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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
Copyright 2008, all rights reserved.

These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format 
without the written consent of the author at http://fulton.ilgenweb.net.

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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Fulton County
Munsell Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908

Transcribed by: ILFulton Volunteer Joan Achille 

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Crimes in Fulton Co. Illinois, 1850s-1870s 

WILCOXEN, Nancy
Indicted for murder 17 Mar 1852, killed W. WESTON with a knife
Found guilty of manslaughter, sentenced to Penitentiary for six years
1st woman indicted for murder in Fulton Co. 

TAIT, William
Indicted for murder Nov 1857 
Killed Hamilton BROWN at Astoria. 
It was supposed that BROWN died from result of stone thrown by TAIT. 
Tried and acquitted. 

HARDY, Simon R. O., and HARDY, John O. 
Indicted 27 Apr 1859 for murder of Daniel RICHARDSON 
in Liverpool Twp., by stabbing with a knife 
Jury trial, acquitted 

HARRIS, Isaac 
Indicted for murder Oct 1860 
Killed one VAUGHN at Vermont by striking him with a club 
Found guilty of manslaughter. Sent to prison for 15 years 

BOLEN, Jackson 
Indicted 26 Feb 1863 for killing James MAHARY of Vermont 
by stabbing with knife. 
Tried and acquitted. 

WRIGHT, Thomas 
Indicted 1862 for killing one HELM 
Case nolle prosequied 

COBB, Ira 
Indicted for murder 29 Sept 1864 for killing one BAKER of Woodland 
Twp., by shooting with pistol 
Tried on change of venue in Peoria Co. and sentenced to 10 years in prison. 

POTTS, George W. 
Indicted 28 Feb 1863 for killing Zachariah SHAW with a knife. 
POTTS never apprehended. 

LEWIS, Catherine, (alias Catherine TODD), and Robert TODD 
Indicted 20 Apr 1865 for murder by poisoning. 
Jury trial, verdict: not guilty 

JONES, William A. 
Indicted for murder 21 Apr 1866 for killing Weslely PITMAN at 
Bryant by hitting him on the head with a rock. 
Found guilty of manslaughter, sentenced to State Prison for 2 years. 

YARNELL, John 
Indicted 23 Apr 1867 for killing James P. GOODWIN, City Marshal of Lewistown by shooting. 
Change of venue to McDonough Co., sent to prison for 14 years 

CRAIG, Oscar 
Indicted 25 Aug 1870 for murder, killing Thomas BROWN at Otto by shooting. 
Change of venue to Tazewell Co., Acquitted. 

PURDY, Lemuel, and PURDY, Pitts L., and NICHOLSON, Samuel 
Indicted 29 Apr 1871 for murder of a Scandinavian at Lewistown in a free-for-all fight. 
NICHOLSON found not guilty by Fulton Co. Grand Jury 
PURDY, Pitts L. took change of venue to Schuyler Co., acquitted 
PURDY, Lemuel tried in Mason Co., found guilty of manslaughter. 
Sentenced to five years in State Prison 

BERRY, Jonathan B. 
Indicted Aug 1876 for murder of John J. LALICKER in Pleasant Twp. by shooting with pistol. 
Found guilty, sentenced to 10 years in Penitentiary.