These pages contain transcriptions of items published in Meigs County newspapers regarding crime and punishment. They were transcribed from microfilm copies of the originals or from the originals themselves.
Further contributions would be most welcome.
Common Pleas Court, February Term; March 29, 1866 RUNNION, Calvin; January 17, 1867 TAYLOR, Enoch; January 31, 1867 Common Pleas Court Proceedings; October 10, 1867 CROSS, Oliver; January 17, 1872 WOODYARD, John E.; February 21, 1867 Common Pleas Court; May 16, 1867 POSTLEWAIT, Samuel; August 1, 1867 MOON, John L.; February 28, 1867 BECKER, Julius; August 9, 1871 DILCHER, William; March 28, 1867 Jail Commitments; October 19, 1870 DILCHER, William; March 12, 1868 REGENHART, William; May 2, 1867 NELSON, William; February 7, 1867 Criminal Docket; March 5, 1868 Mayor's Court; May 28, 1868
Common Pleas Court, February Term - Meigs County Telegraph, March 29, 1866
The following is a synopsis of action in state cases before the Court of
Common Pleas for Meigs Co., at the February term 1866:
Isaac Cort, assault, fined $5.00 and costs.
Jno. Epple, violating the liquor law; not guilty.
Joseph, Daniel W., and Jonathan D. Brickles, riot, not guilty.
Wm. Radford, assault and battery, fined $25.00 and costs.
Charles Doss, grand larceny, imprisonment, three years.
Robert Hickman, burglary, penitentiary, five years.
Malon Guess, assault and battery $10.00 and costs.
Jonathan Moore, attachment for contempt, $10.00 and costs.
Mary Broderick, manslaughter, verdict guilty of manslaughter, and not
guilty of murder in the 2d degree, continued on motion for a new trial.
Wm. Criss, challenging to fight a duel, placed under bonds of $500.00.
Wm. Griffin, horse stealing, penitentiary five years and costs.
Edward St. Clair, grand larceny, penitentiary five years and costs.
Wm. Palmer, David Palmer and Victor Jones, plead guilty of petty
larceny, fined $5.00 each and costs, and thirty days each at hard labor
in jail.
James A. Pullins, arson, verdict not guilty, and nolles as to John and
Morgan Pullins.
The following persons were found guilty of violating the liquor law, and
fined.
Jacob Fultz, $30.00 and costs, and imprisonment twenty days.
William Stansbury, $5.00 and costs.
Elias Lowery, $1.00 and costs.
David R. Thomas, $20.00 and costs.
George White, $5.00 and costs.
Oren Wogin, $5.00 and costs.
Jacob Quillen, $10.00 and costs.
Thomas Wilcoxen, $5.00 and costs.
Joseph Fultz, three cases, $10.00 and costs for each case.
James Parks, three cases, $10.00 and costs for each case.
Wm. Parks, three cases, $10.00 and costs for each case.
Rickoby Knight, three cases, $10.00 and costs for each case.
Jacob Fultz, three cases, $10.00 and costs for each case.
The indictments against the following persons were continued:
John Lockwood, homicide.
David H. Moore, stabbing with intent to wound.
Robert H. Gilbert, shooting with intent to kill.
Lewis Ruffcorn, arson.
Robert N. Hysell, breaking open a house in the night season to commit
personal violence, motion for a new trial.
Steven Smith, maiming.
James E. Brown, assault and battery.
James E. Brown, assault with intent to kill.
Jno. Gloeckner, assault with intent to kill.
Thornton Myers, seduction.
Henry Knapp, horse stealing.
Henry Hall, assault and battery.
Tunis Middleswart, assault and battery.
Robert Miller and David Miller, breaking and entering Mansion House to
commit personal violence.
Robert Miller and Wm. H. Hobbs, assault with intent to kill.
Besides a large number of minor cases.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
RUNNION, Calvin - Meigs County Telegraph, January 17, 1867
Terrible Homicide; A Husband Shoots his Wife's Paramour
One of those terrible domestic tragedies, which send a thrill of
horror through a community, and carry with them life long grief and woe
to a whole family, came off in the village of Syracuse, in this county,
on the night before New Year. It appears that Mr. Calvin RUNNION, of
that place, has for some time had reasons for suspecting one Jacob HENRY
of having criminal intercourse with his wife, but previous to this time
has not had sufficient evidence to fully satisfy himself that such was
the fact. About 8 o'clock, however, on the evening in question, he
returned rather unexpectedly to his home, from a business visit to
Cincinnati, and on approaching his house, from some unexplained cause,
was led to stop outside and watch his wife's movements inside, who was
standing near the fire engaged in adorning her person, as if to receive
company. He soon heard a knocking, coming apparently from some one
hitting on the floor of the cellar in the room under where his wife was
standing. Mrs. R. immediately proceeded to and opened the cellar door,
from which Mr. R. saw a man step into the room. The parties first
caressed each other, then disappeared through the cellar door. Mr.
Runnion then went to an outdoor entrance to the cellar, and called to
his wife to know what she was doing there. She replied that she was
about to fasten the door, which appears to have been left open by her
paramour when entering the house. Mr. R. took the key from her and
locked the door. Mrs. R. then said that she thought there was some one
in the cellar; when Mr. R. called upon the party to come out and make
known his business. Receiving no reply, he went into his house and
procured a horse pistol, which was heavily loaded with buckshot, and
returned to the neighborhood of the cellar door, just as the deceased
burst open the same, for the purpose of making his escape. Mr. R.
called upon him to stop, but seeing that he paid no heed to the summons,
he discharged the pistol with as good aim as possible on his track. On
Mr. R. approaching him, the deceased is said to have exclaimed: "For
God's sake don't kill me; you've shot me already." Mr. R., on finding
who the guilty party was, and knowing that he was pretty badly hurt,
permitted him to leave without making any further attempt to injure him.
The deceased went immediately to his boarding house, but no doctor
appears to have been procured until the next day, when Dr. F.H. BARTON
was called in. He found the deceased suffering from what appeared to be
a flesh wound, but was unable to find the ball. Subsequently, more
dangerous symptoms having manifested themselves, Dr. G.K. ACKLEY was
called in, who was also unable to find the bullet. The wounded man
continued to grow worse, until the ninth day after receiving the injury,
when he expired.
At the post mortem examination, it was discovered that the ball had
entered the flesh a little below the hip joint, taken a downward course
until it struck the periosteum, from which it broke a small piece of
bone, then glanced upward but around the leg, in the direction of the
bowels in such a way that its course could not be followed by any of the
surgical instruments.
Frequently during his illness, the deceased is said to have
exonerated Mr. R. from all blame in the matter; saying that he had done
nothing more than he (Henry) would have done to another under the same
circumstances.
Mr. Runnion made no effort to escape, but remained quietly at this
home until Saturday last, when he was put under arrest. On Tuesday, a
very thorough preliminary examination of the case was made by Dr. J.R.
PHILSON, of Racine, a Justice of the Peace for Sutton Township, who put
him under bonds for his appearance at the next term of the Court of
Common Pleas.
Mr. Runnion has heretofore borne the reputation of a quiet
inoffensive citizen; in fact, public opinion appears to have been rather
against him because of his long forbearance in the case.
The reputation of the deceased appears to have been bad. His wife
is said to have left him, some years since, on account of his dissolute
habits. For several years past, he is said to have annoyed Runnion
greatly by the attentions which he insisted upon paying to his wife.
John CARTWRIGHT, Esq., appeared for the defense, and Lewis PAINE,
Esq., County Prosecutor, on behalf of the State.
>From the Meigs County Telegraph, February 28, 1867
CALVIN M. RUNNION, who shot Jacob HENRY, in Syracuse on the 31st of
December last, a full account of which we published at the time, was put
on trial for manslaughter during the recent term of the Court of Common
Pleas in this place. He was ably defended by Messrs. CARTWRIGHT and
HAYS, of the Meigs County Bar, and Judge NASH of Gallipolis. The State
was equally well represented by the Prosecuting Attorney PAINE, and W.R.
GOLDEN, of Athens. It appeared to us that the charge of Judge WRIGHT
was strongly against the accused; but however that may be, the jury
brought in a verdict of "not guilty," thus establishing the precedent
that a man who goes into his neighbor's house for such a base purpose as
Henry entered Runnion's, places himself outside the protection of the
law, and renders himself liable to be shot down like a dog. The jury in
this case deserve the thanks of the community for the high stand assumed
in the premises.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
TAYLOR, Enoch - Meigs County Telegraph, January 31, 1867
Murder in Athens County
On Friday last in Troy Township, in this county, while a man named Enoch
TAYLOR and his son were cutting wood on Taylor's place, about two miles
from the Ohio River, a neighbor named CHOOTS, and his son William, a
young man of twenty, came up and a quarrel ensued about the cutting of
the wood. In the course of the quarrel they came to blows, when the
older Taylor seized an ax and struck the young Choots once or twice over
the left shoulder, from the wounds of which he died in about eight
hours. Taylor made no attempt to escape, was arrested by Constable
David DAVIS, taken before Esq. W.G. BOYD, by whom he was committed to
the county jail. Taylor's son was also arrested. Taylor claims that
the blow was given in self-defense, that Choots had a slung shot in his
hand. Taylor is about forty years of age. An examining Court has been
called for this case and will be held on Saturday next at the office of
the Probate Judge.-- [Athens Messenger
>From the Meigs County Telegraph, February 7, 1867
The Athens County Murder
An examining court, to inquire into the circumstances of the late
murder in Troy Township, Athens County, came off in Athens on Saturday,
of last week, before Hon. C. MORRIS, Probate Judge. The Messenger says
that some six witnesses were produced and examined on behalf of the
State, the principal ones being James CHUTES and wife, parents of the
deceased. They were subjected to an elaborate and scorching
cross-examination by General GROVENOR. It is claimed by the friends of
Chute that he owned certain timber on a small lot of land in Troy
Township, Athens County, and that the Taylors on the day of the affray,
had began to remove it, and that the Chutes, father and son, approached
them while at work, intending only to remonstrate and claim the timber;
that the Taylors ordered them off the land, and before time was given to
comply, Enoch Taylor attacked young Chute with an ax, furnished by the
younger Taylor, and struck him a fatal blow.
By the friends of the Taylors it is said that the land was owned by
Taylors, and they were peacefully at work, chopping off the timber, as
they had a right to do; that Chute and his father attempted to drive
them off, and that young Chute struck at the elder Taylor with a
murderous weapon, and Taylor, in self-defense, gave the fatal blow.
"The Probate Court fixed the bail of Enoch at $1,000 and William
$500."
All the parties to the case resided in Olive Township, Meigs
County, but the affray which ended in the death of Chute occurred in
Athens County.
>From the Meigs County Telegraph, July 18, 1867
Enoch TAYLOR, of Athens County, who it will be remembered, killed a
man by the name of William CHUTE, of this county, with an ax, some six
months since, was tried for the act at the recent term of the Court of
Common Pleas, at Athens, and convicted of manslaughter. A motion was
made by Chute's counsel, Messrs. Grosvenor & Dana and Brown & Wildes,
for a new trial, but when the last Messenger was issued, a decision had
not been rendered.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
Common Pleas Court Proceedings - Meigs County Telegraph, October 10, 1867
CRIMINAL DOCKET
The State v. D.H. Moore, stabbing with intent to kill. Jury failed to agree. Nolle entered.
The State v. W. Knight, selling liquor. Nolle.
The State v. Wm. Criss, challenging to fight duel. Verdict of guilty, and motion for new trial made.
The State v. Philip Miller, assault with intent to kill. Verdict not guilty.
The State v. Daniel Enoch, selling liquor. Plea of guilty entered. Fined $25 and costs.
The State v. Wm. Williams, grand larceny. Verdict not guilty.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
CROSS, Oliver - Meigs County Telegraph, January 17, 1872
BOLD THIEF
OLIVER CROSS, who was confined in the Meigs County jail
several months last summer for stealing money from HENRY WARREN, near
Reedville, and discharged at the late term of the Probate Court, has
been again gratifying his propensity for appropriating property that
does not belong to him. His last offense was stealing a horse, and this
time it is quite probable he will have to serve out his sentence in the
penitentiary. On the 8th Cross went to the stable of Mr. Warren,
saddled one of his horses, exchanged boots and coat with him, and eat
(sic) his supper, Mr. Warren being asleep at the time. Cross then got
on the horse and proceeded to Long Bottom, where he took passage, with
his stolen property, on the steamer Active for up the river. Mr. Warren
started in pursuit, and found the thief and horse at Parkersburg. The
horse had been sold, but the proceeds were still in the possession of
Cross, who was arrested, and on Friday last he was brought to this place
and put under the charge of Sheriff Mallory.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
WOODYARD, John E. - Meigs County Telegraph, February 21, 1867
LOST A BOARDER
Our good friend Bradfield, of the County Jail, has just
lost one of his best boarders, in the person of John E. WOODYARD, who
has been an inmate of that institution for the last nine months on two
charges of grand larceny. John got out on bail once before, but ere the
time for his appearance came round, he committed another theft, was
arrested and brought back to his old quarters. This time he had to
deposit $1,000 with his sureties, to indemnify them in case he should
not feel like returning to partake of the County's hospitality, as
administered to him under the direction of Jailer Bradfield.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
Common Pleas Court - Meigs County Telegraph, May 16, 1867
Court Proceedings
Since our last report, the following cases have been disposed of in the
Meigs County Common Pleas, Judge Wright, of Logan presiding:
State of Ohio vs. William S. HARRIS, for shooting with intent to
kill, William LINDSEY, of Middleport. Venue change to Gallia County.
State of Ohio vs. William CRISS, for sending challenge to fight a
duel. Continued, on the affidavit of defendant, alleging that important
witnesses were absent.
State of Ohio vs. John ELLIOTT; petit larceny. Plead guilty; fine
$10 and costs; to stand committed until the same are paid.
Sebastian RHEM vs. C.R. REED; slander. The jury in this case
failed to agree, after being out twenty hours.
Daniel & Rathburn vs. Samuel H. SARGENT; slander. Verdict for the
plaintiffs; damages assessed at $1,000.
State of Ohio vs. John I. MOON; arson; guilty of the act charged;
but insane.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
POSTLEWAIT, Samuel - Meigs County Telegraph, August 1, 1867
We learn that Mr. Samuel POSTLEWAIT of this place was set upon by four
men on Tuesday evening last, and beaten in a shameful and brutal
manner. We do not know what cause was given by Mr. Postlewait for the
assault, but we do know that four men could have no reasonable excuse
for assailing one man in the manner described in this case. It was a
cowardly and brutal act, and the parties engaged in the affair should be
promptly punished for their infamous proceedings.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
MOON, John L. - Meigs County Telegraph, February 28, 1867
The trial of John L. MOON, for burning the Middleport Mill, on the 4th
of July last, came off during the late term of the Court of Common Pleas
for this county, and resulted in a failure on the part of the jury to
agree; ten being for conviction and two for clearing him. Even if
guilty of the act charged, there seems to be serious doubts in the minds
of many whether he is not a fitter subject for a lunatic asylum than for
the Penitentiary. The Court fixed his bonds at $1,000, which he failed
to obtain and consequently has to remain in jail until another Court.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
BECKER, Julius - Meigs County Telegraph, August 9, 1871
A SALOON KEEPER, by the name of Julius BECKER, was arrested in this
city last evening, on the charge of stealing one hundred dollars from
the pocket of a man named James McCARTNEY, while the latter was asleep
in a room over his saloon. According to the man's story, when he went
to sleep, he had something over two hundred dollars in a pocket book in
a side pocket of his coat; that he was aroused from his sleep by some
one feeling in his pocket, and springing up he caught the hand of the
party, and found it was Becker's who had robbed his pocket book of a
portion of its contents, and was returning it to his pocket. On
counting his money, he says he found it one hundred dollars short.
Parties who know Becker doubt the truth of the story.
Later.--The case has since been dismissed.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
DILCHER, William - Meigs County Telegraph, March 28, 1867
WILLIAM DILCHER, a fast young man of this town, was arrested Monday
evening, and sent to jail, for making an attack upon his father. He is
said to have attacked the old gentleman with a two-pound weight, to
compel the latter to furnish him with money to go to Idaho.
Fortunately, his sister ran between the parties, and prevented the young
"blood" from using his weapon of offense. He is said to be an
unmitigated nuisance, and if he would only go to Idaho, it would
probably pay well to buy him a ticket and start him off.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
Jail Commitments - Meigs County Telegraph, October 19, 1870
The following are commitments to jail since October 1, 1870:
Daniel MATZ for drunkenness
William WADEN for assault and battery
Sylvester HOOD for drunkenness
Stephen NATION for adultery
Micahel EDMONDSON for bastardy
Baldwin BUFFINGTON for assault
John BOWEN for drunkenness
John HYSELL for assault and battery
David E. DAVIS, peace warrant
Cecilia MACK, insanity
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
DILCHER, William - Meigs County Telegraph, March 12, 1868
"Pure Cussedness"
Some fast young men of our town actuated probably by the combined
spirit of Satan and rum on Sunday night last, made a raid on our street
lamps, and before their great stomach for destruction could be appeased,
had pretty effectually used up fourteen of those luminaries of the
night. On Monday William DILCHER, Edward LONG, and Conrad MILLER were
arrested on the charge of having been concerned in the affair. The two
first were sent to jail to await an examination before Mayor Lee, but
Miller furnished bail, and was permitted to go at large.
>From the Meigs County Telegraph, March 19, 1868
The parties we made mention of last week as being under arrest for
breaking street lamps were found guilty, and fined forty dollars each
and costs. Two of them, Conrad MILLER and Edward LONG, paid their fines
and were set at liberty, but William DILCHER was sent to jail. He
should be set at work at something useful, and made to pay his way. How
three full grown men could be guilty of such disgraceful conduct is
beyond our comprehension.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
REGENHART, William - Meigs County Telegraph, May 2, 1867
ARRESTED - on the 27th inst. William REGENHART was arrested in
this place, charged with having on the night of the 24th of this month
stolen from Mr. John GORSUCH, a dapple gray mare belonging to W. N.
THOMPSON of this county. Mr. Thompson has since received his mare and
Reganhart is lodged in Jail under a bond of six hundred dollars for his
appearance before our next Court of common Pleas. It is highly
probable that Reganhart is connected with older hands in the business,
as he is only a boy of about seventeen years of age.
(Follow-up in the Meigs County Telegraph, May 16, 1867, as a
quote from the Gallipolis Journal)
We stated last week, that one of our citizens has traded for a
horse which was subsequently reclaimed as stolen property, and that the
young man who sold the horse here had been arrested and confined in
Pomeroy jail as the thief. Now comes the funny part of the story. At
the court in Pomeroy, last week, the little rascal got the privilege to
go before the Grand Jury, on the plea of turning State's evidence, and
there testified that the man to whom he sold the horse had hired him to
do the stealing! Of course, the Grand Jury did not believe the story,
nor any one else acquainted with the parties or knowing the
circumstances of the case. That boy had better be sent to the
penitentiary at once, for, with his knavery and shrewdness, he is too
dangerous to public peace and morality to run at large. (Gallipolis
Journal)
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
NELSON, William - Meigs County Telegraph, February 7, 1867
Arrested
William NELSON, a citizen of Mason County, West Virginia, is now in
the Pomeroy Jail, on the charge of horse-stealing. It appears that he
stole a horse from Harrison DARTT, in Sutton Township, some days since,
and was followed by some citizens of this county, into Troy Township,
Athens County, where he was overtaken and arrested. When taken, he was
not in possession of the horse; but he explains this by saying that the
horse threw him and got away. He pleads drunkenness as an excuse for
his crime.
>From the Meigs County Telegraph, February 28, 1867
William NELSON, charged with stealing a horse somewhere back of
Racine, whose arrest in Athens County we mentioned a few weeks since,
was tried for the offense last week in the Meigs County Common Pleas,
and acquitted. It was shown we believe to the satisfaction of the jury
that the accused took the horse with the intention of returning him;
also that he was drunk. As a general rule, we think it would hardly do
to admit such excuses, but we suppose there must have been some
mitigating circumstances in this case, or the jury would not have
brought in such a verdict as they did.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
Criminal Docket - Meigs County Telegraph, March 5, 1868
Meigs County Court of Common Pleas, February Term
Criminal Docket
State of Ohio vs. William CRISS. New trial granted.
State of Ohio vs. Isaac HYSELL. Assault and battery. Pleas of
guilty and fine of $5 and costs.
Same vs. Warren HYSELL, assault and battery. Plea of guilty.
Fined $5 and costs.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
Mayor's Court - Meigs County Telegraph, May 28, 1868
Mayor's Court
The following is the record of criminal cases brought before Mayor
STANBURY, during the past ten days:
State vs. John TOY. Petit larceny. Sent to jail in default of
$100 bonds.
State vs. Stephen HEINTERFOUT. Grand larceny. Bound over to
Common Pleas Court.
State vs. Andrew J. COMSTOCK. Petit larceny. Bound over to
Probate Court.
State vs. S.P. FAWCETT. Assault and battery. Fined $5.00 and
costs.
Town of Pomeroy vs. Robert OLAMAN. Drunk. Fined $1 and costs.
Town of Pomeroy vs. Hugh and Michael CURTIS. Fighting. Fined $2
and costs, each.
State vs. Kern McDONALD. Petit larceny. Discharged.
Town of Pomeroy vs. Fanny LEWIS. Violating ordinance. Fined $3
and costs.
Town of Pomeroy vs. Wm. KILE. Keeping house of ill fame.
Discharged.
Transcribed by Cheryl Hartley
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