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Sangamon County Crime News
Murders in Springfield
Illinois State Chronicle (Decatur, Illinois) May 22 1856
George Anderson, a well-known and highly respectable citizen of Springfield, was found dead in the back yard attached to his house, on Thursday night of last week, about 11 o’clock. The Register of the 17th inst., says: “On examination it was found that the back part of his skull had been beaten in by some blunt instrument – a hammer, colt, or something of the sort. The body was nearly cold when found. A coroner’s inquest was held, and it was ascertained that his family missed him from the house and on looking for him found him as stated. Verdict – death by the hands of some person or persons unknown.
Theodore Anderson, his nephew, who came to this city about two months ago, was arrested for the deed on suspicion. He denies any knowledge of the act. Touching the ground of suspicion, there are numberless reports which do not agree with one another. As delicate domestic affairs are mingled up with this lamentable tragedy, we shall forbear to give further particulars until legal investigation has been had.
The accused is a stranger here, and we are glad to see that our citizens evince a disposition to give him a fair trial. Mr. George Anderson, the deceased was not known to have had an enemy in the world – on the contrary he numbered as many friends as any among us.”
The wife of the deceased was also arrested but the examination, which was still in progress up to yesterday had failed to elicit evidence sufficient to convict the parties, though we learn that the citizens of that city have no doubts as to their guilt.
Another Murder
Mr. B. F. Dychus, a plasterer, and formerly a resident of this city, was killed the first of this week, by a man named Johnson. The facts of the case as near as we can learn are these: the parties were quarreling, when Johnson struck Dychus, with a billet of wood, causing immediate death.
[Submitted by N. Piper]
From the Crawford County "Robinson Argus", quoted in the Jasper County "Newton Press" on October 8, 1874 - Sheriff Houston reports that the man Banks, whom he took to the penitentiary last week, was recognized as a former convict who had served out a sentence of 4 years from Sangamon County, under the name of Brookbank. [Submitted by K. Torp]
In the Sangamon Circuit Court, on Wednesday, John Hibbs, on change of venue from Logan county, was convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced for two years.
[Illinois State Chronicle (Decatur, Illinois) March 27 1856 - Submitted by N. Piper]
Judge Treat has quashed the indictment in the case of Erastus Wright, at Springfield.
[Illinois State Chronicle (Decatur, Illinois) March 27 1856 - Submitted by N. Piper]
Toronto, Illinois -- Pays Crime’s Penalty By Disgraceful Death
Highly Educated Illinois Boy Hanged at Toronto for Murder
Toronto, July 18 – Fred Lee Rice was hanged here today for the murder of William Boyd, a constable, in June, 1901. Rice, together with Frank Rutledge and Thomas Jones, were on trial for robbing a postoffice. While being conveyed from the court house to the jail, Rice got a revolver and shot Boyd. Jones was shot by another officer and died. Rice and Rutledge were sentenced to the penitentiary for twenty-one years. Rutledge committed suicide by hurling himself from a balcony in the jail to a stone floor. A charge of murder then laid against Rice.
Rice came from Champaign, Ill., where his people are highly respected. Every effort was made to have the death sentence commuted to life imprisonment, but without avail.
Rice was dressed in a neat fitting suit and wore a rose in his coat. He went to the gallows calmly as if he were going to an evening party. When he awoke this morning he received his spiritual adviser and spent a quarter of an hour in silent prayer.
When the hangman entered the cell he was received smilingly by the condemned man. Rice mounted the steps of the gallows without a tremor. His body was handed over to his mother,
[The Guthrie Daily Leader; Guthrie, OK; July 18, 1902 -- Transcribed as Written by D. Donlon]
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