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: This photograph shows George Davis, a 24-year-old man, of Mahoning County, Ohio. Davis was electrocuted on October 17th, 1935 for the murder of Thomas McClain in Youngstown, 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. Throughout the 1930s, the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio, displayed photographs of inmates who were sentenced to death. 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: AL08247
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: Mahoning County (Ohio); Youngstown (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)
 

Description: This photograph shows Ethol B. Lamphier, a 45-year-old man, of Huron County, Ohio. Lamphier was electrocuted on November 1st, 1935 for the murder of Mrs. Katherine E. Wilde, a widow from Norwalk, 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. Throughout the 1930s, the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio, displayed photographs of inmates who were sentenced to death. 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: AL08249
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: Huron County (Ohio); Norwalk (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
 

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)