USA > Illinois > Hancock County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Hancock County, Volume II > Part 15
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HANCOCK COUNTY JAILS
Courts having been established for the punish- ment of offenders, the next question of im- portance in the enforcement of the law, was the erection of a jail in which violators of the
law might be confined pending their trials or for such punishment as might be satisfied by confinement in the county jail.
On June 3, 1834, it was ordered by the County Commissioners' Court that the west half of lot 3 in block 6 in the town of Carthage be set apart and appropriated as the place for the erection of a jail. At the same time the west half of lot 2 in the same block was set apart as a place for the erection of an estray pen, the manner of the erection of which was speci- fied by the court. The estray pen was built by Gilmore Kellison. The jail was for the restraint of offending human beings, and the estray pen for offending animals of an inferior grade.
The jail constructed in 1839-40 was not erected on this lot, but was built on lot 4 in the same block. Prior to June, 1839, William Frame was tried and executed, an account of which is given in another part of this history. On June 5, 1839, the County Commissioners' Court al- lowed certain sums of money to as many as seven different individuals for guarding Frame, which would indicate that he was confined in some temporary and insecure place or prison. Whether a temporary jail or jail-pen had been built on the west half of lot 3 in block 6 after the same had been appropriated as the place for the erection of a jail in 1834, we have been unable to ascertain. Those from whom the in- formation might have been obtained died years ago, and there seems to be no record of the fact, whatever it may have been, available at the present time.
THE JAIL OF 1839-40
On March 22, 1839, which was Friday, it was ordered by the County Commissioners' Court that the clerk advertise for sealed bids for the erection of a jail, and that the bids should be opened and passed upon on or during the sec- ond day of the following June term of the court.
On Friday, June 7, 1839, it was ordered that John F. Charles and Moses Stevens be appointed "to digest a plan and make out a particular description and specifications of a jail to be erected in Carthage for Hancock County." This plan was to be exhibited by the clerk of the County Commissioners' Court at his office to all persons applying for an examination thereof up to the 4th day of July, 1839, and the clerk was instructed to advertise for proposals for
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY
the erection of the jail, to be presented up to eleven o'clock in the forenoon of that day.
On July 9, 1839, the County Commissioners' Court entered into contract with William Met- calf to erect a jail, considering his proposal most favorable to the interests of the county, and Mr. Metcalf gave bond for the faithful performance of the contract. This jail was built on lot 4 in block 6.
On December 5, 1839, William Metcalf was allowed $500, to be issued by the clerk on the certificate of John F. Charles that he had com- plied with his contract and was entitled to that sum, as the first payment for the erection of the jail.
On June 27, 1840, it was ordered by the County Commissioners' Court that S. M. Bart- lett be allowed $1.371% for advertising for "pro- posals" for the erection of the jail.
On September S, 1840, William Metcalf was allowed $1,000 in part payment for the erection of the jail.
On July 19, 1866, with the sale of the old jail in contemplation, The Carthage Republican published an article giving its history, and con- cluding with a brief description of the building, which is here given :
"The bullet hole in the door, through which Hiram Smith was killed, is yet to be seen, as are also marks of bullets upon the walls outside and inside which were fired at Joseph Smith and Dr. Taylor. The stains of blood upon the floor which flowed from the wounds of Hiram Smith and Dr. Taylor were plainly to be seen until very recently-perhaps yet-as it is said that blood stains never wash entirely out of wood.
"In 1857, we visited the old jail. The marks of the conflict in which the Smiths were killed, has been preserved with scrupulous care. The bullet holes in the upper glass of the east win- dow and on the walls and casings, remained just as the mob left them thirteen years before. Since then the window has been refilled, the casings renewed, and the walls mostly replas- tered. Save the one bullet hole through the door, and some perceptible indentations of bul- lets on the outside wall, there is little left as testimonals of the historic event which has made the old jail famous throughout the world.
"The old jail has, in its time, been a very substantial and comfortable building. It is con- structed of stone, and in size is about 24 x 38 feet, two stories. The building shows rough
usage from time and insufficient care. It would require considerable expenditure to make it a respectable and comfortable residence. The material and ground sold separately will doubt- less bring more than if sold together. It is possible, however, a purchaser may be found who will repair the old building, and thus save to Carthage a liistoric monument of the excit- ing events which culminated in the tragedy of June 27, 1844; and its future occupant need scarcely expect immunity from the visits of thousands who will yet pay the homage of curiosity, at least, to the shrine of the martyred prophet."
A further description of the building is found in the issue of the same paper, dated May 23, 1867 :
"The Old Jail .- In the northwest part of this city still stands the old Carthage jail-grim, solitary, sombre-with but little change in its exterior appearance from what it was on the day that witnessed the tragedy which gave to it and Carthage a world-wide fame. Nearly a year ago, the old jail passed by purchase from the county into private hands ; since which time, the original prisoners' rooms have been torn out and remodeled, and the interior of the build- ing generally renewed with new floors, doors, windows, etc., with the view of converting it into a comfortable dwelling-house. The room in which the tragedy commenced, requires but little change, and is left nearly as it was on the 27th of June, 1844, saving, perhaps, the renewal of plastering, window sash, etc., where required. The middle door, through which Hiram Smith was shot, still remains; although we were sorry to see that some reckless relic hunter had cut a chip from one side of the old bullet hole. A baseboard on the east side of the room still retains the marks of the conflict. It has been allowed to remain. Other than these, we be- lieve there are no evidences of the tragedy re- maining on or about the old building, Ex- ternally, the building is much weatherbeaten, but perfectly sound and firm as the day it was built. With but little expense, the joints be- tween the rocks could be pointed and the build- ing made to look twenty-five years younger. The old well, near which Joseph Smith fell from the second-story window, and on the curb- stone of which he received the coup d' grace, and breathed his last with a deep groan, re- mains as it was, save new curbing, and a chain pump instead 'of the old windlass.
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY
"The number of strangers who visit the old jail continues at the average of many hundreds yearly. In some instances, persons have come fifty or one hundred miles out of their direc- tion of travel to see this wonderful building. Of this number very many are emigrants to Salt Lake. These pilgrims come quietly, alone or in numbers of two or three, and ascertain by the shortest possible inquiry the locality of the old jail. Arriving upon ground so fraught with exciting memories, they gaze upon the old building with fixed awe for half an hour or more, and then go away as stealthily as they came. More curiosity attracts very many of the old building who have no faith or interest in the Mormon religion. These generally give vent to their feelings in boisterous wonderment, and not unfrequently seriously annoy families residing in the building by their pertinacious desire to explore every part of the house, asking a multitude of questions or begging for relics- of these there are none, of course, unless they carry off a door, or a stone weighing a ton.
"The improvements of the old jail are now very nearly completed; and what, for twenty- five or thirty years has been a very miserable excuse for a county jail, will soon become a comfortable and commodious dwelling-in a very pleasant part of town. We presume it will be for rent by the owner."
It is interesting to note that on September 4, 1844, the County Commissioners' Court ap- propriated $150 for the erection of a stable on the jail lot, twenty-six feet in length and twenty feet in width, with 16-foot posts, with a good plain board fence enclosing the lot, the money so appropriated to be expended under the direc- tion of the sheriff.
1
THE PRESENT JAIL
In the course of a few years the necessity for a new jail became manifest and proceedings looking toward the building of a new jail were initiated by the county authorities.
On September 17, 1857, Bryant T. Scofield, Dr. Charles Cooledge and William S. Moore were appointed a committee to obtain plans and specifications for building a jail.
A little more than a year later, November 9, 1858, a committee appointed to examine the old jail reported to the board of supervisors that it was "unsafe, uncomfortable and totally unfit for the purposes of a county prison," and
C. Winston was appointed a committee to ascer- tain the probable cost of erecting a county jail.
More than four years passed away, when the question of the erection of a new jail was re- vived, and on May 5, 1863, Mr. Roosevelt moved that a committee of three be appointed to exam- ine the jail and lot and the propriety of building a new jail near the public square and to ascer- tain the probable cost of suitable ground and of the erection of a good jail thereon. It was or- dered that the committee, which was composed of M. S. Carey, William H. Roosevelt and Squire R. Davis, report at the next meeting of the board plans and specifications for the new jail with the cost of the ground and building.
On September 15, 1863, this committee re- ported that lot 6 in block 25 in Carthage had been selected as a suitable lot for the jail, and that the same could be had for $200. On the same day it was ordered by the board that $10,000 (increased by amendment to $12,000) be appropriated for the building of a county jail, and M. Couchman, M. S. Carey and S. R. Davis were appointed a committee to receive the orders and hold them subject to the action of the board of supervisors for the purpose indi- cated.
On November 10, 1863, M. Couchman, W. H. Roosevelt, B. Whitaker, William Booz, W. Jenny, William B. Skinner and William A. Sanford were appointed a committee to consult an archi- tect and agree upon a plan for the construction of the jail, and to let a contract therefor at a cost not exceeding $12,000.
In the same resolution it was provided "that the location of said jail be left to said com- mittee." The committee changed the location from lot 6 in block 25 to the west half of lot 2 in block 25. Lot 6 was at the southwest corner of the block, whereas lot 2 faces the courthouse square.
On June 18, 1864, the committee reported that the contract for building a jail had been let to Leander Fillson, and that the jail was to be erected on lot 2, block 25, at a cost of $17,000, and on the same day it was ordered by the board that $17,000 be appropriated, "subject to M. Couchman, chairman of the jail committee, to be used in the completion of the payments on the contracts to build the jail and sheriff's resi- dence." Thereupon the board approved the re- port and instructed the committee to execute contract accordingly.
On April 26, 1865, M. Couchman and John W.
W. F. Bradfield
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY
Cherry were appointed superintendents of the building of the jail.
The following is taken from The Carthage Gazette dated June 29, 1865:
"Workmen are now 'pecking' away at the stone for the proposed new jail. It will be a substantial as well as ornamental building, when finished. Its size will be 31 by 38 feet, two stories high, to be constructed of solid lime- stone blocks 21% ft. long, 1 ft. thick, and 18 inches wide. The cells, 16 in number, are to be of solid stone slabs, six inches thick, and of sufficient size to form each the sides, top and bottom of the cell. The residence for the sheriff will form a part of the jail building, to be built of brick, 38 by 33 ft., two stories in height, with cellar under the whole."
On November 8, 1865, it was resolved by the board that those of the jail committee not living in Carthage be discharged from further service on the committee, and that John W. Cherry, J. C. Williams and W. H. Manier constitute such committee, who should not be allowed any com- pensation for services rendered, and it was fur- ther ordered that this committee have power to employ a competent person at a reasonable price to superintend the work and to see that the work was done according to the specifications in the contract.
On May 8, 1866, a committee composed of J. F. Cherry, W. H. Manier and Dennis Smith made the following report to the board of super- visors :
"Your special committee appointed to settle with the contractor for building the county jail beg leave to report: That they have examined the buildings and work done thereon, up to date, that they find the entire work nearly completed, and that the same is done in a sub- stantial manner. Some alterations have been made, under the direction of the superintend- ents, which, according to their estimates, in- crease the cost of said building about $1,640. We further find from an examination of the contractor's account, and our own knowledge of the disbursement of the jail fund, the larger portion of which passed through the hands of your committee, and was used by them for the purchase of material and the payment of labor done upon said jail building, that said buildings, when completed, will cost the contractor the sum of $21,230. Therefore your committee would recommend an appropriation of $1,640 to pay for the extra work done, and $2,590 to
cover the losses sustained by the contractor in the completion of said buildings."
On motion of Messrs. Morrill and Mack the foregoing report was received and the following order adopted, viz .:
"Ordered, that $4,230 be, and the same is hereby appropriated to John F. Cherry, W. H. Manier and Dennis Smith, receiving committee for the building of the jail, to be paid by them to the contractor for the building of said jail, upon the completion of said contract, if received by said contractor in full of all claims upon the county for the building of said jail, and the clerk of the board is directed to issue orders for said amount."
The work of building the jail was completed in 1866.
It seems that Boyd Braden was associated with Mr. Fillson (Filson) in the building of the jail, as these two men, on August 29, 1866, signed the receipt for the final installment under the contract, showing payment of $4,230 by the hands of Dennis Smith, J. F. Cherry and W. H. Manier, agents of the county board, "in full of all demands against said board of supervisors for and on account of contract for building the county jail of said county." This receipt was attached to the report which follows.
On September 11, 1866, W. H. Manier, J. F. Cherry and Dennis Smith, committee, reported to the board as follows :
"The jail committee appointed by your honor- able body at its last meeting to settle with the contractors of the new county jail, and to re- ceive the same on behalf of Hancock County, would respectfully report that they took charge of the appropriation made by your honorable board for the completion of the new county jail and sheriff's residence, and that on the 29th day of August last, they met and examined said new buildings and found them completed with improvements on the original plan and contract. Your committee received said new jail and sheriff's residence on behalf of Hancock County from the contractor and paid over to him or on his order the above mentioned appropriation.
"In consideration of the payment herein men- tioned, the committee obtained from the con- tractor a receipt in full of all demands against Hancock County for and on account of said new jail and sheriff's residence. We herewith (an- nexed) submit their receipt.
"In conclusion your committee would suggest that said buildings be fenced in with a substan-
1
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY
tial fence, and would recommend that the front yard be enclosed with an iron paling or picket fence."
Improvements on the jail and sheriff's resi- dence have been made from time to time. Men imprisoned in the jail had ample time for devis- ing means of escape, and in some instances succeeded in gaining their liberty temporarily or for all time by sawing the bars which pro- tected the windows, or by raising a stone and digging a tunnel under the foundation of the jail. To guard against such escapes four iron jail cells were erected in the cell-room of the county jail.
Among those who made good their escape from the county jail was Daniel Otmer, charged with the murder of Jacob Jingst on October 4, 1873. Otmer was tried at the October term, 1874, of the Hancock Circuit Court, and sen- tenced to the penitentiary for a term of thirty years. The case was taken by writ of error to the supreme court, and the judgment was re- versed, principally for error in an instruction, and the cause remanded for another trial. In the meantime Otmer had taken a change of venue by escaping from the jail. It is supposed that he went back to Germany, whence he had come to this country. In any event, and what- ever became of him, his escape was a success.
It is proper in this connection to refer to the disposition which was made of the old jail upon the completion of the new jail.
At the May session of the board of super- visors, 1866, Wesley H. Manier was appointed an agent to sell the old jail premises. He gave notice of the sale at public vendue on Septem- ber 1, 1866, and the sale was made accordingly. Bryant F. Peterson's bid of $1,100 was the high- est and best bid for the premises and the same were sold to him for that price. Mr. Manier, as agent of the county, and having authority so to do, executed and delivered to Mr. Peterson a deed conveying the said premises to him, being lot 4 in block 6 in the town of Carthage.
On September 10, 1866, this deed was ac- knowledged before Robert W. McClaughry, then clerk of the county court.
On February 28, 1871, Mr. Peterson, for the consideration of $1,500, conveyed this lot to James M. Browning, who converted the same into a residence, in which he and his family resided until his death.
By deed dated May 30, 1888, James M. Brown- ing conveyed this property to his wife, Eliza M.
Browning, who had obtained title to lot 5, ad- joining lot 4 on the east, by deed dated October 3, 1881.
After the death of Mr. Browning, Mrs. Brown- ing, by deed dated November 4, 1903, conveyed both lots "to Joseph F. Smith, trustee in trust of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, residing at the city and county of Salt Lake, in the state of Utah."
Since the purchase of these premises by the Mormons the same have been rented for resi- dence purposes and have been used for pil- grimage purposes by members of the Mormon church.
HANCOCK COUNTY FARM
On June 5, 1845, it was ordered by the County Commissioners' Court of Hancock County that sealed proposals be received until the first day of the following July for a suit- able farm for the erection of the county poor house, the said offers to be deposited with the clerk of the court, and the clerk was directed to give public notice thereof in every precinct and to request publication thereof in the news- papers of the county.
The records .dated December 20, 1848, contain the following statement :
"This day this Court purchased of Warren & Skinner for the county of Hancock 114 acres of land off of the west side of the northwest quarter of section 25, township 5 North, range 7 West; also fifty-six acres off of the west side of the southwest quarter of section 7 of town- ship 5 North, range 6 West-for the sum of $600 in county orders. The above purchase is made for the purpose of erecting a poor house and making a farm for the support of the paupers of Hancock County."
These tracts were separated by a distance of about three miles, following the section lines. The fifty-six acre tract was timbered land, and was undoubtedly purchased for fire-wood for heating the county house, and perhaps also for pasturage purposes. The principal tract lay about a mile and a half southwest of Carthage, and was prairie land of good 'quality and- this was the tract on which the build- ings were afterwards erected, and constitutes at the present day part of the farm.
On December 21, 1848, Melgar Couchman was appointed by the proper authority to take charge of the poor house land, to get the farm
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY
surveyed, to take care of the timber, and to contract for fencing forty acres of prairie on said land.
On March 27, 1849, it was ordered by the proper authority that Melgar Couchman and Jason H. Sherman be appointed commissioners to select and procure a suitable location, draw a plan, and let the contract for building a county poor house, the said contract not to exceed the sum of $3,000, and these commissioners were authorized to sell the said tract of 114 acres belonging to the county of Hancock, if they should conclude to locate the poor house on other ground. On June 6th of the same year Artois Hamilton was added to the committee on poor house and farm which had thereto- fore been appointed, and on December 7th of the same year Samuel Comer was appointed to superintend and oversee the building of the poor house and the fencing of the county farm, in the place of Melgar Couchman who had re- signed.
An order was entered on December 7, 1849, that C. C. Main be allowed the sum of $5 for laying the foundation of the poor house. In this day of extraordinary prices of labor and material, one wonders what kind of a founda- tion was laid in 1849 at an expense of $5 only for the labor. It would seem that the poor house, or county house, was ready for occu- pancy in 1850, for on November 13, 1850, Mr. Tyler of the committee on poor house reported to the board of supervisors that the best bid for taking the poor house was that of Warren Miller, whose bid is thus stated in the report.
"Said Miller is to keep all the paupers prop- erly belonging to the county for one year with the privilege of keeping the same three years, for the sum of $450 per annum, Said Miller fur- nishes all necessary bedding, furniture, food and clothing at his own expense. The county furnishes all medical aid for said paupers, the county house with necessary stoves therein, the county farm after the present wheat crop is taken off."
Warren Miller was the first superintendent of the county farm. A list of superintendents to the present time will be found in a subse- quent part of this article.
On May 2, 1859, a report of the poor house committee concerning the county farm, its man- agement, and the expense thereof, was rendered to the board of supervisors, which report is especially interesting, and is as follows :
"At the March session of the Board of Super- visors a committee was appointed to inquire into the affairs of the poor house and farm with the design of ascertaining the cost of' the buildings and improvements and the annual allowances for the maintenance of paupers at the poor farm'and for outside allowances. The committee by agreement met at the poor house on Thursday the 28th of April. Mr. Thompson, the superintendent, accompanied us over the farm, and afterwards went along and showed us the timber land two miles north of Carth- age. The farm consists of 114 acres of good prairie land in cultivation except about ten acres taken up by ravines and pieces not broken up-the farm is only part enclosed on the south or east side, the parties adjoining the poor farm not yet having made their portion of the divi- sion fence as heretofore agreed upon. The timber land is destitute of even firewood to answer the use of the farm another year. The improvements on the farm consist of a two- story frame house and el, with some fourteen rooms, small sized barn and two wells of wa- ter and is ordinarily fenced with the exceptions above referred to. As near as can be estimated the house with the improvements and inciden- tal expenses cost. . $ 3,000.00
Barn 800.00
Fencing farm
500.00
Breaking ground 250.00
Incidental expenses 350.00
$ 4,900.00
Claims and allowances for the past
nine years 11,000.00
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