Ste. Genevieve County MO Archives News.....Execution of William O. Short and the murder of Gideon Gary April 3, 1824
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Kimberly Morgan http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00034.html#0008471 August 26, 2025, 7:30 am

Newspapers.com Online April 3, 1824
William O. Short was executed on Saturday last (27 Mar 1824) for the murder of 
Gideon Gary.  The Rev. Justinian Williams delivered an excellent and pathetic 
address on the occasion.  The criminal was perfectly composed, and discovered 
less emotion than those around him.

Transcribed by Kimberly Taylor Morgan—Death Row Inmate, William O. Short, 
Missouri Intelligencer, Sat, Apr 03, 1824, Page 3, 
https://www.newspapers.com/image/249522267/?match=1&terms=gideon%20gary, 
accessed 25 Aug 2025

________________________________________________________________________________

Burglary.—it is but a few days since it became our painful duty to announce the 
sudden and violent death of our fellow citizen, Gideon Gary.  His remains had 
scarcely found repose in the tomb, when some villain, of more than common 
turpitude, broke into the house of the unhappy and afflicted widow and robbed 
her of the most valuable portion of the pittance which misfortune had left to 
her late husband.  She has been left by this foul act of villainy, almost 
pennyless [sic].  The villain has escaped the retributive justice of the country 
by a precipitate flight down our great highway—the Missouri river.

Transcribed by Kimberly Taylor Morgan—Burglary, Mrs. Gideon Gary, Missouri 
Intelligencer, Tue, Oct 28, 1823, Page 3, 
https://www.newspapers.com/image/249522267/?match=1&terms=gideon%20gary, 
accessed 25 Aug 2025

________________________________________________________________________________

On the evening of Tuesday, 7 Oct 1823, a coroner’s inquest was held upon the 
body of Gideon Gary, for upwards of three years a worthy citizen of this place, 
who appeared to have come to his death by violence.  After an examination of the 
surgeons who had attended the deceased, and of other witnesses who had viewed 
the transaction, the jury found that the deceased had came to his death by the 
felonious killing of William O. Short, of the county and state aforesaid, on the 
afternoon of Sunday, 5 Oct 1823, AD, by a gunshot wound in the upper part of the 
left thigh, made by a bullet from a gun then and there held in the hands of the 
said William O. Short, and that of said wound the said Gary languished until the 
afternoon of 7 Oct 1823, when he died.

As the party charged with the killing is now in confinement, and will in a few 
days have to answer to his country for the crime with which he stands charged, 
we think it alike due to Justice and to charity to abstain from any remarks that 
might be calculated either to inflame the public mind against the accused or 
create a bias in his favor.  The result of the only legal enquiry which can be 
made on the subject shall be laid before our readers as soon as known.

[communicated]

On Sunday evening, 5 Oct 1823, Mr. Gideon Gary of this town (Franklin County), 
was shot in an unprovoked manner by Wm. O. Short.  He lingered until Tuesday 
evening (7 Oct 1823) when he expired.  As a citizen he, was active, industrious, 
and honest; as a friend sincere; as a husband, affectionate and devoted, as a 
parent, fond and indulgent.  “But he will no more return unto his own house, & 
the places which have known him will know him no more forever.”  In the various 
relations of life he was unoffending, just and obliging. The circumstances of 
this catastrophe have thrown a gloom around the circle in which he moved, and 
strongly interested the public feeling.  A disconsolate wife, bereaved of the 
object of her fondness, and deprived of her hope and support, mourns in a land 
of strangers, destitute of the aid and consolation of connexons and early 
friends.  Four small children, whose habits of life are unformed, have suffered 
the loss of their natural protector at an age which most needed his example and 
instructions.

Mr. Gary suffered the pain of a mortal wound with firmness and composure.  Not a 
mourner escaped him respecting his situation—no complaint was uttered against 
him who was the author of his misfortune.

The Franklin Guards [a local militia], as a mark of respect to a deceased 
member, performed military honors on the occasion of his funeral.

Transcribed by Kimberly Taylor Morgan—Death Row Inmate, William O. Short, 
Missouri Intelligencer, Tue, Oct 14, 1823, Page 3, 
https://www.newspapers.com/image/249521824/?match=1&terms=gideon%20gary, 
accessed 25 Aug 2025


Additional Comments:
Newspapers.com Online, Franklin, Howard County, Missouri.  The newspaper was 
based in Franklin County.  According to one source, William was executed in 
Sainte Genevieve County.  William O. Short was the 3rd person that received a 
death sentence for the brutal killing of Gideon Gary.  These articles are in the 
public domain, and are 201 years old.  Since the source [deathpenaltyusa] is 
considered a reliable source for executions that took place in the 1800s in 
Missouri, I'm using that county.  There are three different articles and the 
sources are listed after each article.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mo/stegenevieve/newspapers/executio276gnw.txt

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