|
Feature Article on Alfred Artis.
Topic: BLACK HISTORY & PEOPLE
Written by Rich Wallace in
January, 1995
RUMLEY MAN CONVICTED OF KILLING GIRL, ONLY PERSON PUBLICLY
EXECUTED
LOCALLY... Pg 2 |
| The evidence presented was
chilling. Little Emma was kept chained from November 10, 1853 until she died. Deprived of
sufficient food, water and clothing, she endured subfreezing temperatures. After she
attempted to run away once, Artis placed an iron collar around Emma's neck and fastened it
to a pole at night. He would beat her on occasion with a pole he kept nearby. There
was also testimony that Emma's hands and feet had been frozen during the time she was
chained in the shed. After two days of trial, jury members reported to a packed courtroom
that they could not reach a verdict. A stunned silence was followed by outbursts of anger.
The prosecutor announced immediately that he would retry the case. A new jury was
impaneled on November 15, 1854. The men who served on the second jury included Henry
Dickensheets, George Michael, Benjamin Robinson, David Wilds, Adam Baylor and Jacob Henry.
After the jury deliberated for the better part of a day, a verdict of guilty was
returned on the charge of murder. Artis was ordered to be "hanged by his neck
until dead on February 23, 1855, between the hours of 10 of the clock in the forenoon and
4 of the clock in the afternoon."
It is interesting to note that in
the 1850s, hardly a time for crowded court dockets, it took over a year for the Artis case
to be concluded.
The hanging of Alfred Artis presented a particular problem. Because he was
so strong and would resist every attempt to execute him, Deputy Kingseed was ordered to
make a special set of chains for Artis the day before the execution. Although this day
happened to be a Sunday, Kingseed consented to perform the work, even though it was
against his principles to work on a Sabbath because he was a God-fearing man.
The day of the execution arrived at last. Coroner Isaac Harshbarger was
deputized for the occasion. Sheriff Dryden, along with Deputies Eisenstein, Kingseed and
Harshbarger arrived to lead Artis to the scaffold. Halfway up, Artis dropped to the steps
and braced his body lengthwise along the stairway of the gallows, refusing to budge.
Losing his patience, Kingseed choked Artis and beat him to insensibility
so that he could be dragged up to the gallows. Sheriff Dryden then did his duty before a
large crowd. For his work he was paid the substantial sum of $300. Thus ended the first
and only public execution to take place in the history of Shelby County. The 400 residents
of Rumley quietly celebrated. Emma Artis is buried in Barnett Cemetery, which is located
12 miles northwest of Sidney. Alfred Artis was denied a decent burial and had to be buried
in a corner of his own land. It is said that the north side ditch of State Route 274
passes directly over his grave.
[ Back ] [
Next ] [ Up ] [ New Search
] |
|