Articles Describing the County Jails, 1850-1920

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This is a collection of articles describing some of the county jails. This includes some articles about jailbreaks because those often describe aspects of the building when describing how prisoners escaped. 

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DANVILLE, BOYLE COUNTY
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(also in leads)
[] "Boyle County Jail Unlocked and Two Prisoners Escaped." The Louisville Daily Courier, Louisville, KY. May 29, 1860. Page 2. Newspapers.com.

[May 29, 1860] -

BOYLE COUNTY JAIL UNLOCKED AND TWO PRISONERS ESCAPED. -- On Wednesday night the prison cells of the Boyle county jail were unlocked, and two of the four prisoners escaped. Thos. D. McGrath, who some months ago killed Benj. Proctor, and George Anderson, accused of horse stealing. There were two others confined, who say they did not know their cells were unlocked.

The jailor, Mr. Harness, was away from home, and the supposition is that a servant girl, who slept in the room with Mrs. Harness, had been bribed to steal the cell keys. On the morning after the prisoners had gotten out she ran away from home. -- [Frankfort Commonwealth. []

Samuel Williams Kills Thomas Burns, Casey, 1876

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[May 26, 1876] -

MURDER. -- At a late hour last night, we learned that Sam'l Williams, a son of Rev. Logan Williams, of Hustonville, fell out and quarreled about a chew of tobacco with a man named Byron, in Liberty, yesterday. Williams, who was drinking, drew a pistol and fired, killing Byron instantly. Byron is said to be a very respectable citizen. [1]

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[June 2, 1876] -

Young Williams, who shot and killed Burns, at Liberty, last Thursday, was indicted for murder by the Grand Jury of the Casey Circuit Court, which was in session at the time. 

The Sheriff of Casey county, Mr. Russell, together with a sufficient guard, passed through town last Tuesday night about 10 o'clock, having in charge the young man, Sam'l Williams, who stands indicted by the grand jury of the Casey Circuit Court for the murder of Burns. Williams was taken to the Lancaster jail for safe keeping, as the jail at Liberty is not a safe place for prisoners. The accused was safely landed in the prison at Lancaster. [2]

Fountain Young Kills Nathan Trusty, Casey, 1871

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This case and several of the articles below were sent to me by Jessy S. Thank you! 

See also:  Buck Merritt Kills John Johnson, Pulaski, 1882.


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[December 8, 1871] -

FROM CASEY COUNTY.

CASEY CIRCUIT COURT. -- The Winter session of the Casey Circuit Court opened on Monday, 27th ult., with Judge Fox on the bench and Maj. M. H. Owsley for the Commonwealth. The docket was much larger than usual, being upwards of seventy appearances, with a number of old cases hard to compute. Among the distinguished bar-tenders we noted R. P. Jacobs, Jno. S. Vanwinkle, Danville; Robert Lusk, Lancaster; J. W. Alcorn, Wm. H. Miller, R. J. Breckenridge, Jr.; and Robt. Blain, Stanford; John Belden, Lebanon; J. E. Hays and Boyle Stone, Jamestown; Cols. Adams and Wolford, McD. and Jesse Fogle, John D. Page, R. B. Pittman and Andy Williams, Liberty; lawyers enough to throw Paradise into confusion, much less a city like Liberty. Up to this writing the Court has sentenced one man, Nathan R. Thomas, to two years in prison, for resisting a civil officer; fined another, Leroy Napier, one thousand dollars, for striking a woman; and will perhaps pass the death sentence upon the third, Fontaine Young, for murder. [1]

Kentucky Farmers Directory, Select Counties, 1878

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Excerpts from an 1878 state-wide directory of farmers and their P.O. addresses. This directory does not appear to include Pulaski County.

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