Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-08-08
SKELETON ON DISPLAY.
Mrs. Lavinia Fisher Was Only Wo-
man Hanged In South Carolina.


visit the Charleston museum and who
bring friends to the museum to see
the skeleton of Mrs. Lavinia Fisher,
the only woman to have been hanged
in South Carolina, and whose skeleton
was exhibited at the museum some
time ago and was removed because 1t
was out of order, the museum has de-
cided again to install the skeleton and
it is now being put in order, relates
the Charleston News and Courier. 1t
is expected that there will be wide in
terest in the fact that Mrs. Fisher will
como out of her hiding place and will
again be seen and publicity will be
given to the date on which she will be
placed once more on exhibit.
Mrs. Fisher and her husband, John
Fisher, kept the SiX-Mile House, er-
roneously confused with the Four
Mile House, about 1920; and consider
able curiosity was aroused over the
continued disappearances of those who
stopped overnight at the hostelry In
vestigations were made ana it was
found that the guests had been mur-
dered and their bones buried in the
cellar. The guilty pair were arrested,
and tried and sentenced, the woman
being the first and only woman hanged
in this state.
Desperadoes Very Active.
The following account of the case is
taken from Kings Newspaper Press
Of Charleston, South Carolina:
"Too frequently the torch of the in
cendiary, together with the machina-
tions of the desperate, give scope for
individual condemnation. Not less
frequently were the warnings given by
the city journals to the authorities to
suppress the then. existing evils. This
condition of society, bad as it was in
the city, was much worse in the envi-
rons. Gangs of white desperadoes oc-
cupied certain houses, and infested the
roads leading to the city. To such an
extent did these outlaws carry their
excesses, that wagoners and others
coming into the city were under the
necessity of carrying rifles in their
hands for defense. Travellers passed
these houses with fear and trembling.
More dreaded than others of these
haunts was that known as the Six
Mile House, occupied by John Fisher
and Lavinia, his wife. State sheriff,
N. C. Cleary, was forced to move
against these highwaymen. With
number of mounted citizens and de-
tachments from the Charleston Rifle
men, Washington Light Infantry and
the Northern Volunteers, he started on
the errand Of determination
Great Fear Of the Gallows.
"The City Papers of January and
February, 1920, give accounts of the
capture OF Mr.. and Mrs. Fisher. The
Constitutional Court of the 18th of
January, 1920, had refused to grant
new trials to John and Lavinia Fisher,
convicted ct the previous court OF
highway robbery, and they were SEN
fenced to be hung on Friday, the 4th
day of February. following. They
were, however, respited until the 18th
on their petition irnploring the appor-
tunity for preparation, and asking but
for time to meet their God On Fri
day, 18th, at o'clock, just within the
lines on a hill east of the Meeting
Street road, about 500 yards north of
the street now known as Line street
continued, John Fisher and his wife
met their fate, the former with calm
ness and composure, and the latter
with fear and trepidation.
Mrs Fisher appeared, from the
time of her arrest, to be under the in
fuence of wrong passions and feelings.
1t was evident that she flattered her
self with the expectation of pardon
irving within sight of the gallows,
drew his wife convulsively to his
bosom, and speedily nervcd himself to
the issue. The unhappy wife could not
believe ii possible that she was so
soon to die. She called upon the i'm
mense throng assembled to rescue her
and implorcd pity with outStretched
and trembling hands. No scene could
be more appalling as the ill-fated pair
stood between time and eternity The
platform gave way at n given signal
from tine sheriff. then all was hushed
and still--that which was mortal had
put on Immortality"
The skeleton of Mrs. Fisher was at
first owned by the Medical college, by
which il was given to the Museum.