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: Three photographs showing soap and clothing items issued to early twentieth century prisoners at the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio. The photograph in the upper left depicts two patterned, folded handkerchiefs or bandanas, a pair of overalls, and a folded, button-down shirt. The image on the upper right shows a pair of men's pants, with a label directly underneath that has "MEN'S PANTS" typed on it. The clothes appear to be denim fabric, which could mean they were issued for work purposes. The photograph at the bottom shows three blocks of white soap. Each block of soap appears to be stamped with the words "MADE FOR STATE USE BY OHIO BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION." A typewritten label underneath this image states "STATE BATH & LAUNDRY SOAP" with "Ca 1911-21" handwritten. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08367
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Law; Ohio History--State and Local Government--Corrections; Ohio Penitentiary (Columbus, Ohio); Prisons--Ohio
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin 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: Henry White, of Franklin County, was electrocuted March 2, 1923, for the Murder of his Wife, May White. He was a black male, age forty-one and his occupation is unknown. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08137
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)
 

Description: Before the Ohio Penitentiary’s closing in 1979, the facility's east annex housed and displayed photographs of many of the prisoners sentenced to death throughout the state’s history. This portrait of Hampton Pannell is one of them. Also located in this section of the penitentiary were the cells of prisoners awaiting execution and the death chamber itself. The Ohio Penitentiary closed in 1972 when construction of the new Southern Ohio Correctional Facility was completed in Lucasville. At this time, the execution chamber was relocated to the new Lucasville facility and the photograph collection of condemned prisoners was donated to the Ohio Historical Society. The caption at the bottom of Pannell's photograph reads, “No. 187, Hampton Pannell of Franklin County, Electrocuted January 4th, 1935, for the Murder of Fred Halten.” Pannell was executed at the age of 37. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08219
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: Before the Ohio Penitentiary’s closing in 1979, the east annex within the facility housed and displayed photographs of many of the prisoners sentenced to death throughout the state’s history. This portrait of William Wright is one of them. Also located in this section of the penitentiary were the cells of prisoners awaiting execution and the death chamber itself. The Ohio Penitentiary closed in 1972 when construction of the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility was completed in Lucasville. At this time, the execution chamber was relocated to the new Lucasville facility and the photograph collection of condemned prisoners was donated to the Ohio Historical Society. The caption at the bottom of Wright's photograph reads, “William Wright, of Franklin County, Electrocuted April 9, 1935, for the murder of Mrs. Addie Warrick, at Columbus, Ohio.” Wright was executed at the age of 39. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08220
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: 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: 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 Henry Loudermilk is one of them. Loudermilk was the leader and organizer of a small, ragtag gang of Columbus residents. He was the mastermind behind the robbery and murder of John M. Kidney, a 75-year-old farmer and blacksmith from Monroe Township. He coordinated this violent crime with the intention of stealing roughly $60,000, which was rumored to be hidden somewhere on Kidney’s property. On December 10, 1931 Loudermilk’s gang invaded Kidney’s home where they viciously beat and tortured the residents inside, Kidney himself and his elderly sister, Sarah. They scoured the house in search of the hidden money but were only able to find $446, a small fraction of the sum they had originally anticipated. Disappointed, the assailants fled the crime scene, leaving the Kidney siblings to die. The Kidneys were later discovered and assisted by a visiting neighbor. However, John’s injuries were too severe and he died while in the care of his neighbor and the county sheriff. Sarah, on the other hand, was eventually able to recover. And she later testified against her attackers in court. Loudermilk was the second person involved in Kidney’s murder to be executed. The caption at the bottom of his photograph reads, “No. 166, Henry Loudermilk of Pickaway County, Electrocuted June 3rd, 1932, for the murder of John Kidney of Pickaway County, Ohio.” Loudermilk was married with six children and worked as an interior decorator in Columbus before his conviction and subsequent execution. He was electrocuted at the age of 47. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08225
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: Pickaway County (Ohio); Columbus (Ohio)