Last Hanging in Powell Co. Kentucky

[-Ki-]

This was the last hanging in Powell Co. Kentucky on the courthouse lawn on fair day.........

[-Ki-]

Here is the full picture........

I believe his name was Simmon Bush....

[ivan salis]

what year and what crime?

[-Ki-]

I think it was in the 1880's but not sure, I'm still having the picture studied by a local historian..... I think the guy said he was a horse thief

[ocean man]

Maybe he was a member of congress?

[GrayCloud]

Me no like congress !!! Hangum not good enough.

[geo4472]

I think it was in the 1880's but not sure, I'm still having the picture studied by a local historian..... I think the guy said he was a horse thief

in the 1880's they could'nt hang a man with a beard

[olekyground]

That is a awesome picture! I live in Horse Cave, Kentucky. I was searching for old photo's of ky, so I was glad to find this one! If anyone has any more I would love to see em! thanks!

[illumastorm]

thats interesting... i see at least 3 kids in that photo, can you imagine that happening today. it was a harsh living back then and you learned early in life or else end up like the guy hanging.

[sniffer]

maybe we should go back to that type of justice. instead of letting people sit on death row. maybe the crime rate would drop, if a criminal knew he would be hung as soon as the trial was over. no reprieves, no last minute stays, no appeals court. is it perfect? no. but it would sure give a criminal a chance to reassess his actions.

[piegrande]

My family lived for a short time in the 50's in Rogers, Arkansas when they still lived somewhat in the old style.

We had an old neighbor, a great story teller, with a tremendous sense of humor.

He told us once, probably in the late 1910's, he had a .22 rifle, and while hunting near home, put a bullet through a neighbor's window.

On Saturday, when everyone came to town, they told him they were having a trial for his crime. The judge ran it like a regular trial, more or less. Okay, less...

There was discussion on what should be done. One man said, "I think we gotta' hang him." And, sat in the court room making a noose as they talked.

There was general agreement, and he was scared to death.

After a time, someone said, "Well, he is pretty young to hang. Maybe we should give him another chance."

After extended conversation, more folks started agreeing. And finally the judge told him if he promised to never again shoot in a dangerous fashion, they would give him another chance.

He sure agreed to that deal!

That's how they dealt with problems in that community.

A man who was at one time a small town cop in the Midwest said back in the 50's, if a kid did something bad, he would grab him, toss him in the back of his patrol car, and take him out in the country for a serious talk. Those boys would be trembling with fear, they didn't really know if they would be coming back or not. Then, after speaking to him of Hell Fire and Damnation, he'd take him to his parents and tell them the kid was riding with him a few nights to see what cops did.

He said that worked, he could not remember a kid treated that way who got into further trouble. A lot of them became cops themselves as they grew up. He admitted today a cop that tried that would end up in jail himself, and the kids go ahead to further crimes.

[Old Bookaroo]

Ki:

I don't think that is a courthouse lawn. I suggest that is a bridge - probably a railroad bridge, looking at the number of timbers, etc. holding it up.

That would lead me to further suggest it was a lynching.

Old photos with the crowd like that - looking at the camera - tend to be of lynchings. The photos of legal hangings usually concentrate on the guest of honor.

In Billy Breckenridge's book Helldorado he wrote that he attended four hangings - none of them legal. When he was finally invited by the sheriff to attend one (and back in the day, on occasion, the presiding law officer would sent out written invitations) he passed - he'd seen enough to last him the rest of his life.

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo

[stasys]

Maybe he was a member of congress?