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: 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
 

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: 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. This photograph shows 30-year-old Richard Keller, the 200th prisoner in Ohio to be executed in this manner. Keller’s portrait was displayed in the east annex of the Ohio Penitentiary along with hundreds of other photographs of prisoners who were executed by the state of Ohio. These were housed in the same area of the penitentiary as death row and the execution chamber itself. The caption at the bottom of Keller’s photograph reads: “No. 200, Richard Keller of Hamilton County, Electrocuted July 1st, 1936 for the Murder of Adolph F. Woest at Cincinnati, Ohio.” Woest’s murder occurred during a holdup at his Cincinnati laundry service. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08254
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: 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. This photograph shows 31-year-old John Pleyer, the 201st prisoner in Ohio to be executed in this manner. Pleyer’s portrait was displayed in the east annex of the Ohio Penitentiary along with hundreds of other photographs of prisoners who were executed by the state of Ohio. These were housed in the same area of the penitentiary as death row and the execution chamber itself. The caption at the bottom of Pleyer’s photograph reads: “No. 201, John Pleyer of Cuyahoga County, Electrocuted August 5th, 1936 for the Murder of Albert Wesosky at Cleveland, Ohio.” Wesosky’s murder occurred during a holdup at his father’s butcher shop carried out by Pleyer and two other accomplices, Donald Eberle and Helen Harmon. Both Pleyer and Eberle were executed for their role in the crime. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08255
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); Franklin County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: 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. This photograph shows 26-year-old James Brown, the 202nd prisoner in Ohio to be executed in this manner. Brown’s portrait was displayed in the east annex of the Ohio Penitentiary along with hundreds of other photographs of prisoners who were executed by the state of Ohio. These were housed in the same area of the penitentiary as death row and the execution chamber itself. The caption at the bottom of Brown’s photograph reads: “No. 202, James Brown of Cuyahoga County, Electrocuted December 4, 1936 for the Murder of Railroad Detective Eugene Gurganus, at Cleveland Ohio.” View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08256
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); Franklin County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: 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. This photograph shows 23-year-old Toledo resident, Steve Kotowicz, the 203rd prisoner in Ohio to be executed in this manner. Kotowicz’s portrait was displayed in the east annex of the Ohio Penitentiary along with hundreds of other photographs of prisoners who were executed by the state of Ohio. These were housed in the same area of the penitentiary as death row and the execution chamber itself. The caption at the bottom of this photograph reads: “No. 203, Steve Kotowicz of Lucas County, Electrocuted May 19th, 1937 for the Murder of Clement L. Mikolajczyk at Toledo, Ohio.” Mikolajczyk, the owner of a local grocery, was fatally shot during a robbery at his store. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08257
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: 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. This photograph shows 38-year-old William H. Gardner, the 204th prisoner in Ohio to be executed in this manner. Gardner’s portrait was displayed in the east annex of the Ohio Penitentiary along with hundreds of other photographs of prisoners who were executed by the state of Ohio. These were housed in the same area of the penitentiary as death row and the execution chamber itself. The caption at the bottom of this photograph reads: “No. 204, William H. Gardner of Franklin County, Electrocuted January 17th, 1938 for the Murder of Arch B. Coyner at Columbus, Ohio.” Coyner, a hotel clerk, was killed by Gardner during a robbery. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08258
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: Franklin County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: 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. This photograph shows 25-year-old Charles Hines, the 205th prisoner in Ohio to be executed in this manner. Hines’s portrait was displayed in the east annex of the Ohio Penitentiary along with hundreds of other photographs of prisoners who were executed by the state of Ohio. These were housed in the same area of the penitentiary as death row and the execution chamber itself. The caption at the bottom of this photograph reads: “No. 205, Charles Hines of Hamilton County, Electrocuted January 17th, 1938 for the Murder of Mrs. Edith C. Hirl at Cincinnati, Ohio.” Hirl was killed by Hines during an assault in a Cincinnati park. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08259
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: 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. This photograph shows 33-year-old Everett Jones, the 206th prisoner in Ohio to be executed in this manner. Jones’s portrait was displayed in the east annex of the Ohio Penitentiary along with hundreds of other photographs of prisoners who were executed by the state of Ohio. These were housed in the same area of the penitentiary as death row and the execution chamber itself. The caption at the bottom of this photograph reads: “No. 206, Everett Jones of Fayette County, Electrocuted March 25th, 1938 for the Murder of Robert Lindsey at Washington C. H., Ohio.” View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08260
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: Fayette County (Ohio); Washington Court House (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)