Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-06-22
SOME EARLY HISTORY.
Continued from First Page.


stopping for the night: Taking
deliberate aim in the darkness,
Porter fred, killing his victim al
most instantly. After the deed he
fled to the woods and wandered
about for several days. Intelli-
gence of the tragedy spread rapid
ly up and down the river, and a
systematic search for the criminal
began, but without avail. A few
days later, Porter was discovered
at the ford" near Waterville and
headed toward that town. Walk
ing boldly into the village, he gave
himself up without hesitation and
wished to be placed in Jail. John
Webb was then sheriff of Wood
county, at Perrysburg. Sheriff
Webb went after Porter, and he
was secured in the old log Jail be-
hind the county court house, which
.at that time stood on the lot where
at present Fred Hillabrand re-
sides.
Sheriff Webb then lived at the
upper end Of Front street. and
thrice daily he would bring Porter
his meals. Front street at the time
was little more than a COW path,
winding about here and there be-
tween the stumps Of old trees,
while the old Jail was quite OBJ
scured from view, being almost
hidden by dense thicket that sur
rounded it. The prisoner talked
freely with the sheriff, attempting
to hide nothing, and seemed to be
of the opinion that he had rid the
settlement of bad and infam-
Gus character.
| 1t was on August 18th that
Porter was brought to the Perrys-
burg Jail. Court was then in ses-
sion, with Judges Peter Hitchcock
and Henry Brush on the bench.
Thomas Powell was prosecuting
attorney and Thomas r. Mcknight
county clerk. On August Goth, the
grand jury, which was then in ses-
sion, indicted Porter for murder.
and on the 30th his trial began.
and though ably defended by
Osias Parish and David Higgins.
he was found guilty, and sen
fenced to be hung OH the following
| 5th of November at the east end OF
Fort Meigs.
On the day of the execution,
which was to be a public affair
people came from far and near.
| Sheriff Webb had previously con
structed the gallows on the open
ground on the side of the ravine
lneXt to Fort Meigs. Near the APP
lpoinied hour of the day, the great
crowd noticed single horse and
Wagon coming from the direction
of the jail. The driver was James
Grego, and in the wagon was
Porter's coffin. Not far behind
| followed two men, the sheriff and
the prisoner-walking.
| There reigned a stiffness Of
death, as the two men assembled
the scatfold, side by side; and
after the black cap had been fitted
over the face of the doomed man.
and as the last prayer was being
said-the trap was sprung, and
George Porter had paid the price
of his crime.
Somewhere in the old and
abandoned cemetery, just west Of
our present vilalge Jail and in an
unmarked grave, rests the dust OF
this unfortunate man. That our
first settlers and magistrates, here
in this valley, had their trials and
tribulations in an early day, goes
without saying. For to administer
justice impartially, especially
when human life is held in the
balance, is task not to be desired.
But it can be said to the credit
of the people of this Maumee Val
ley, that for the most part, it has
always nurtured patriotic, peace
able and abiding citizenship.