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 Walker Brown of Hanford Village, Columbus is one of them. Brown was the youngest member of a gang led by another Columbus resident, Henry Loudermilk. On December 10, 1931 Loudermilk’s gang invaded the home of John and Sarah Kidney in Monroe Township with the intent of stealing roughly $60,000 that was rumored to be hidden within. In actuality, the robbers were only able to find $446. John Kidney, an elderly farmer and blacksmith, age 75, was violently beaten and killed by the assailants. Sarah, his invalid sister, age 70, was beaten and tortured. Although there were multiple men involved in this violent crime, Brown was identified by each of the accomplices as the one responsible for the actual murder of John Kidney. However, Brown continually denied being involved. He was the first person in the group to be executed for Kidney’s murder. The caption at the bottom of the photograph reads, “Walker Brown, of Pickaway County, electrocuted June 3rd, 1932, for the murder of John Kidney of Pickaway County, Ohio.” Brown was executed at the age of 24. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08224
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; 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: Pickaway County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: This photograph from the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus is of 30-year-old Walter Wilson, a laborer from Cleveland. His formal attire suggests that the photograph was taken during his trial or sentencing. Wilson was the 298th individual to be executed via the electric chair in Ohio. The caption at the bottom reads: “No. 298 Walter Wilson Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Legally Electrocuted July 13, 1956, for the Murder of Joseph Fena.” In 1885 the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio, became the location for all executions, which previously took place in the various county seats. In 1896 the Ohio General Assembly mandated that electrocution replace hanging as the form of capital punishment. The Ohio Penitentiary regularly offered tours as well as souvenir photographs and postcards of the building and prisoners on death row. A total of 315 prisoners, both men and women, were executed in the electric chair known as “Old Sparky” between 1897 and 1963. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08350
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Death row; Electrocution; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio); Prisons--Ohio
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio); Cleveland (Ohio); Cuyahoga County (Ohio)
 

Description: This photograph from the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus is of 43-year-old Walter Byomin. His formal attire suggests that the photograph was taken during his trial or sentencing. Byomin, convicted of murdering a Wellington police officer, was the 308th individual to be executed via the electric chair in Ohio. The caption at the bottom reads: “No. 308 Walter J. Byomin Lorain County, Electrocuted July 3, 1959 for the Murder of Police Officer Edmund G. Smith” In 1885 the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio, became the location for all executions, which previously took place in the various county seats. In 1896 the Ohio General Assembly mandated that electrocution replace hanging as the form of capital punishment. The Ohio Penitentiary regularly offered tours as well as souvenir photographs and postcards of the building and prisoners on death row. A total of 315 prisoners, both men and women, were executed in the electric chair known as “Old Sparky” between 1897 and 1963. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08360
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Death row; Electrocution; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio); Prisons--Ohio
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio); Lorain County (Ohio); Wellington (Ohio)
 

Description: This is a photograph of Wesley Jenkins of Montgomery County, who was electrocuted December 4, 1914, for the murder of Nellie Bailey. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08096
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Capital punishment--Ohio; Death row
Places: Montgomery County (Ohio)
 

Description: Vincent Damico, of Summit County, was electrocuted March 31, 1920, for the Murder of Patrolman George Werne. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08112
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Capital punishment--Ohio--History; Death row
Places: Summit County (Ohio)
 

Description: Walter Wright of Jefferson County, was electrocuted March 1, 1922, for the Murder of Harry D. Cummings. He was a white male, age 28 and his occupation was an entertainer. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08125
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Prisons--Ohio
Places: Jefferson County (Ohio)
 

Description: Vincenzo Caparra, of Jefferson County, was electrocuted June 24, 1924, for the murder of Officer William Snyder. He was a white male, thirty three years old and his occupation was a whiskey runner. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08152
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Prisons--Ohio; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law;
Places: Jefferson County (Ohio)
 

Description: This is a photograph of William Clark, a prisoner who was was electrocuted July 8, 1926, for the murder of Mr. And Mrs. Hoffman of Sandusky County. He was a white male, nineteen years old and listed as a farm hand. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08170
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Prisons--Ohio; Death row
Places: Sandusky County (Ohio)
 

Description: William Henry Wilson, of Scioto County, electrocuted July 5, 1928, for the Murder of Policeman Paul Frederick at Portsmouth, Ohio. He was a black male, nineteen years old and his occupation was listed as a thief. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08187
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Prisons--Ohio; Death row
Places: Portsmouth (Ohio); Scioto County (Ohio)
 

Description: Walter Ralls, of Crawford County, electrocuted November 13, 1931, for the murder of Sheriff George Davenport, of Crawford County, Ohio. He was a black male, 31 years old and his occupation is unknown. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08213
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Prisons--Ohio
Places: Crawford County (Ohio)
 

Description: William Wiley of Hamilton County. Electrocuted april 21, 1897, for the Murder of his Wife. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08053
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Capital punishment--Ohio; Death row
Places: Hamilton County (Ohio)
 

Description: W.T. Swain was electrocuted September 2, 1910, for the murder of Mrs. Mary Jackson and infant grandchild, at Ross County, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08088
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Capital punishment--Ohio; Death row
Places: Ross County (Ohio)