Description: Before its closure, the Ohio Penitentiary housed the photographs of hundreds of prisoners who were condemned to death throughout the state’s history. These images were displayed within the east annex of the facility, where death row and the execution chamber were located. This portrait of 30-year-old Donald Eberle is one of them. Eberle carried out dozens of robberies in Cleveland and Chicago in the mid-1930s. In one such instance, he and two accomplices, John Pleyer and Helen Harmon, held up a Cleveland butcher shop, resulting in the fatal shooting of Albert Wesosky, the butcher’s son. Both Pleyer and Eberle were sentenced to death for their role in the murder. The caption at the bottom of Eberle’s photograph reads: “No. 199, Donald Eberle of Cuyahoga County, Electrocuted June 23rd, 1936, for the Murder of Albert Wesosky at Cleveland, Ohio.” In 1885, the Ohio Penitentiary became the site of all executions for prisoners on death row; formerly, executions had taken place in the county where the crime was committed. In 1896, the Ohio General Assembly mandated that electrocution replace hanging as the state’s only form of capital punishment. Altogether there were 315 people who were electrocuted at the Ohio Penitentiary, their deaths occurring between 1897 and 1963. Eberle was the 199th prisoner in Ohio to be executed in this manner. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08253
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Electrocution; Death row; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio); Portrait photography
Places: Cuyahoga County (Ohio); Cleveland (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: Joe Munroe photographs convicted rapist and robber Caryl Chessman as he pleads his case while on death row. Chessman was convicted of numerous robberies as well as rape and kidnapping in the 1960s. At the time, kidnapping was grounds for the death penalty in California. Chessman successfully appealed and delayed his execution date for 12 years--by far one of the longest such delays on record. In the end he was gassed to death on May 2, 1960. Joe Munroe's career began in 1939 at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. He served in the Air Force during World War II and then joined Cincinnati-based Farm Quarterly magazine. Though raised in Detroit, agriculture became an important subject of Joe's photographs. He moved to California in 1955 and free-lanced, taking magazine assignments and selling his own work. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: P400_B31_F2169_JPG300
Subjects: Joe Munroe; Death row; Criminal procedure; Appellate procedure;
Places: San Quentin (California)
 

Description: Before the Ohio Penitentiary’s closing in 1979, the execution chamber within the facility housed and displayed photographs of many of the prisoners sentenced to death throughout the state’s history. This portrait of Peter Treadway is one of them. The caption at the bottom of the photograph reads, “No. 189, Peter Treadway of Cuyahoga County, Electrocuted June 1st, 1935, for the Murder of Mrs. Ruth Steese of Cleveland, Ohio.” Treadway had worked as a gas station attendant before his conviction. He was executed at the age of 38. From 1897 to 1963 there were a total of 315 people in the state of Ohio, both men and women, who were legally put to death on the electric chair, or “Old Sparky” as it was often referred. Before this time the main method of execution had been hanging. However, the electric chair was considered to be a more humane way to carry out death sentences. So in 1896 the Ohio General Assembly passed a bill mandating that electrocution was to replace hanging as the state’s sole method of execution. It was not until 2001 that lethal injection replaced electrocution as Ohio’s only method of execution. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08221
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Electrocution; Death row; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio)
Places: Cuyahoga County (Ohio); Cleveland (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: Before the Ohio Penitentiary’s closing in 1979, the execution chamber within the facility housed and displayed photographs of many of the prisoners sentenced to death throughout the state’s history. This portrait of Russell Swiger is one of them. He was convicted for robbery and murder. The caption at the bottom of his photograph reads, “Russell Swiger, of Muskingum County, Electrocuted July 22nd, 1935, for the murder of Harold Fleming of Zanesville, Ohio.” Swiger was 21 years old at the time of his execution. From 1897 to 1963 there were a total of 315 people in the state of Ohio, both men and women, who were legally put to death on the electric chair, or “Old Sparky” as it was often referred. Before this time the main method of execution had been hanging. However, the electric chair was considered to be a more humane way to carry out death sentences. So in 1896 the Ohio General Assembly passed a bill mandating that electrocution was to replace hanging as the state’s sole method of execution. It was not until 2001 that lethal injection replaced electrocution as Ohio’s only method of execution. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08222
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Electrocution; Death row; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio)
Places: Muskingum County (Ohio); Zanesville (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: Before the Ohio Penitentiary’s closing in 1979, the execution chamber within the facility housed and displayed photographs of many of the prisoners sentenced to death throughout the state’s history. This portrait of Roy Smith is one of them. The caption at the bottom of the photograph reads, “Roy Smith, of Van Wert County, Electrocuted August 9, 1935, for the murder of Deputy Sheriff Forrest Good at Van Wert, Ohio.” Smith had been a farmer before his conviction. He shot and killed Deputy Good on April 18, 1935 while being questioned about a theft of grain that was recently committed by his brother. Smith was executed at the age of 29. From 1897 to 1963 there were a total of 315 people in the state of Ohio, both men and women, who were legally put to death on the electric chair, or “Old Sparky” as it was often referred. Before this time the main method of execution had been hanging. However, the electric chair was considered to be a more humane way to carry out death sentences. So in 1896 the Ohio General Assembly passed a bill mandating that electrocution was to replace hanging as the state’s sole method of execution. It was not until 2001 that lethal injection replaced electrocution as Ohio’s only method of execution. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08223
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Electrocution; Death row; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio)
Places: Van Wert (Ohio); Van Wert County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: The east annex of the Ohio Penitentiary, where death row and the execution chamber were located, displayed photographs of hundreds of prisoners who were condemned to death throughout the state’s history. This portrait of 22-year-old Frank Vacchiano is one of them. Vacchiano was convicted and sentenced to death for the fatal shooting of John McLaughlin, a hotel night-clerk, in Toledo. This was Vacchiano’s second murder conviction. He had previously been found guilty for the murder of Sam Valentine in Dayton. The caption at the bottom of the photograph reads: “No. 179, Frank Vacchiano of Lucas County, electrocuted December 29th, 1933, for the Murder of John J. McLaughlin.” Altogether there were 315 people who were electrocuted in the state of Ohio between 1897 and 1963. Frank Vacchiano was the 179th prisoner to be executed in this manner. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08238
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Electrocution; Death row; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio)
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio); Toledo (Ohio); Lucas County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: The east annex of the Ohio Penitentiary, where death row and the execution chamber were located, displayed photographs of hundreds of prisoners who were condemned to death throughout the state’s history. This portrait of 27-year-old Albert Bruno is one of them. Bruno was convicted and sentenced to death for the fatal shooting of John McLaughlin, a hotel night-clerk, in Toledo. The caption at the bottom of the photograph reads: “No. 180, Albert Bruno of Lucas County, electrocuted February 7th, 1934, for the Murder of John J. McLaughlin.” Altogether there were 315 people who were electrocuted in the state of Ohio between 1897 and 1963. Albert Bruno was the 180th prisoner to be executed in this manner. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08239
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Electrocution; Death row; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio)
Places: Lucas County (Ohio); Toledo (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: The east annex of the Ohio Penitentiary, where death row and the execution chamber were located, displayed photographs of hundreds of prisoners who were condemned to death throughout the state’s history. This portrait of 26-year-old Irmel Kittrell is one of them. Kittrell was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Thomas Mitchell of Hillsboro, OH. Kittrell appealed to have his sentence reduced to life imprisonment. However, this request was denied by Ohio Governor George White. The caption at the bottom of the photograph reads: “No. 181, Irmel Kittrells of Highland County, electrocuted June 25th, 1934, for the Murder of Thomas Mitchell.” Altogether there were 315 people who were electrocuted in the state of Ohio between 1897 and 1963. Irmel Kittrell was the 181st prisoner to be executed in this manner. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08240
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Electrocution; Death row; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio)
Places: Highland County (Ohio); Hillsboro (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: The east annex of the Ohio Penitentiary, where death row and the execution chamber were located, displayed photographs of hundreds of prisoners who were condemned to death throughout the state’s history. This portrait of 23-year-old Isaac Mosley is one of them. Mosley was convicted for the murder of Abraham Wartik, a furniture dealer from Cincinnati. Wartik’s death occurred at his store when he and Mosley became involved in a heated argument over furniture payments. The caption at the bottom of the photograph reads: “No. 186, Isaac Mosley of Hamilton County, Electrocuted November 23rd, 1934, for the Murder of Abraham Wartik.” Altogether there were 315 people who were electrocuted at the Ohio Penitentiary between 1897 and 1963. Ray Freeman was the 186th prisoner to be executed in this manner. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08245
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Electrocution; Death row; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio)
Places: Hamilton County (Ohio); Cincinnati (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: The east annex of the Ohio Penitentiary, where death row and the execution chamber were located, displayed photographs of hundreds of prisoners who were condemned to death throughout the state’s history. This portrait of 67-year-old J. H. Thompson is one of them. The caption at the bottom of his photograph reads: “No. 196, J. H. Thompson of Highland County, Electrocuted December 17th, 1935, for the Murder of Herbert Green at Hillsboro, Ohio.” In 1885, the Ohio Penitentiary became the site of all executions for prisoners on death row; formerly, executions had taken place in the county where the crime was committed. In 1896, the Ohio General Assembly mandated that electrocution replace hanging as the form of capital punishment. Altogether there were 315 people who were electrocuted at the Ohio Penitentiary. Their deaths occurred between 1897 and 1963. Thompson was the 196th prisoner in Ohio to be executed on the electric chair. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08250
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Electrocution; Death row; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio)
Places: Highland County (Ohio); Hillsboro (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: Before the its closure, the Ohio Penitentiary housed the photographs of hundreds of prisoners who were condemned to death throughout the state’s history. These images were displayed within the east annex of the facility, where death row and the execution chamber were located. This portrait of 22-year-old Norman Peacock is one of them. During an attempted robbery of a Cincinnati shoe store, Peacock fatally shot Marie and Morris Hockfield, the store’s proprietors. The caption at the bottom of his photograph reads: “No. 197, Norman Peacock of Hamilton County, Electrocuted March 11th, 1936, for the Murders of Mr. and Mrs. Morris Hockfield at Cincinnati, Ohio.” In 1885, the Ohio Penitentiary became the site of all executions for prisoners on death row; formerly, executions had taken place in the county where the crime was committed. In 1896, the Ohio General Assembly mandated that electrocution replace hanging as the state’s only form of capital punishment. Altogether there were 315 people who were electrocuted at the Ohio Penitentiary, their deaths occurring between 1897 and 1963. Peacock was the 197th prisoner in Ohio to be executed in this manner. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08251
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Electrocution; Death row; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio)
Places: Hamilton County (Ohio); Cincinnati (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: Before its closure, the Ohio Penitentiary housed the photographs of hundreds of prisoners who were condemned to death throughout the state’s history. These images were displayed within the east annex of the facility, where death row and the execution chamber were located. This portrait of 27-year-old James Thompson is one of them. Thompson actively planned and triggered the derailment of a “Norfolk and Western Railway” passenger train in Lawrence County, OH. The wreck resulted in the deaths of the train’s engineer and stoker. The caption at the bottom of the photograph reads: “No. 198, James Thompson of Lawrence County, Electrocuted April 25th, 1936, for the Murders of Engineer John Meyers and Fireman John Kemp during a Train Wreck.” In 1885, the Ohio Penitentiary became the site of all executions for prisoners on death row; formerly, executions had taken place in the county where the crime was committed. But in 1896, the Ohio General Assembly mandated that electrocution replace hanging as the state’s only form of capital punishment. Altogether there were 315 people who were electrocuted at the Ohio Penitentiary, their deaths occurring between 1897 and 1963. Thompson was the 198th prisoner in Ohio to be executed in this manner. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08252
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Electrocution; Death row; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio); Railroad accidents