Fountain County IN Archives History - Books .....Covington Public Buildings 1881
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Book Title: History Of Fountain County

PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

   The first building erected for court purposes was built about 1828, on lot
120, in the northwest part of the public square. It was a frame structure, about
16x30, two stories high. The second story was used as a court-room, while the
lower story, divided by a partition, constituted the jury-rooms. Joseph L. Sloan
was the contractor. The first court was held at Robert Hetfield's, but was soon
convened at .Covington. The first jail was built about the same time on the
northeast corner of the square. It was a low, log structure, about sixteen feet
square. It was warrantable against the escape of any prisoner when once lodged
within its walls. The timber was cut from Dr. Hamilton's land. Robert Hetfield,
the second sheriff of the county,—John Corse having preceded him,—had charge of
these public works. It was in this jail that John Richardson was imprisoned to
await trial for killing his wife, and in the court-house before mentioned that
he was tried, found guilty, and condemned to die on the gallows. About one month
before the bloody tragedy Richardson assumed a half-insane state. Upon inquiry,
insanity was found to be slightly hereditary. He was treated by Dr. Hamilton,
and appeared at times perfectly well and of sound mind, attending his business
correctly. Whether meditation upon an intended crime produced derangement, or
actual insanity was the cause, was not positively known; but so atrocious was
the crime, namely, the murder of his wife by chopping open her head with an axe,
that the sentence of death was thought to me merited.

Judge Porter sat on the bench, but the case was tried before a jury. This took
place in 1829, or possibly as late as 1830. The trial over, the sentence
rendered, a place for the execution was next necessary. The people, horrified at
the idea of hanging a man, refused permission for the execution to take place on
their premises until Dr. Hamilton was visited, who consented. The spot chosen
was below a declivity southeast of town. The gallows was erected by placing a
forked piece of timber against a large tree, the stump of which has not yet been
uprooted. Another fork was driven in the ground a short distance from the other,
and across piece, a drop, and a platform, constituted the gallows. At the
appointed time a large number of lookers-on had gathered on the hill that
overlooked the fatal drop. The moment arrived, sheriff Hetfield, sworn to do his
duty, let fall the drop which let the murderer swing into eternity. The body was
examined by Drs. Bowen and Hamilton, who pronounced life extinct, when the body
was delivered to relatives and by them interred. This is the only execution that
has ever taken place in Fountain county.

   The court-house mentioned was but temporary. The first permanent court
building was erected about 1831 on its proper site. This was a brick building,
but small. Another jail was also provided, but this burned about 1850. A brick
jail was then built southwest of the court-house, which was afterward displaced
by the present stone jail and jailer's brick residence, constructed at a cost of
about $106,000, completed in 1874. About 1856 or 1857 a new court-house was
projected. A contract was let, but no further action taken. At a meeting of the
commissioners, held March 23, 1857, the contract was let to J. G. Hardy, calling
for a good, substantial brick and stone structure, at a cost of $33,500. Work
was to be begun by June 1, 1857, and finished on or before September 20, 1859.
The lower rooms for offices were to be completed and furnished ready for
occupancy by December 20, 1858. Isaac Hodgson, of Indianapolis, was the
architect engaged and superintendent of the construction. Some changes were
subsequently made from the original plan, necessitating additional expense,
swelling the total cost of the court-house to nearly $40,000. Hon. William Furr,
Octavius A. Crowley and William Trullinger were at that time county
commissioners. The new court-house had been occupied but a short time when,
January 2, 1860, it was partially destroyed by fire, necessitating an
expenditure for repairs of about $20,000. At a special session of the board,
held February 13, 14, etc., a contract was let to John H. Thomas & Son requiring
certain repairs to be made at a cost of $14,800, but further damages, afterward
discovered, increased the expense. The commissioners, William Furr, William
Trullinger and John Nebeker, rented the third story of the brick building near
the southeast corner of the square for court, county and political purposes.
Different rooms were provided elsewhere for the various offices while the
repairs progressed. The county can now boast of an honest court-house and a
costly jail.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF FOUNTAIN COUNTY,

TOGETHER WITH
HISTORIC NOTES ON THE WABASH VALLEY,

GLEANED FROM EARLY AUTHORS, OLD MAPS AND MANUSCRIPTS
PRIVATE AND OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE, AND OTHER AUTHENTIC, THOUGH, FOR THE MOST
PART, OUT-OF-THE-WAY SOURCES.

BY H. W. BECKWITH,
OF THE DANVILLE BAR; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETIES OF
WISCONSIN AND CHICAGO.

WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

CHICAGO: H. H. HILL AND N. IDDINGS, PUBLISHERS.
1881.

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