The vacant lot on South Madison Street in the rear of the old American Legion Home has completed a cycle of public ownership now that it has been purchased by the city for a parking lot. Owned for many years by the late A.B. McLaren, it was formerly the property of Williamson County. As such it was for many years the site of the county jail and was an official place of execution.

The lot that is to be paved and metered for the parking of automobiles has its own story of capital punishment in connection with four of the five legal hangings that took place in the county.

Most recent was the execution of Settimi DeSantis on Feb. 11, 1921.  DeSantis was hanged from a gallows within a board stockade which was built for the occasion on the ground where the county jail formerly stood. The stockade enclosed most of the lot, and was filled with “deputies” and official witnesses for the hanging. A thousand requests for admission were denied, and some spectators watched from nearby rooftops.

DeSantis was hanged for the murder of two West Frankfort boys, Amel Calcaterra and Tony Hemphill. His codefendant in the trial in which he was convicted was Frank Bianca who hanged himself in jail. (Bianca was in the newer jail on S. Van Buren St.)

The old jail was still standing on the lot in 1903 when Calvin Price and Jerry Graves were executed on July 10 for the murder of Mrs. Nellie Reichelderfer, a Marion farm woman.

A graphic picture of the first execution to take place on the site is contained in the history of the county by Milo Erwin. Erwin told in detail the story of the execution of Marshall Crain, 27, on January 21, 1876 for the murder of two men to which he pleaded guilty.

Erwin described the arrangements of the hanging in the jail as follows:

“On January 18 and 19 the gallows was erected by Samuel S. Ireland by cutting a hole in the upper floor, three feet ten inches square, in which he made a trap door, and erected two posts with a cross beam, six and a half feet from the trap door.”

The hanging took place two days later. “By 10 o’clock”, Erwin wrote, “an anxious and expectant crowd was swaying to and fro in front of the jail. He (Crain) bade farewell to his friends, and told them to bury him in the Hampton Cemetery.

The jail was southeast of the Square, and is a brick building two stories high, with the cells upstairs.

“At 12 o’clock he was dressed in a white suit with a robe over it. At 12 o’clock and 10 minutes he took leave of his wife. At 12 and 20 minutes, with a firm step, he walked out of his cell and stood before a window on the east side, and in a strong voice said: ‘Gentlemen, I must make a statement in regard to this matter. I feel it is my duty to God and man to make it. I am guilty of killing the two men. My punishment is just I hope all of you will forgive me. I pray God will judge and prosper this country. Goodbye to all.”

He then read a poem of 24 verses which he had composed for the occasion. Then, with a firm, steady step, he walked on to the trap door.

At 12:34 Sanford W. Gee read a few passages from John, and then sung, “There is a fountain filled with blood”, Crain and all the rest joining in the singing, and then Gee prayed, Crain getting down on his knees.

The jury was then called and answered. About 30 persons were in the room. At 12:46 his legs and arms were bound; at 12:52 the white cap was put on his head, and John B. Edrington, deputy sheriff, told him he had a death warrant, saying at this hour and at this place he was ordered to hang him. At 12:54 the rope was put on his neck, and the front part of the cap was pulled down by J.L. Kelly. When he (Crain) was asked if he had anything to say, he said, ‘I am the murderer of William Spence and George Sisney; that is all I have to say.’

He was asked if he was ready to receive execution, and said, ‘I am.’ He was then told he had four minutes to live, and said, ‘That was all.’

At 12:56 the deputy said, ‘Time up’, and Brice Holland severed the rope which held the trap door, and Marshall Crain was swung between Heaven and earth.

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(Glances at Life Article by Homer Butler, publish date unknown)

Sam’s Notes: This trial and hanging was related to and concluded the “Bloody Vendetta” era centered around the family feuding taking place on the west side of the County. Most everything we know about this era was reported by Milo Erwin, local lawyer and author of the History of Williamson County written in 1876. Erwin himself ended his life in an enigma. See the Mysterious End of Milo Erwin. For clarification on location of the old jail site see the history of Willimason County Jail.