OREGON COUNTY TRIBUNE, THAYER, MISSOURI, June 9, 1899 THE FIRST HANGING That Took Place in Oregon County—An Account of It now First Published The impression is wide spread that the execution of Carrol Rice at Alton next week, will be the first hanging that ever occurred in Oregon county, but such is not the case. It has been frequently stated and published that no “legal execution” ever took place in the county, which has led some who have heard whisperings of an execution away back in the early days of the county to the belief that if there was such an occurrence the penalty was administered by Judge Lynch. But this, too, is a mistake. No lynching ever occurred in this county. There have been times when lynchings were narrowly averted. For instance, when “Indian” Davis was arrested for murdering a peddler on Elevenpoints, the people were greatly aroused; but that is another story, as Kipling says. It will be a source of gratification to many to know that lynch law was never exercised in this county, and that the only execution in the history of the county, to date, was by the process of law. In the year 1857, or thereabouts, there is some difference of opinion as to the exact date, Robert Shehan was hanged at Thomasville, this county, for murder. The crime which he expiated with his life, was committed in Ripley county, between Doniphan and the present side of Boze Mill, not far from the Oregon county line, at a settlement called Forcia de Mael. The settlement still bears the name of Forcia, we are told. At a horse race, in this settlement in 1853, Shehan, who was a violent and reckless character, got into a dispute with a man named Upton and killed him with a knife. He was arrested at once and taken to Thomasville, which was then the county seat of Oregon county, and lodged in jail. Later his case was brought to this county on change of venue. On one pretext and another his trial was delayed from year to year until 1857. John R. Woodside, at that time attorney for the Fourteenth judicial circuit, conducted the prosecution, which resulted in a conviction of murder in the first degree. Shehan was sentenced to hang, the day was set for the execution and crowds were gathering to witness the spectacle when word came that he had been allowed a respite by Governor Trusten Polk. A delay of some months followed and again the day of execution dawned; this time there was no respite. Rude gallows were erected, consisting of a post in the ground, a stout cross beam about fourteen feet from the earth, with a ring at the end through which to pass the rope. The gallows stood just south of Thomasville, on the flat sandy bottom on the south bank of Elevenpoints river. As hangings in those days were public, a vast crowd, running into the thousands, assembled to witness the awful spectacle. In the crowd were most of the citizens who are now numbered among the pioneer settlers of the county, and from whom these details were gleaned. Three of Thayer’s respected citizens are among them. J. P. Woodside, W.L. Hearle, and Jesse Huddleston were boyish spectators, and vividly recall the great excitement that prevailed. The prisoner was brought to the gallows in a wagon, seated upon his coffin. He was accompanied by the sheriff, Wm. Griffith, also by John Carr and Wm. Humphreys who at his request played the death march upon their violins. Shehan entered into the picnic spirit of the occasion with great gusto, and when the wagon stopped under the gallows, and the noose had been adjusted, stopped the proceedings to call for another drink of whiskey. The sheriff wishing to grant the last wish of his prisoner, sent back to town for a pint bottle. When this was finally given him, he mounted the coffin, with the noose about his neck, drank the liquor down and shouted, “I give and bequeath my body and soul to Dr. Griffith!” He reeled on the coffin, the noose was drawn, the lash was applied and the horses dashed away, launching the murdered to his doom. Women screamed and fainted, and men bowed their heads to shut out the awful sight. Such is the story of the first, and to this date the only, execution in the history of Oregon county, the details of which are for the first time now put into print.
Posted on: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 20:43:18 +0000
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