Richland County, Illinois Crime News

A man named Broderick was killed by one Wm. Starts, in a drunken spree, at Olney, Richland county, on Sunday, the 23rd ult. Starts has not been arrested yet. [Illinois State Chronicle (Decatur, Illinois) April 17 1856 - Submitted by Nancy Piper] Excitement at Olney W.J. ECKENRODE is in jail at Olney in default of $2,500 bail for attempting to criminally assault Miss Ruth LEVERING. The Star says: A large crowd assembled a the court house this morning when the prisoner was brought out, but no hostile demonstration was made. The town is thoroughly aroused, however, and all that is needed to bring matters to a climax is a leader. The Star counsels moderation, and a strict observance of the law, but we insist that stern measures should be taken to prevent the except of the criminal. No straw bond will be accepted. Our women and children must be protected. If this man gets off with a light sentence, it will be a license for others of the same character, and it will be unsafe for our women to go on the streets unprotected even in daylight. There is a disposition on the part of the family of the young lady to allow the law to take its course, and we trust that the remainder of our citizens will be equally as law-abiding. The extreme penalty of the law for a crime of this kind is fifteen years in the penitentiary. With deductions for good behavior this may be reduced to about eleven years. The punishment is entirely too light for the offense. [Newton Press, Jasper County - submitted by K. Torp] Young ECKENRODE is a son of S.J. ECKENRODE, a wealthy merchant of Olney. His father has spent thousands of dollars trying to keep him out of the penitentiary, but now declares that the law must and shall take its course. He ought to be sent up for a full term. [Newton Press, Jasper County - submitted by K. Torp] In the case of Sarah WHITE, administratrix of the estate of Jeff. White, who was hung by a mob in this city a little over a year ago, in the U.S. Circuit Court in Springfield last week for damages against William Wilson and others implicated in that outrage upon law and order, a jury found a verdict for the plaintiff, assessing her damages at $5,000, the full extent of the law. From the Olney Times, as quoted in the Jasper County Newton Press on Jan. 23, 1874 Mrs. Susan E. MADDING, was acquitted in the Edwards Circuit Court last week of the murder of her husband. The case of Christopher HUNT, her son by a former husband, who is also charged with the crime, was sent to this county on a change of venue, and will come up for trial at the next term of our Circuit court. - From the Olney Times, as quoted in the Jasper County Newton Press on Nov. 5, 1874 Elder Wm. VAN CLEVE was fined $1 and costs amounting to $14.94 at Olney a few days ago for violating the law by letting his horse run at large. August 10, 1892, [Newton Press, - submitted by K. Torp]