210 - History of Vermillion County

mutation of sentence, etc., were made, but in vain, and on the 3d of April, between 12 and 1 o'clock, Walter Watson was hanged in the jail yard, in the presence of a few spectators, who were admitted by ticket.

Ezra Compton, the murdered man, was a young gentleman of integrity and high character, and had been married but four weeks. By steady, hard manual labor, protracted for six years, he had managed to save $1,300, which but a few weeks previous to his murder he had invested in general merchandise, and was commencing as a merchant at Highland.  He had not an enemy in the world, except the high-tempered, unreasonable Walter Watson, a few hours before the final tragedy.

The remains of the executed criminal were interred in Helt's Prairie Cemetery, where his father and others guarded the place for several nights to prevent body-snatching by physicians. Becoming weary of such duty, they buried about six inches of heavy plank over the coffin, making it a tedious task for vandals to "ressurrect" the remains.

Many citizens thought that Florence Watson was as much to blame as Walter, if not more, as he, knowing his brother's ungovernable temper, inflamed his passions by intimating that Crompton [sic] was afraid to trust him any more, etc., and left the county afterward refusing to help his accused brother.

But there is a sequel to the above tragedy, portrayed in the Indianapolis Herald in terms characteristic of the old-fashioned novel. It describes Mrs. Watson as a remarkable heroine. She was determined to accompany her husband to the scaffold, despite the remonstrance of all around her. One of the attending ministers remarks in gentle accents, "Mrs. Watson, this will never do."  As quick as the lightning's flash she turned on him, replying, "I should not have expected this from a minister. When I was married I promised a minister that I would cleave to my husband 'for better or for worse,' and I am going to keep that promise as far as God will let me."

Mrs. Watson was a small woman, but with a great soul. Her face was a study for an artist, being a blonde of pronounced type, with high and broad forehead, irregular features, but exquisite in their delicacy and mobility; eyes large and intelligent. At one moment her mouth would indicate great tenderness and sweetness of disposition, but in an instant her lips would compress with a firmness that would fill one with surprise.

She assisted in arranging her husband for the final scene, and even contributed some articles to his wardrobe -- a neck tie and a pair of slippers. The latter, with her own hands, she placed upon his feet, and put the tie around his neck with a care and detail that could not have been out of place had she been decking him out for a marriage feast. She then combed his hair, and after finished the last loving touch, remarked, "Now you are ready, Walter and I will go with you." Holding her husband's hand, the brave little woman accompanied him to the scaffold, amid the stillness that was absolutely painful. They took seats side by side; she, tenderly taking his hand in hers, caressed it, and then, giving away to tears, she fell wailing upon his breast. Thus they sat, while prayers ascended to heaven asking mercy upon the doomed man, she sobbing upon his bosom and he calm, awaiting his fate.

The sheriff changed the scene, saying, "Stand up, Walter Watson." The wife arose with him. "Good by, Walter," were her parting words as she once more passionately kissed him. Then turning her pale face, full of bitterness and reproach, upon the specta-

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tors, she fell into the loving arms of some female friends and was borne away.

After the execution, the body of her dead husband was delivered to her. She had been weeping loud and bitterly, but she heroically dried her eyes, approached the coffin, looked lovingly upon the dead face, kissed his lips, eyes and brow, arranged the neck-tie with tender hands once again, and quietly said, "Now please close the coffin and let no one see my Walter again. I cry no more. God have mercy upon me and little baby!"

EARLY JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

The following are the names of all the justices of the peace, with dates of commissions, who were appointed for Vermillion County previous to 1830:

James Blair, Zeno Worth, William Arnold, John Hair, Sr., Michael Patton, John Potter, James Andrew and Joseph Schooling, August 7, 1824; Christian Zabrisky, October 10, 1825; John Gardner, December 17, 1825; John Gardner December 17, 1825; Samuel Rush, October 16, 1826; Norman D. Palmer, November 1, 1826; Jacob Custer, March 19, 1827; John T. Chunn, June 11 1827; Isaac Keys, January 2, 1828; John Anglin, February 24, 1828; John Armour, June 13, 1828; James Groenendyke, June 13, 1828, John Payne, December 8, 1828; Thomas Chenoweth, June 19, 1829; Joseph Shaw, September 18, 1829; George Hansucker, September 18, 1829; Joseph Schooling, September 18, 1829.

OFFICIAL REGISTER.

Below are given the names of the incumbents of the several county offices, with the dates of their legal assumption of office, from the organization of the county in 1824 to the present year, 1887. The names and dates are strictly correct, being obtained from the official records in the Secretary of State's office at Indianapolis.

SHERIFFS.

William Fulton, February 1, 1824; Caleb Bales, September 8, 1825; Charles Trowbridge, August 14, 1828; William Craig, August 28, 1832; Allen Stroud, August 16, 1834; William Bales, August 13, 1838; Charles Trowbridge, August 8, 1842; Owen Craig, August 20, 1846; Eli Newlin, August 25, 1848; Richard Potts, August 12, 1852; James H. Weller, November 18, 1856; Isaac Porter, November 18, 1860; Harvey D. Crane, November 18, 1864; Jacob S. Stephens November 18, 1868; Lewis H. Beckman, November 18 1872; Spencer H. Dallas, November 18, 1876; William C. Myers, November 18, 1880; John A. Darby, November 18, 1884.