Christmas In July! The Christmas Pardon of John Clayter and the Paint Creek Miners

Cellblock ca 1914
Source: WV History on View

The concept of Christmas in July celebrations have seemingly fallen out of favor and replaced with Summerween. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Halloween and celebrate it all year long. But, I'd also like to keep the Christmas in July tradition alive by sharing another tradition with you: The annual Christmas pardon at the WV State Penitentiary.

During a time when the life expectancy wasn't all that great, especially for inmates, and over-crowding at such facilities was a huge problem, it wasn't uncommon for the Governor of West Virginia to issue a pardon to either the oldest or longest serving inmate at the state penitentiary in Moundsville. 

In 1912, that honor was bestowed upon a man named John Clayter. Clayter had been at the penitentiary for 16 years, 11 months, and 8 days. On January 17, 1896, he had been sentenced in Fayette County for the murder of mine guard, J.W. Larkin several months before. 

John was 55 years old at the time of his release and was said to be in peak mental and physical health. It would seem that the last 16 years hadn't done much to weaken him in any way. And although he had no black marks on his records, the newspapers noted that the penitentiary staff were not convinced that he should receive that year's pardon. 

Striking Miners
Source: WV History on View

An additional seven pardons would be issued that year, all of which were inarguably deserved. In April of 1912, a major labor dispute, known as the Paint Creek/Cabin Creek Strike began. The strike, which would turn violent at times, led to numerous deaths and arrests as martial law was declared. In 1912, seven men who were arrested under martial law were pardoned that Christmas. Thirteen individuals involved were not. The photo above is a collection of mugshots from striking miners. This clash would set off a series of Mine Wars, leading to more infamous incidents such as the Battle of Blair Mountain. Check out this Wikipedia article for more information: (Paint Creek-Cabin Creek Strike 1912)

Those pardoned were: W.Y. Tucker, Robert Hartigan, James T. Akers, E.M. Osborne, L.A. Mays, Charles Williams, and Bud Clendenning. All had been given a sentence of 1-5 years for their involvement in the strike. And, because of WV Governor Glasscock, they'd be home for Christmas.

Merry Christmas in July, everyone! And if you're interested in MORE articles about the West Virginia State Penitentiary and its haunted history, check out my WV STATE PENITENTIARY PAGE. 

25 December 1912
The Wheeling Intelligencer

24 December 1912
The Wheeling Intelligencer

24 December 1912
The Fairmont West Virginian 

Sleeping with the Spirits at the WV State Penitentiary

 

Convicts in the prison yard of the WV State Pen (1914)
Source: WV History on View

Over the course of its long history, the West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville has suffered from a multitude of logistical problems, the most common being overcrowding. In late 1922, the prison had once again exceeded its designed capacity and was now home to well over 1600 inmates. Warden Terrell was running out of sheer space to store all these men, so he came up with a brilliant plan!

The Death House, which was a small building annexed off the main prison, had four cells. As these cells were only used to house inmates who had an upcoming date with the gallows, they weren't in full operation. What if some of the overflow was housed there?

The decision was made to select 35 inmates, all African Americans, to bunk down in the Death House. I cannot come up with a reason other than sheer racism why the black prison population was chosen, but they were. However, this wasn't without problems.  

A trope that continually shows up in these old newspaper articles I share is the stereotype that African Americans are extremely superstitious and afraid of ghosts and spirits. Therefore, the article in question notes that it took a while, but 35 men were found who claimed, "no fear of spooks."  Warden Terrell managed to find almost three dozen men that had no qualms in sleeping in the area where a quoted two score of men had spent their last moments, waiting to die at the hands of the state for crimes accused.

I don't like to think of myself as a particularly superstitious person, but even I have to admit a certain ick factor when it comes to using such a dark place for regular inmates. But it worked out. After a thorough cleaning and disinfecting (which included the removal of anything that would remind the prisoners where they were), the men were ready. Each night, they'd move 35 cots into the area, which were set up in and around the annex and cells. It was said that the sleeping arrangements were just as comfortable as anywhere else in the prison, with an added bonus of increased security features, allowing one guard to manage all 35 inmates. It was even said that many of the inmates assigned to the Death House annex had a sense of pride concerning their new quarters.  I wonder, though....did anyone actually ever have a paranormal experience there? Did the spirits of the executed men ever make their presences known to the 35 inmates who temporarily got a taste of death row?

*MORE WV State Penitentiary Articles!*

03 December 1922
Charleston Daily Mail

Jessie Starcher: A WV State Pen Tragedy

Beckley Post-Herald
03 October 1951

Jessie/Jesse James Starcher was barely out of his teens when he was sent to the West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville. The coal driller from Richwood, WV was found guilty of grand larceny/forgery and sentenced to serve 2 to 10 years in the penitentiary. 

However, prison life didn't seem to suit Mr. Starcher. Although he was a trusted enough prisoner to join a prison road camp, on May 1, 1949, Mr. Starcher walked away from that camp, which was located just outside of Charleston, WV. For over a month, Starcher wandered from state to state. On June 5, he was arrested in Youngstown, OH for public intoxication. With his conscience getting the better of him, he admitted to police that he was an escaped prisoner from WV. Apparently, the officers thought this was merely 'drunk talk,' and sent him on his way, telling him to "go home."

Instead of heading back home to West Virginia, he made his way to Cleveland to visit his sister. The following day, she accompanied him to the police station, again where he attempted to turn himself in to Detectives Michael Gaynor and Carl Roberts. He was held in custody until it was confirmed that yes, he WAS missing from the state penitentiary. He claimed that he escaped because after serving 16 months of his sentence, he was afraid he wouldn't be paroled until 1953.

Unfortunately, none of the news articles I could find explained Starcher's thought process. He was originally sentenced from 2 to 10 years. That means he only had eight months to go before the lower end of his sentence was up. He was obviously trusted enough that he was put on work detail in another part of the state! Why did he panic...and why was he so scared of that arbitrary 'middle' date of 1953? He surely had to know that should he be caught, an escape attempt would not fare well for his case. 

Whatever his reasoning, Starcher was sent back to the WV State Penitentiary. On October 2, 1951, however, he would attempt a different method of escape. That morning, he attended his regular on-site work detail but asked to go to his cell early because he wasn't feeling well. When a guard checked on him 45 minutes later, he was found in his South Hall cell, hanging from his belt. The time of death listed on his death certificate was 12:05pm. 

Jesse James Starcher was sent home to Richwood to be buried. Born September 30, 1928, he was the son of Leonard Starcher. 

The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH)
07 June 1949

Death Certificate for Jesse James Starcher
WV State Archives

Isaac Yates: A WV Penitentiary Story

Former site of the Death House and Gallows
at WV State Penitentiary. After the death penalty
was abolished, the space was turned into
basketball courts for the North Hall rec yard.

The second half of 1909 was a roller coaster of a time for Isaac N. Yates, a black man from McDowell County, West Virginia. That summer, he was arrested and convicted for the horrific crime of rape against his own 14 year old daughter. It took no time at all for a jury to convict him, and for him to be sentenced to hang at the West Virginia State Penitentiary on June 18th.

Around the same time, another black man from McDowell County---Arthur Brown---was convicted for murdering another man, and was also given a death sentence, to be carried out on the same day. Together, the two were transported to the penitentiary in Moundsville to await their fate in the dreaded Death House.

But, fate would be on their side. After a plea to WV Governor Glasscock, both men were granted a stay of execution until August 27th. This is where Brown's luck would end; he was hanged on that date after a full confession of his crime (I'll be posting another blog about him). He went to the gallows with as much dignity as a man who had killed a fellow man could muster. He was said to have an outstandingly cool, calm demeanor.

Meanwhile, Isaac Yates was also displaying behaviors not usually exhibited by a doomed man. Between June and August, the 117 pound man ballooned up to a weight of 171 pounds. He was all smiles, cheerfully chatting and laughing with guards. He even composed a song about his plight. In it, he praised Governor Glasscock for saving his life, but also blamed his own daughter for lying about the attack and getting him arrested. 

By order of the governor, Yates was examined by Dr. L.V. Guthrie of Huntington and Dr. A.J. Lyons of Spencer. Both men agreed that Yates was mentally irresponsible for his actions if not downright insane. As a result, August 27th only saw one man going to the gallows, while Yates was granted another three month reprieve. His new tentative execution date was set for December 3rd. Meanwhile, he would be watched closely to see if he really WAS mentally unsound, or simply faking it to avoid death. 

In late November, Captain Dawson of the WV State Penitentiary made a statement that he believed Yates was truly of unsound mind. As the state would not execute a man of unsound mind, he predicted that Yates' sentence would be commuted to a sentence of life imprisonment. This is the last time that Mr. Yates pops up in the newspaper archives that *I* have access to. I wasn't able to find any additional information on him, including any sort of WV death certificate. What is important, though, is that Mr. Yates' name does not appear on the list of the 112 state sanctioned executions carried out at the former WV State Penitentiary at Moundsville. 

Was he guilty of the crime? If so, was he of sound mind, or was he faking it? And what was his fate? It's possible he lived the rest of his days at the penitentiary. It's also possible that he was granted parole at some point. A further possibility is that he was transferred to one of the state hospitals for the mentally ill. What I personally want to know is how anyone in 1909 could pack on an astonishing 54lbs in just a few months, eating nothing but prison rations! 

*MORE WV State Penitentiary Articles*

Sources:

Yates Will Not Hang. 24 November 1909. The Point Pleasant Register.

Isaac Yates Granted Respite. 26 August 1909. The Independent Herald (Hinton, WV).

Respite Granted. 24 June 1909. The Clarksburg Telegram.

Composes Song. 14 July 1909. The Point Pleasant Register.

He Grows Fat. 25 August 1909. The Point Pleasant Register.

Joe Taylor's Death at the WV State Penitentiary

Cell Block at WV State Penitentiary, ca 1912
Source: WV History on View

The West Virginia State Penitentiary is one of the most haunted locations in the Mountain State, if the not the country. With a VERY long history of violence, including deaths from illness, suicide, murder, and execution, it's no wonder why many of the prison's former inmates are still sticking around...

There are plenty of ghost stories out there attached to the West Virginia State Penitentiary, and I've covered many of them here on Theresa's Haunted History. However, as part of my dedication to fully covering as much HISTORY as possible on these awesome spooky locations, every once in awhile, I like to share the non-paranormal stuff as well. I like to share the every day atmosphere of what it was like to live and work in these locations. I like to share interesting, and somewhat funny tales. And, I like to share the stories of those who called these places home...their lives and their deaths.

Today, I'll be sharing the story of Joseph 'Joe' Taylor, a middle-aged man from Putnam County who was a known dealer of illegal whiskey, an arsonist, and an all around bad dude. Despite being known in his hometown as a dangerous and hardened man, prison life proved just too much for Joe.

According to the (Point Pleasant) Weekly Register, Joe's legal woes go back to at least 1896, although I'm guessing he was already known to local law enforcement well before then. But, in November of that year, Joe had been on the lam. Not long before, he had been arrested for moonshining and taken to the Cabell County Jail, where he promptly escaped the next day. Joe had a change of heart, though and wrote a letter to Deputy Marshal D.W. Frampton, saying he wanted to surrender. 

Local papers didn't record whether or not Joe served any time for that infraction, or any other time before finally REALLY crossing the line in May of 1905.

Joe was still heavily involved in his bootleg whiskey business and living in Putnam County, WV. But, he had beef with another local family. William Larck/Lark/Larick and his wife, Alice lived about 4 miles from Winfield and were staunch members of the temperance movement. Early in May 1905, a member of the Larck family swore out a warrant for Joe Taylor for the illegal sale of whiskey. Deputy Sheriff C.A. Howell went to arrest Joe, but didn't actually take him into custody that evening, as Joe promised to appear before court on his own. Instead of showing up for court, however, several days later Joe showed up at the Larck family home.

In the early hours of May 25th, around 2am, seven shots were fired into the Larck home, where William and Alice lived with their 3-5 children (the number varies according to article). After the seven shots were fired into the home, an incendiary device was launched into the home, setting it ablaze. The family fled the burning home only to meet MORE gunfire. Mrs. Larck (one report says Mr. Larck, instead) was shot in the foot as she fled. Nearby neighbors, seeing the fire, started to arrive to help, and some of them swore they saw Joe running from the scene.

Joe couldn't be found, so bloodhounds were brought in, and the next morning he was found hiding in the loft/garrette of his own home. He was taken into custody, but talk of a lynching led authorities to take him to the jail in Charleston for his own safety. 

When Joe's trial finally concluded in August, it didn't end in Joe's favor. During the course of the trial, it came out that Joe had tried to bribe anyone and everyone he could. He tried to bribe Detective H.C. Smith to let him escape while held in Charleston. He tried to bribe Detective T.G. Cochran with $3000 to let him escape during his transport back to Winfield for trial. He also tried to bribe two 'friends,' Vess Burdette and Jerry Keen to say that they were with him on the night of May 24th. Vess and Jerry actually did show up to court to testify (they were promised $1000 each) but they got scared and left when they saw how upset everyone was over the attempted assassination of the Larck family and the act of arson that left them with their home completely destroyed.

Two people who DID testify on Joe's behalf were his aunt and his mother, who both claimed that he was home all night with them in the house they shared. As an added historical bonus, I did find a Taylor family living in the area on the 1880 census. 12 year old Joseph Taylor was living with his 80 year old grandmother, Frances Taylor, and her two daughters, Jennette and Leelie. It doesn't mention who Joseph's mother is, but I find it interesting they all have the same last name. It does sound like Joseph was borne to an unwed mother, who raised him with the help of his grandmother and aunt.

Anyway, their testimony did little to save him. After only 10 minutes of deliberation, the jury found him guilty on the charges of arson and attempted murder. Judge E.S. Doolittle sentenced him to a life sentence of hard labor at the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville. 

For awhile, it seemed like Joe had come to terms with his plight. He had a job with the Joseph Klees & Sons Pants Factory, who contracted out prison labor for the price of 62 cents per inmate per day. It was said Joe was a hard-worker, but that he was difficult to get along with. Still, he was in good health and otherwise seemed as okay as one who was to spend the rest of his life in prison could be.

Until the night of February 11th, 1906.

At 2 am (there's a pattern here) Guard Maysfield was making his usual rounds throughout the cell block and found the approximately 36 year old Joe dead in his cell. Joe had taken his muffler, tied one end around his neck and the other to some wires in the ceiling, and lifted his feet up until he lost consciousness. Taylor had only been there 6-7 months. His family was notified of the death, but as of the last newspaper article available, no one had come forth to claim his body and he was presumably buried in the prison's cemetery. 

Thus ended the tragic tale of Joe Taylor. He was just one of many men who found themselves in a similar mental state of not being able to cope with the looming idea of a life in the WV State Pen. 

*Want MORE WV Penitentiary stories from Theresa? WV State Penitentiary Page*

Sources:

1880 US Census (Family Search)

The Weekly Register. 18 November 1896

The Fairmont West Virginian. 26 May 1905

The Weekly Register. 31 May 1905

Hinton Daily News. 21 August 1905

The Fairmont West Virginian. 21 August 1905

The Independent Herald. 15 February 1906

The Fairmont West Virginian. 30 April 1909

The Weekly Register. 23 August 1905

Woman Saved From Gallows: A WV State Penitentiary Story

(1924) Typical Women's Cell at
WV State Penitentiary in Moundsville
Source: WV History on View

Readers of Theresa's Haunted History blog know that from time to time, I enjoy sharing some non-ghosty history from the tri-state's most famously haunted locations, especially the West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville! I think it really adds to the understanding of a haunted location to know what everyday life was like for those who called the location home. I also think its a great asset to the paranormal investigation process when you have an understanding of who may be there, what their normal routine was, and the 'current' events that took place during their lifetime. So, for today's blog, I wanted to share with you this article from the Herald-Dispatch (Huntington, WV) dated March 12, 1935. 

After shooting and killing quarry worker, William Mitchell, on October 13, 1934, Mrs. Frances Williams was sentenced to be executed. She would have been the first and only woman in West Virginia's history to face this tragic ending. Luckily, public outcry was taken seriously, and her sentence was commuted to a life sentence. Fun fact: Moundsville State Penitentiary housed female inmates up until about 1947, when they were transferred to the newly opened West Virginia Prison for Women in Pence Springs. (Source-WV Encyclopedia)

Governor Kump Commutes Death Sentence to Life Imprisonment

Charleston, Mar. 11--(Associated Press)---The first woman in West Virginia history to face execution was saved from death on the gallows today by Governor H. G. Kump.

The executive commuted the death sentence of Mrs. Frances Williams, 29, Negro, the mother of a six-year-old boy, to life imprisonment.  Thousands of petitions asking the governor to halt the execution poured into the pardon attorney's office from all sections of the state.

At Moundsville, Deputy Warden Clarence M. Stone said word of the governor's action had not been received, and the woman had not been notified.

Convicted of Killing Man

"We usually don't receive the notice for a day or two as it is sent by mail unless the execution date is close at hand," he said.

Mrs. Williams was sentenced to die March 15 by Circuit Judge Summers H. Sharp in the Greenbrier county circuit court last December 13 for the murder of William Mitchell, 45, a Negro stone quarry worker.

The state charged Mrs. Williams and Mitchell had been intimate, that they quarreled the day of the shooting last October 13 and Mitchell left her. Upon alighting from a train at Frazier that evening, Mitchell was shot to death by Mrs. Williams.  She claimed Mitchell had threatened her.

Mentally Subnormal

Pardon Attorney Frank R. Hill said Joseph M. Holt, who then was Greenbrier prosecuting attorney, the jury recommended commutation.  Hill said the woman, before her trial, offered to plead guilty and take a life sentence, but later changed her mind and went to trial.

"There was testimony at the trial that the woman suffered a severe head injury when she was young, and that she is mentally subnormal," Hill said. 

I'm 99% positive that I found Mitchell's death certificate on the WV State Archives Vital Records page. However, there are some inconsistencies. It states that Mitchell wasn't 45 years old, but 65 years old! He is listed as working at a rock quarry and being shot in the spine on or around October 13th. However, he didn't pass away from his injuries until October 24, 1934. 

Source

Want MORE resources and stories from the West Virginia State Penitentiary? Check out my new WV State Penitentiary Page for quick access to all my articles about the history and hauntings of one of West Virginia's most haunted locations!

Uncle Wiley Returns Home: WV Penitentiary Christmas Pardon

The old West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville is one of the most haunted locations in the state, if not the country. I love sharing ghost stories from this imposing and downright creepy building, but sometimes in order to really understand WHY a place is haunted, we have to look deeper at the people who left their mark there. The WV State Penitentiary is not a place where many good things happened. It was filled with death, violence, and the despair of men and women who had lost their freedom, often in exchange for the unspeakable horrors they committed against their fellow man. But, as you'll see from today's blog post, this was HOME to some. For some, it may have been the only real home they'd ever known. 

The following newspaper article comes from the 04 December 1914 edition of the Raleigh Herald. It discusses the life of that year's recipient to the annual Christmas pardon. 

The Christmas Pardon

"Uncle Wiley" Lewis to Return to Home and Friends

Tottering with age, gray and bent, Wiley Lewis, who is known as convict No. 3257 in the state penitentiary, and who was sent from Charleston in 1897 for slaying another negro in a drunken brawl will receive the annual Christmas pardon from the penal institution. It has long been the custom to pardon from the penitentiary the oldest convict in point of servitude at Christmas time every year, and the old Charleston darkey is the one selected this time.

So attached has Uncle Wiley become to many of the officials of the penitentiary and so accustomed to prison life, that he considers listlessly his approaching pardon and at times seems even fearful of leaving the grim old structure.

Lewis is probably the most picturesque convict ever confined in the institution. He was born a slave in Fayette County, which at that time was a portion of Virginia. As nearly as Wiley can remember, though he doesn't pretend that is memory on the subject is perfect, he was born some time in 1846. He does remember, though, that he was named by a man named Jim Montgomery at the time the war broke out. Wiley took no part in the war, but wandered about from place to place during the war and settled in Kanawha County on a farm and moved into Charleston where he became a laborer. 

Lewis was tried, found guilty of murder and sentenced to serve a life term in the state penitentiary on July 15, 1897. Two days later he entered the institution and has been there ever since. 

Every phase of prison life has been experienced by the old negro slave. He has worked in every department of the penitentiary, in every shop and done everything else but operate the telephone exchange. He has been a model prisoner during his entire confinement and is trusted by all who know him. Several years after his arrival at the penitentiary he was given the name "Uncle," and has been "Uncle" to the officials and the convicts alike ever since. 

Although Lewis knows that he is the oldest man in the institution in point of service and that he is to receive the Christmas pardon unless something unforeseen develops he does not seem at all enthusiastic. He admits he is glad, but does not show it in his actions. As the time draws closer, he seems to be melancholy rather than joyous at times, according to officials of the pen, as though he is fearful of leaving the old institution.  

When received at the penitentiary Lewis could neither read nor write, but has mastered both arts and executes both as well as the average of his race. Although gray and somewhat feeble, his health is good and he may live for many years in freedom.

His wife died about three years ago, but he has one daughter still living in Charleston, with whom he intends to make his home after his pardon. Two sisters, both younger than himself, are also still living in Kanawha County. 

*Last year, I blogged about the 1910 Christmas pardon of Joe Battle, a man who swears he was innocent, and unlike Lewis, was more than happy to get the heck out of the penitentiary!*

West Virginia State Penitentiary Prisoner Pardoned for Christmas

Governor William E. Glasscock

Although most of the blog posts you'll find on Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State directly relate to the paranormal, (most often ghost stories and hauntings) every once in awhile I like to shake things up with a little bit of history.  As the history covered in today's blog relates to the West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville, it is indirectly related to the paranormal.  The West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville no longer serves as an operational prison, but that doesn't mean that the souls of plenty of convicts aren't still trapped behind the steel bars and thick, rock walls. The prison is routinely given the distinction of one of the most haunted locations in the country, if not the world. 

Throughout the year, community events and historic tours are offered, as well as private and public ghost hunts and tours. It's one of my favorite places to investigate, and I love researching as much about the history of the location as I can in order to have a broader understanding of what prison life was like for the many inmates that called Moundsville home over the years. One aspect of prison life I wasn't expecting to learn about were 'Christmas Pardons.' Apparently, it used to be a thing for the governor to grant either the longest serving or the oldest prisoner at Moundsville a pardon at Christmas time. This article, transcribed below, is from the Pt. Pleasant Register, dated 9 November 1910 and discusses the pardon of Joe Battle, who served 18 years at the penitentiary. Unfortunately, the article goes on to discuss how it will NOT be a very Merry Christmas for another prisoner, who is scheduled to be executed at the same time. (Source: Chronicling America)

OLDEST CONVICT

In Penitentiary Will be Pardoned

Christmas by Governor

After serving eighteen years behind the gray walls of the Moundsville Penitentiary, for a crime he alleges he never committed, Joe Battle, the oldest convict in that institution, will be pardoned on Christmas Eve by governor Glasscock. Each Christmas a convict at the penitentiary is pardoned and this year the aged negro was fortunate in the lottery. 

With but one exception, Battle has served the longest term ever served by a convict behind the walls of the Moundsville prison. Vergie Gibson, who was pardoned a little over a year ago, also served a sentence of a similar length. The woman was convicted of aiding in burying her husband alive after rendering him unconscious.  Three negroes aided her, two of whom were executed on the gallows of the penitentiary.

The aged negro who has not seen his home for eighteen long years is expecting the pardon and has made all arrangements for his departure. The little money he saved since his confinement in the prison which he earned by working in the shops he has purchased Christmas presents for his wife and children.

While the approach of Christmas brings joy to Battle, there is another negro convict confined in 'murderers row' who looks on its approach with horror. This prisoner is John Wayne, convicted murderer who killed Mrs. John Aliff several months ago at Quinnmont, Fayette County. Wayne will pay the penalty for his crime on the gallows of the prison on December 23rd. Warden Matthews is already prepping for the execution. The scaffold will be repaired by the prison carpenter within a short time. The same rope that snapped out the life of Frank Waldon and John Brown will be used for Wayne. It cost the state several thousand dollars to prevent this negro from being lynched after his arrest. Both Huntington and Fayetteville were for awhile under martial law. 

Want MORE articles on the haunted West Virginia Penitentiary at Moundsville? Theresa's Haunted History has plenty of articles about the ghosts and history of this spooky institution, with more being planned for the near-future. 

The Ghost of Red Snyder at the WV State Penitentiary

The Ghost of RD Wall

The Shadow Man of the WV State Penitentiary 

Theresa Travels to the West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville

Theresa Travels BACK to the West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville

White Gate Cemetery: Burial Ground for the WV State Penitentiary

Mingo Man is WV State Penitentiary's First Prisoner of 1910

The Execution of Hugh Bragg