Posts Tagged ‘Baseball execution’

 

John “Bud” Taylor 

In 1899, Bud Taylor played for the Nebraska Indians. In 1900, he wore the uniform of an “eastern team.” 

Taylor, 23, lived in Kansas City, Missouri in 1903 where he was engaged to a pretty young clerk in a dry goods store, 18-year-old Ruth Nollard. In the beginning of February, the couple had a fight at which point the wedding was called off and Nollard cut off all contact as well. 

Two weeks later, Taylor forced himself on the girl, almost choking her to unconscience. Being pulled away, he threatened to kill her the first opportunity he got. 

On February 27, Taylor rented a room at a lodge on West Ninth Street, in the busy business district. He made sure that his second story room oversaw the street. Taylor proceded to spend his days waiting for Nollard to amble by. 

In the afternoon on March 2, Nollard was walking on the sidewalk with her sister. Taylor, sitting in his window, aimed his rifle and fired three times. Nollard was struck twice, one bullet settled near her heart, the other went and in then out her chest. She died within an hour. 

New York Times 3/3/1901

 

Police arrested Taylor in his room. Some difficulty arose with the mob that formed outside seeking to lynch Taylor. 

On October 5, 1901 Taylor was convicted of first degree murder despite his strenuous plea of insanity. 

On April 17, 1903 in the courtyard of the county jail in Butler, Missouri, Taylor was hanged. Over 1,500 showed up to witness the event, as two others, one a former member of the Texas legislature, were executed as well. 

Taylor had been baptized into the Catholic faith the night before the execution. On his way to the scaffold, he handed his brother a packet of strychnine. Taylor had planned on killing himself prior to his conversion; instead, he decided to accept his fate. 

Washington Post 4/18/1903

 

Paul H. Kauffman 

Sixteen-year-old Avis M. Woolery lived in Webb City, Missouri with her mother Dora and stepfather Ralph Corkins and sisters Alice, 17, Elaine, 10, and Marie, 7, and brother Harold, 14. Her father Ed lived in Kinkaid, Kansas where all the children were born. Avis worked in an art shop doing “art work,” per the 1930 U.S. Census. 

Paul Kauffman, 31 years old, was from Columbia, Pennsylvania. He had played for Reading in the International League. Kauffman was a predator. In 1928, he was convicted and served two years at a Canon City, Colorado jail (the 1930 Census shows him there) for seducing a 15-year-old girl. He was released in mid-1930. 

Upon getting out of jail, Kauffman put an ad in a Missouri paper searching for a nurse maid that would supposedly take care of a small child who resided at his mother’s house. That’s the story anyway. His true intent was to lure a young lady into his acquaintance.

Woolery answered the ad, corresponded with Kauffman and met him at the train station in Kansas City on August 17, 1930. He explained that he had been intoxicated the night before and wrecked his vehicle; the pair would have to walk part of the way to his mother’s house. 

They took the street car to Swope Park and then began to walk. Soon, they sat in the grass to rest. Kauffman started to fondle the girl. When she resisted, he forced his elbow into her throat and choked her to death. He then removed her clothes, tied her stockings around her neck and tossed the body into a pit left empty by a fallen tree stump. Kauffman covered her with dirt and then disposed of her clothes and suitcase. All of this information was attained from Kauffman’s confession. 

Washington Post 10/16/1930

 

Her body wasn’t discovered until mid October, at which time Kauffman was indicted by the grand jury for first degree murder. He was convicted in early November and sentenced to death. 

Kauffman appealed and was granted a new trial by the Missouri Supreme Court on February 17, 1932. He was sentenced to death again on May 21 but continued to appeal. At the end of 1933, Kauffman had to be removed from his Kansas City cell and taken to a prison in Jefferson City. Many were threatening to forcibly lynch him. 

He appealed to the supreme court again but was overuled. The execution was set for June 29, 1934. All appeals ran their course and Missouri Governor Park refused to intervene.

Kauffman was executed by hanging in Kansas City on June 29. 

New York Times 6/30/1934

 

Jimmy Slocum, Executed 

James J. Slocum played with Wilkes-Barre in Pennsylvania State Association in 1886.He played minor league ball in the 1880s for several teams including New Haven. He was described as a large, powerful guy – husky. 

After his playing career ended, he toiled at an occasional job, never anything solid; in truth, he was mostly unemployed, supported by his wife Ellen. The couple lived in a rundown apartment building in New York City at 114 Roosevelt Street. The New York Times described the building as containing “miserable rooms.” 

Slocum was said to drink a little too much. He was also well known to the local authorities for the trouble he caused. The police referred to him as “a loafer and a bum.” 

THE CRIME 

By the time Christmas rolled around in 1889, Slocum was on a bender. He came home drunk on New Year’s Eve and started fighting with his 31-year-old wife, not an unusual event. Two days later on January 2, her body was found lying in the bed with her skull crushed in. The murder weapon was a small axe, a hatchet. Slocum would later claim he used a water pitcher, but nonetheless a bloody axe was later presented to the jury as evidence. 

Slocum was nowhere to be found. On January 20, he was finally capture after “an exciting chase across house tops.” 

Washington Post 1/3/1890 

Washington Post 1/21/1890

 

THE CASE 

Slocum was imprisoned at the Tombs in New York City. On March 12, 1890 he was found guilty of first degree murder and taken to Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York. Soon thereafter, he was sentenced to death by electrocution by Judge Martine. The even was to take place the week of May 4, 1890. 

Slocum appealed to the Court of Appeals on the grounds of insufficient counsel. The initial ruling was confirmed, setting the new execution date for the week of March 15, 1891. Slocum appealed again to the U.S. Circuit Court but was denied on March 12, 1891. The execution was set for the following week. 

However, the U.S. Circuit Court remitted the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. The highest court in the nation acted quickly and dismissed Slocum’s case. The new execution date was set for the week of July 5, 1891. 

THE PUNISHMENT 

On June 4, 1888 New York Governor Daniel B. Hill signed a bill permitting the use of the electric chair in New York State. Slocum would be the first prisoner executed by the chair at Sing Sing Prison. 

All Slocum knew was that the execution was to take place the week of July 5. He was not informed of the exact date. 

On Monday July 6 the death warrant was read. The following morning Slocum was removed from his cell. Three other inmates were removed as well; it would be a mass execution. The order of execution was determined:

James J. Slocum, Caucasian

Harris Smiler, Caucasian

Shibayo Jugiro, Japanese

Joseph Wood, Negro 

Slocum was taken to the death chamber at 4:31 am on the morning of July 7, 1891. He entered the chamber at 4:33 am. He did not resist and sat in the chair peacefully. He even cooperated when he was strapped down. He was not asked for any final words and he did not offer any. 

Two electrodes were attached, one to his head, the other to his right calf. They would provide 1,458 volts of electricity. 

A system was worked out for the newspapermen and those holding vigil outside the prison gates. Different colored flags would be raised when each of the inmates were pronounced dead. Slocum’s flag was white. In the crass era much was made of the fact that Wood’s flag was black. 

It took two minutes and 40 seconds to fasten Slocum. A current was then applied for 27 seconds. Slocum still had a strong pulse and he reestablished respiration. At 4:39 am the current was reapplied for 26 seconds, heart and respiration functioning ceased. The body was allowed to sit in order to cool and await the doctor’s death pronouncement. 

Slocum was declared dead at 4:42 am. His body was removed from the death chamber at 5:00 am. Smiler was brought in at 5:05 am. 

Slocum was interred in the prison cemetery on July 8. At least four other professional ballplayers have been executed. 

New York Times 7/10/1891

 

Charles N. “Pacer” Smith

Charlie Smith was a pitcher from Pendleton, Indiana born on August 4, 1853.

Some sources state that Smith played for the National League Cincinnati Reds circa 1876-77. He may have belonged to the club for exhibition matches or such but he never appeared in a major league game.

Minor league clubs:
1878-79 Baltimore Blues
1880 Nashville
1881 Terra Haute
1882-83 Indianapolis
1884 Nobleville (Indianapolis)
1885 Jacksonville, Greencastle (IN), Evansville (IN)
1886 Decatur (IL), Little Rock
1887 Memphis, Wichita, Champaign (IL)
1888 Decatur, Bloomington (IL), Effingham (IL)
1889 Elkhart (IN), Monmouth (IL)
1890 Ottawa (IL)
1891 Oconto (WI), semi-pro ball in Decatur
1892 Pana (IL), an independent club
1893 Muncie (IN)
1894 Indiana semi-pro clubs

Smith started having trouble mentally and with the law around 1886. At various times, he was indicted or suspected of larceny, burglary, assault and gambling. He was also a heavy drinker.

His baseball career ending as his drinking became out of control in 1894.

MURDER

On December 26, 1888, at the California Hotel in Effingham, Illinois he married Maggie Buchert. She was from Decatur. They had met in 1886. Buchert’s parents protested against the marriage and did not give their consent. A daughter, Louise, was born to the couple in 1890.

Smith neglected his wife and young daughter; the couple separate a month after Louise’s birth. Smith was also drinking much heavier. Mother and daughter moved in with Maggie’s family in Decatur. Smith would occasionally visit his family; however, as the married couple became estranged, Smith became habitually drunk. He was also known to threaten his family.

On September 28, 1895, Smith showed up drunk as usual at about 3 pm. This time with a gun, a borrowed .38 caliber Harrington & Richardson revolver. After the couple talked calmly for 10 minutes, Maggie’s 17-year-old sister, Edna, retrieved Louise from a neighbor’s house.

Upon their return, Smith pulled out his gun and shot his daughter in the neck. The girl fell down the basement steps and would later die. Maggie took off running and Smith fired two shots that missed. Smith then killed Edna in the kitchen.

Smith was arrested in an nearby alley.Smith was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death on October 7.

Article from the Bangor (ME) Daily Whig and Courier, September 30, 1895

Awaiting execution, Smith sparked up a correspondence with former big league first baseman and former teammate (with Monmouth in 1889) Frank W. Harris – who played with Altoona in the Union Association in 1884. Harris was also waiting execution in Illinois on the same date – November 29. Harris had killed Charles W. Bengel in Freeport in May 1895. Harris’ sentence was commuted by Governor John P. Altgeld.

Smith, on the other hand, was hung on November 29, 1895 in Decatur, Illinois. At the scaffold, Smith admitted to a previous torture and robbery. The rope used to hang him cost $5. A local drug store purchased it for $10 and put it in a display window.

The following article is from Lee Allen in The Sporting News on May 18, 1968

 

Patrick H. Ford

Ireland-born Patrick Ford played for the Pelicans of New Orleans during the National Association of Base Ball Players days. He is listed in Marshall D. Wright’s The National Association of Base Ball Players, 1857-1870 as “P. Ford” with the Pelicans in 1869. There is also a “Ford” listed with the 1870 club which is likely Patrick.

It is possible that Ford was an amateur; however, knowing about his political connections, it’s also possible that he was compensated to play – either directly or via a job with the city.

Ford played against the famed Red Stockings of Cincinnati on April 25, 1870 at Louisiana Base Ball Park during the Reds’ acclaimed undefeated streak. New Orleans was crushed 51-1. Asa Brainard tossed a six-hitter.

Ford’s brother Thomas J. Ford became a man of some influence in the Democratic Party in New Orleans, a judge of the Second Recorder’s Court. He also administered political affairs and doled out his brand of justice via his post as police magistrate.

Patrick Ford took on various city jobs including at one time the post of Acting Chief Engineer for the New Orleans Fire Department.

Thomas Ford developed a personal and political rivalry with Andrew H. “Cap” Murphy, also a well-connected Democratic politician and a deputy at the city jail. Murphy’s father was Collector of Internal Revenue under President Andrew Johnson in 1866.

The feud started when Murphy was arrested for being drunk and disorderly (and slapping a woman) and brought before Judge Ford. Murphy was fined and Ford entered a notation in the official record that Murphy was “a hoodlum, a dead beat and a city official.”

Murphy paid his fine and then began circulating pamphlets that described Ford as “a coward, a liar, a thief and a perjurer.” Ford had Murphy arrested for libel and the case was still pending coming into December 1884.

On December 1, 1884 Thomas Ford assembled his brother Patrick and several of his police thugs to find Murphy and then pummel him. Among the police were court officers Bader, W.E. Caulfield, W.H. Buckley and policeman John Murphy (no relation to Andrew and actually Ford’s cousin who had only arrived from Ireland in 1882).

They found Andrew Murphy at about 2:30 pm at the corner of Claiborne and St. Phillip Streets overseeing a chain gang. The Ford crew immediately started firing. Shots rang through the streets.

Murphy jumped up and returned fire. When his gun emptied, he took off running. Patrick Ford fired the shot that brought Murphy down. Five bullets were ultimately found in Murphy.

The incident occurred in front of at least 70 witnesses. The Ford crew was quickly arrested. Political pressure, bribery, influence, intimidation and threats permeated each step of the following legal process.

Ford’s cronies intimidated witnesses against testifying, insisting on silence. The group was brought to trial on January 27, 1885. After a ten-day trial, the jury went into consultation. After three days the judge declared a new trial due to witness tampering which was conducted by means of the court officers.

The second trial began on February 18. It went to the jury on the 28th. After a half hour of deliberations, the jury found Patrick Ford and John Murphy guilty of first degree murder because the fatal shots were determined to come from their guns.

Thomas Ford, Caulfield and Buckley were found guilty of manslaughter. Patrick Ford and Murphy were sentenced to death, Thomas Ford received 20 years.

After appeals, the governor finally issued the death warrants on September 9, 1885 and the executions were set for November 13. Pressure was still being used on the governor in an effort to commute the sentences and even to grant them a pardon. The executions were pushed back until March 12, 1886.

On the morning of March 12, 1886, prison officials tried to wake Patrick Ford and Murphy but could not. The pair had taken the atropine, a poison . Murphy was eventually brought to but Ford never regained consciousness. The governor ordered the executions to be conducted anyway.

The pair were hoisted into a chair carried in that manner to the gallows. They laid limply on the scaffold in the rain. At 12:50 pm they were hung. Their necks “dislocated and their struggles were few.”

It was later discovered that Ford had written curses on his body to those who wouldn’t commute his sentence. The newspaper noted, “It cannot longer be said in reproach that no white man can be hanged for murder in Louisiana.”

New York Time 3/13/1886

Ford may be the first professional player in baseball history that was executed.