History of Macoupin County, Illinois, Part 16

Author: Brink, McDonough & Co.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 440

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JOHN I. RINAKER, C. A. WALKER.

At the March term of the County Court, 1870, in accordance with the above proposition, a motion was made by John I. Rinaker and C. A. Walker, for themselves and other tax-payers, that the Court declare illegal, and direct the Sheriff and collector not to collect the tax mentioned and described on the tax-book as "Special Tax," "Court-house Tax " and "Bond Tax." Motion sustained as to the so-called "Court -house Tax," and the Sheriff and collector was ordered not to collect the said tax. The motion as to "Special Tax" and " Bond Tax" was overruled. The clerk was ordered to prepare a complete copy of the above motion and serve upon the Sheriff and collector. Suits were brought, judgments obtained against the county, a man- damus issued to compel the levy and collection of taxes, supervisors fined for contempt of court, but no positive permanent action was taken upon the question until 1877, when the supervisors made a proposition for funding the Court-house indebtedness, and on the 5th of January, 1878, it was sub- mitted to the legal voters of the county for their adoption or rejection. It was adopted by a majority vote. The substance of the proposition was: "To fund, take up, and cancel all of the said outstanding bonds, notes, orders, coupons and judgments, at the rate of seventy-five cents to the dollar of the principal of said outstanding bonds, notes and orders, and no more of the original indebtedness, and the criterion was to be the registry of the bonds kept by the financial agents of the county, and to issue in lieu thereof to holders of the aforesaid bonds, orders and coupons, &c., bonds issued by the county of Macoupin, which when issued shall run twenty years from their date, and bear interest at the rate of six per cent. per annum, payable annually. And the aggregate amount of bonds authorized to be issued shall not exceed the sum of one million thirty-six thousand dollars, ($1,036,000). All bonds to be issued and registered in conformity to the provisions of an act entitled " An act to amend an act, entitled an act relating to county and city debts, and to provide for the payment of the same by taxation, &c."

The paper issued to raise money to build the court-house and make im- provements thereon, was of four classes.

1st. Bonds issued under Act of the Legislature of February, 1867. Of this class the amount issued was $94,000, of which $49,500 was sealed and the balance not. (The act authorized them to issue only $50,000).

2d. Ten per cent. orders. Of this class there were issued $64,000.

3d. Macoupin county interest bearing orders. Of this amount $321,000 were issued.

4th. Bonds under the Act of the Legislature appeared March 9th, 1869. Of this class there were issued $950,500. Of the first class $49,000 were paid by the county as fast as they became due, leaving $45,000 out-standing to be funded.

An attempt was made by the financial agents of the county to register these several classes of paper, but not until all, or almost all, had been sold; there are perhaps $10,000 worth of bonds of the issue of 1867 that from the want of proper dates, do not agree with the register in the name of the payee.

The second class, or ten per cent. orders, agree with the register except per- haps four or five bonds or orders, in which there is a discrepancy in name of page. This class are all funded except five or six bonds. Of the third class (Macoupin county interest bearing orders) none agree with the register as to date of maturity. None of this class are funded except one or two bonds. They are all $1,000 bonds. Of the fourth class or bonds of 1869, 8112,000 do not agree with the register, as to date of maturity, 870,000 maturing October 1881, and 42,000 maturing October 1882, the register showing them to mature in April of the above named years. The balance agree with the register. There were however twenty thousand dollars of bonds issued and taken by Chestnut and Dubois, not included in the amount given below. The same were paid before the "Huggins" court, as it was called, came into power.

RECAPITULATION.

Bonds of 1867 issued.

$ 94.000

Bonds of 1867 paid.

49,000

Balance.

45,000

Ten per cent. orders issued.

64,000

Macoupin County Interest bearing orders.

321,000

Bonds of 1869.

950,500

Amount out-standing when funding began .. 1.380,500

CONCLUSION.

The court-house as it now stands is a beautiful structure. It is built of brick, magnesian limestone and iron of choice and elegant design. It is thoroughly fire-proof throughout.

For the purpose of giving the reader a better and more correct idea of the structure we give a brief statement of its dimensions and a description of the material that entered into its construction.

The building is a rectangle, 181 feet in extreme length by eighty feet in ex- treme breadth, crossed at an equal distance from the north and south, ends by a transverse rectangle of smaller dimensions, the plan resembling an elongated Swiss cross, or a cross of St. George, of double width. It is built after the Co- rinthian order of architecture, and this classical model is strictly adhered to throughout the entire building. It is divided into three floors: basement, twelve feet in height, main floor, sixteen feet in height, and upper floor, occu- pied mostly by the court-room, thirty-two feet in height. The height of the building from the top of the cornice to the ground, is sixty-nine and a half feet. Four iron columns resting on the foundations and running up within the walls, to the plumb of the roof, support its circular iron band, from which spring ribs of the dome. From the apex of the dome to the foundation it is one hundred and eighty-six feet, giving the dome an altitude of almost one hundred feet. Each story of the building is anchored not only to its own walls but the walls of the other stories.

The main entrance is on the north, and the portal is reached by twenty-two stone steps, flanked on each side by a low wall of masonry, capped with cut stone, leading up to the portico. The roof of the portico is supported by four Corinthian columns forty feet in height, four feet in diameter at the base, and three and one-half feet at the capital. These columns are composed of seven whole blocks of dressed stone, and half of another. The ceiling of the portico is all of stone, forty-seven by sixteen feet, laid off in three panels.

The south entrance has ten steps from the level of the street to a terrace eight feet in length and the width of the building, formed of square blocks of cut stone, neatly and uniformly laid. From the terrace there are twenty- three steps to the portico. The steps to the east and west entrances are laid parallel with the building, ascending from the north and south, and meeting upon a platform before the large entrance way. A balustrade of finely chiseled stone, with heavy stone caps, flanks the steps, at the foot of which on the pedestals, a lamp-post rises on each side made to represent the symbol of unity, a bundle of fagots, banded by a scroll, upon which is "Macoupin county." At all the entrances these lamp-posts are stationed with three heavy glass light chambers, about four feet in height, gilded and bronzed, surmounting them. There are five entrances to the basement from the court- house park. The ceilings of the basement are arched, and are twelve feet high. The floor is laid in mosaic with a wide border of brown slate running the length of the side walls. The building is lighted by gas and heated by steam. There are twelve rooms on the main floor, all finished in the most elegant style and manner, with marble floors, panelled walls, chandeliers, etc. The upper floor is reached by a wide, light-appearing yet strong iron stair- way. The court-room has an area of 4,500 square feet. Its general di- mensions are nearly sixty-four by seventy-four feet. In shape resembling a square with a rectangle attached to it, projecting wings extending some eight feet from the walls of either side. It is thirty-two feet in height from the floor to the ceiling, and from the floor to the apex of the inner dome is forty-four feet. From this dome hangs suspended a magnificent chandelier of fifty-six burners, which cost the sum of three thousand dollars. All the inside work is finished with galvanized iron. The pilasters are of cast iron, ceilings and walls galvanized iron, heavy cornice and mouldings of the same. The walls are in tall shield-like panels, surmounted above alternate panels by appropriate devices. Twelve windows, six on each side, furnish ingress to the light. The windows have four panes of glass each, besides the rose- shaped circle of colored glass at the top, and are fully twenty feet in height. The judges' stand, on the south side, projects about eight feet out into the

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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

room. It is made of five different kinds of marble after the style of Henry VI. of France, and is the finest in the country. The judges' chair is an elegant one of the Elizabethian period, tall, richly carved square-shaped back, arms and legs. It is about seven feet in height, and upholstered with crimson velvet. Adjacent to the court-room are the judges' private apart- ments, jury rooms, and rooms for officers of the court. The roof is formed of wrought and cast iron, and covered by corrugated galvanized iron. The dome is formed of wrought iron ribs, springing from a heavy iron band, which are braced by cross trusses, the whole covered by galvanized iron, close to the roof. On the south side is a galvanized iron tank that holds the water pumped by the engine below, and from which pipes convey the water to all parts of the building ; the capacity of the tank is about eight thousand gal- lons. In all this structure there is not a foot of combustible material.

FIRST JAIL.

March Term 1832. " It is ordered by the court that the building of a jail for this county, of the following description, to wit : To be built of hewn timbers, the outside wall to be started one foot under ground, to be eighteen feet square, built of logs, hewn to square ten inches ; the floor to be laid with hewn timbers, to square twelve inches, two thicknesses and crosswise, the whole to be only twelve inches above the surface of the ground ; the inside wall to be built of hewn timbers, to square eight inches, and started on the floor ; the middle wall to be started at the same place as the inside one, and built of hewn timbers, to square six inches, to be let down outwise, the inside and middle wall to be raised seven feet high ; the second floor to be laid with timbers to square ten inches, to be laid on said walls, and said floor to be laid with two-inch plank crosswise, to be jointed and laid down rough ; then the middle wall will be discontinued, and the other two to be continued seven feet higher, leaving an open space between them of six inches ; third floor to be seven feet from the second, and laid with hewn timbers, to square twelve inches, which said timbers to extend outside of the wall nine inches at each end; roof to be shingled with walnut shingles, to be made five- eighths of an inch thick and four inches wide, on an average ; rafters to be three by five inches at the plate and three square at the top, to show four inches to the weather ; to be sawn and to be set two feet from centre ; two centre plates framed on the top to be eight by twelve inches, whereon to set the rafters, with conduits or eave troughs, to be black walnut; one outside door in the upper story, to have two shutters, one to open on the outside and the other on the inside, to be two feet six inches wide and five feet high, to be made of two thicknesses of plank, plank to be one and a half inches thick, nailed on crosswise, to be strapped with iron, straps to be half-inch thick and three inches wide, to be riveted on the door not exceeding six inches apart, the spaces between to be filled up with nails with large heads, to be driven in and clinched on the inside; hinges to be strong and suitable to the door; hatchway two and a half feet square, to be made as the outside door, and put in the middle of the second floor, hung on strong hinges, to be fastened with a large hasp and padlock ; platform of four feet square, bannistered round, with a step-ladder extending from the ground up to it ; two windows below, one foot square each, with iron bars one inch square, to be two inches from centre to centre, and let in the middle wall, bars to be crossed in the windows, and two windows above, to be the same size as the lower ones, and made with bars as below, only single instead of crossed ; all the timbers to be of white oak and over cap ; to be completed in a strong and workmanlike manner, on or before the first day of September, 1833. One payment of two hundred dollars to be made at the March term, 1833, to the undertaker, the same amount to be paid in annual instalments, until the full amount shall be discharged ; be sold on the first Monday in June next, to the lowest bidder, the undertaker to give bond, with approved security for the performance of his contract, to the county commissioners of this county and to their successors in office, conditioned for the faithful per- formance of his contract, on or before the first day of September, 1833 ; also that the clerk of this court advertise the same in three public places in this county.

Dec. 1832. It is ordered by the court, that the jail about to be erected for this county be erected on the north-east corner of lot numbered eighty, being the same lot on which the stray pen is put in the town of Carlinville. March 1834. Total cost of jail, $686.70."

Perhaps the most notable event connected with prison-life in this jail was the suicide of Andrew J. Nash, a murderer and inmate. Nash, who was a man of family, killed with a knife a man named Lockerman. He was tried, convicted and sentenced to death by hanging. The dread day approached,

and all preparations were in readiness for his execution. B. F. Burke, an energetic and efficient officer, was the sheriff. This distinguished citizen, whose portrait and biography will be found in this work, was first elected to this office in 1838, and discharged the duties of the position with such satis- faction to the citizens of the county, that he was never beaten for it, but held . it continuously until 1848, when a change in the law made him ineligible ; providing that a person could not hold that office for consecutive terms.

The night before the day fixed for the hanging of Nash, his attorney arrived with the governor's reprieve, and the glad news was reported to the prisoner. Of course this fact was not known among the people. The next morning an immense crowd gathered from all parts of the county to witness the execution. When they found it would not take place, they threatened vengeance against the murderer, and excited and agitated, they rushed for the jail, and gathered a howling, frenzied mob around the building, deter- mined to take the prisoner out by force and lynch him. One of the mur- dered man's brothers was in the crowd. But the sheriff was a man of great personal bravery, and standing his ground manfully in defence of law and order, by appeals to the crowd and an exhibition of determined courage, held them at bay. By his side stood several fearless citizens who shared with him the danger, and among these was Dr. John Logan. Meanwhile a com- pany of armed men was hastily formed among the citizens, who deprecated mob violence, and marched hastily to the scene and placed themselves under the command of the sheriff. When the crowd beheld the display of military force, they dispersed. After the restoration of order, it was discovered that Nash, hearing the cries of those who sought his life, and having no hope that they could be prevented from reaching him, had, during the excitement, hung himself in his cell. What must have been the agony of fear in his breast, when he sought death for relief, can only be imagined.

When the second jail had been completed, this building was moved to the site of the present court-house, and for many years thereafter was occupied as a dwelling. Gov. John M. Palmer at one time occupied it, as also did A. McKim Dubois.

SECOND JAIL.

This was a much more pretentious structure than the former, and was erected near the south east corner of the public square in the year 1854. It was a two-story building, the outer walls being constructed of brick, and the cells and partitions of wood. The upper floor contained the cells for pris- oners, while the lower was used for a residence by the jailor and family.

This building was burned to the ground in 1860, and its destruction was brought about in this wise. A negro horse-thief was confined in one of the cells. One night in the month of June, he set fire to his cell, no doubt, hoping thus to gain his freedom. He soon saw that his life was in jeopardy, and his shrieks of mortal terror aroused the sleeping inmates of the lower floor. Mr. Jacob Plain was the sheriff, but was absent in attendance upon the Charleston convention. His family, however, were in the building. The flames had made too much headway before his cries were heard; and the rescue of the miserable man, though bravely attempted, was impossible on account of the density of the smoke and the fierceness of the heat. His piteous cries for relief grew fainter and fainter, and at last ceased. The next morning his charred remains were found in the ruins.

THE THIRD JAIL.

This was built in 1860, on the site of the burned building. The walls were of brick; the cells of iron. Upon the completion of the present taste- ful structure, the cells were removed to Alton, and are now in use in the prison at that place. The building has since been used as a dwelling. It was from this that Carl Engleman, the wife-murderer, was taken by a howl- ing mob, and hurried to his terrible fate. He was a German, whose wife had separated from him. He wanted her to live with him again, but she refused. One day he went to her house, and entering, asked for a match. While in the act of reaching for one, the fiend threw his arm around her neck, forcing back her head, and with the other hand cut her throat. His little girl, who was living with her mother, seized a heavily-loaded pistol, when her mother fell, and placing it near the scoundrel's head pulled the trigger, but the weapon failed to explode. He killed his wife on Friday, and, on Saturday, he was placed in the custody of Mr. Joseph Liston, the sheriff, and securely jailed. As there were threats of mob violence, and great ex- citement prevailed, Mr. Liston placed guards over the jail for the better protection of the prisoner. The victim of his fury was buried on Sunday, and the excitement was intensified by the funeral, which was numerously attended.

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HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

The plan, which was so successful in throwing off their guard the sheriff and citizens of Carlinville, was carefully laid on the day of the burial. Ac- cordingly on Monday a great crowd of men gathered in the county seat, and about nine o'clock made a demonstration against the jail to get hold of the prisoner. This attempt was frustrated by the vigilance and firmness of the jailor and his guards.

The preliminary trial was to come off on the next Monday, and the ring- leaders of the mob declared they would await the action of the court, and if justice were done they would be satisfied, but if not they would come in and hang him. Accordingly they dispersed ; thinking all danger over, the sheriff dismissed the guards.

Just as he set down to dinner, and while the citizens were in their houses, on a signal being given, the mob rushed for the jail, under the leadership of a man named John Hill. The sheriff, taken by surprise, could offer no re- sistance.

The great lock of the cell was broken by blows from a sledge-hammer, and their victim was in their power. A female prisoner, who had the liberty of the upper floor, when she heard the rushing of the maddened mob, went to the cell of the doomed man, and told him they were coming, and to get him. He was partly undressed, and gently arose and dressed himself, saying to her at the same time : " Well, let them come." The mob quickly seized him, placed a rope around his neck, and hurried him down South Broad street, and hung him to a tree just across from the public school building, and in full sight of the children who were enjoying their noon-recess.

Some have entertained doubts as to the sanity of Engleman. His crime was a dastardly one, and few felt any sympathy for his terrible fate.

Some of the participants in the hanging wore masks, and a number of them were indicted. It was impossible to get a jury, however, of those who had not formed an opinion, so that a nolle prosequi was entered in the cause.

The fourth and present Jail is built of stone, and is a handsome and dura- ble structure. It stands south of the court-house, and was built at the time of the erection of its grander neighbor. A view of this edifice is given in this work, from which a good idea of the plan may be gained.

POOR FARM.

Previous to the purchase of land, or the erection of a building for the poor, those persons having them in charge or granting relief to the same, were remunerated by the county by orders issued from the commissioners' court. During the September term of court in 1851, J. M. Palmer (Judge) was instructed to ascertain and report to the court, the cost of a suitable farm for a pauper establishment, also improvements required, and such in- formation as he could obtain relative to the poor-house system in other counties. By the following December a habitation was secured ready for reception of the poor with two hundred and two acres of land attached upon sections twenty-six and thirty-five of Nilwood township, and no one was permitted to be received without the sanction of the county court.

In March 1855 the court appointed Enoch Wall commissioner, to sell the above, which it appears he succeeded in doing, for in May of the same year forty acres was purchased by the county in section sixteen Carlinville town- ship, which was subsequently increased in 1870, by the further purchase of eighty acres adjoining. Upon this land a building was erected, which was completed ready for reception of its importunate occupants in 1856.

Davison Hankins was appointed keeper of the same, and the terms of his occupancy were to keep each pauper sent to the poor-house, at the rate of two dollars per week each. From time to time additions and improvements have been made in the original structure, and the county has now a substan- tial and commodious brick and frame building, with well cultivated farm attached

The superintendents of the poor-house have been as follows :-

Davison Hankins appointed in 1858 | J. A. Lewis appointed in 1870

Samuel Work

1860

David McDaniel

1861

1862

1873

1863

1874

1864

1875

1865

1876

W. W. Thompson

1866

Abril Hays

1877

1867

1878

1863

1869

The growth of the county in wealth can in no way be so clearly exhibited as by giving the assessment rolls at different periods. We select three, which are here appended, viz., those of 1837, 1860 and 1879.

TAXES IN 1837.

In 1837, the total amount of taxes paid in the county was as follows :

Total land tax,

$390.561

Total personal taxes,

.. $1,399,674

Col. James C. Anderson was the heaviest tax-payer, and paid taxes to the amount of $16.80, of which 84.80 was on landed, and 812.00 was on personal property. The number of taxpayers was 1007, and the average amount of tax paid by each was 81.77.

Assessment of Macoupin county in 1860, showing totals.

NUMBER.

VALUE.

VALUE

Horses.

10,223

300,125 ' Bonds, stocks, Joint Stock Co., etc ......

Cattle .

22,017

168,061

Unencumbered property ........

95,576

Mules and asses.

1,400

57,364

Acres in wheat

37,797

Sheep

7,318

7,406

" corn.

Hogs ....

25,488

38.222 71,937

" other field products ...

15,717

Carriages and wagons ..

3.200

2,551

9,170

3.635

of railroad personal property. 264.295

lands

8,010

Capital stock of incorporated banks, ...

125

lande

3,286,954

Manufactured articles,

4,904

town lots

544,002

Moneys and credits,

126,027

real and personal property. 5.097,549

: H.

ASSESSMENT OF REAL ESTATE, PERSONAL PROPERTY, PRINCIPAL ARTICLES, ETC., OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS, FOR THE YEAR 1879.

NAMES

Population in 1870.

No. of Votes cast

Acres of improved

Unimproved Land.

Cash Value of Im-

proved Land.

Cash Value of

Unimproved Land.

Total Cash Value

No. of Improved

No. of Unimproved

Cash Value of all

Town Lots.

No.

Value.

No.

Value.

No.

Value.

Valuc.

Value.

Valne.

Value.

BATT .... Bind

999 227, 15,644.52

7,794.47

94,024

18,12× 112,152

680 11,079 1,470 10,317

12,032

1,548

11,73× 110

2,133

1.907

1,867

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History of Macoupin County, Illinois, Part 16

Author: Brink, McDonough & Co. Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Number of Pages: 440

Author: Brink, McDonough & Co.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 440