As you know, historical newspapers fascinate me. The article I’m sharing today was fascinating and jaw-dropping at the same time. It’s from the Greenville Daily News (Greenville, South Carolina), dated 7 January 1920.
This execution took place on 2 January 1920 – 100 years ago today. From an article in the Chicago Tribune, I learned that Raffaelo Durrage was the man put to death, and he was hanged.
Sheriff Peters planned to continue this practice, but there was some public outcry about it and differing opinions as to the effectiveness of this practice. Acting on the advice of his private attorney, the sheriff stopped the forced observations of the hangings in February 1920, even though the County Sheriffs Association of Illinois endorsed the practice.
How many hangings were inmates forced to view? I’m sure, but I expect more than just the hanging of Raffaelo Durrange.
Do you use historical newspapers in your family history research? If so, what’s the most unusual or interesting story you’ve come across? I’d love to know!
Copyright © 2020 Nancy H. Vest All Rights Reserved
I bumped into a story about a woman who passed herself as a man out west. She went to the penitentiary for embezzlement and at that time it was discovered that she was a woman. They were puzzled about how to handle her imprisonment. I searched out other stories about her life and it seems that she even married at one time to a woman who supposedly did not realize that she wasn’t a man.
Wow! That’s an impressive story. Thanks for sharing it, Virginia.