy. was murdered oy l
+ nan named Bates Policy vas quart
/ iug Ba1=s. VINO had been arrested for
{ burglary The murderer was captured,
I tired a. Cuce and sentenced 70 Dc
/ hanged The county had Just bulk 4
! new court house but II id not have
/ any ScaF0Id. Some OF the young peo-
/ ne. 50 he story gees were wanting 70
use the cour- room Tor Z dance hall
re sheriff was opposed 70 dances 50
he arranged for the hanging in the
court house 4 gauOws vas fupruvls=d
On the roof The prisoner was placed
over rte ScurtIe and the board upon
/ uL5ch he was standing was kicked from
/ under him
/ TIE third legal hanging Under state
/ authority was II the Leaveu worth
/ county jail August 9. 1870 An Old MAJ
/ raued jacob Barnett peddler, was
I ri 1rtered and robbed by william Dick
son. and Z sentence Of Death was or
/ ce-ed- This hanging vas on Z gaL-ovys
Z t1i-r in the tziI yard
There vas another hanging II
/ E=uaha county but 50 far as known
that = al