Edwardsville High School - Tiger Yearbook (Edwardsville, IL)

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 TIME TINS EM THIRD COURT HOUSE IN EDWARDSVILLE This building, although the third court house of Madison County, was the first one of a substantial and more expensive type. Its construction was brought about chiefly through the efforts of the late Judge Eaton, who became a strong advocate of a new building after the accidental loss of some valuable papers as a result of the inadequacy of the court house then in use, a two-story brick structure. The original building, consisting of the larger part in the center of the picture, was completed in 1857 at a cost of approximately thirty-five thousand dollars. The smaller portion on the right was added some years later. EIGHT

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 TMIE TIMS IBM Bowers, Robert Latham, John Todd, Joseph Conway, Abraham Prickett, and Theophe-us . Mint 1 as a board of trustees and city council (also police force, fire department, and traffic regulators). A m inteiesting happening in the judiciary development in Edwardsville is th tiial lesulting from the first murder in Madison County. Although historically lathei insignificant, it illustrates the early court procedure in a rather humorous manner. In the summer of 1823, a man named Eliphalet Greene, employed in the distillery owned by Abel Moore, had a quarrel with a man whose name w’as never learned, and terminated the life processes of the unknown. Judge John Reynolds presided o er the trial, which was a very informal affair. Competent historians say that the sheriff convened court by saying, “Boys, come into the house now’-allon ye; John s goin’ to hold court.” After due deliberation, the jury found Greene guilty and the Judge addressed the prisoner as follows: “Well, Mr. Greene, the jury has found you guilty of murder and the law' says you are to be hanged. Nowt I w'ant you and your friends down on Wood River to understand that it is not I that condemns you but the jury and the law’. Now I wish to allow you all the time you wfant to prepare, so court wants to know' at what time you would prefer to be hanged.” Greene answered, “All times are alike to me, your Honor. Those wrho kill the body have no power to destroy the soul.” The Judge grew very stern and impressive and said, “But, Mr. Greene, it is a very serious matter to be hanged. It is something that can happen only once in a man’s life. I will appoint this day, four weeks, as the day. Mr. Clerk, look in the almanac and see if this day four weeks comes on Sunday.” The day fell on Thursday and consequently Greene was hanged on a big oak tree on the banks of Cahokia Creek, later used for other court executions. It would be possible to continue this history in detail up to the present time and fill a large volume with just the historical development of our towrn, but I think it would be much more fitting to leave the development of Edwardsville to the reader’s imagination than to bore him writh details. HowTever, there is one thing which has not as yet been mentioned in connection with this writing, which is very interesting as well as important. Edw’ardsville prides itself on having been the home of not a few’ great statesmen. Eight persons w’ho have filled the office of Governor of Illinois were, at various periods, residents of this city. Among these men—Edw'ards, Coles, Ford, Reynolds, Duncan, Carlin, Palmer, and Deneen—we find some of the greatest leaders the State has had. The first two Senators from Illinois, Edwards and Thomas, w’ere residents of Edwardsville and made the city their home during their terms of office. Many other residents of the city have distinguished themselves not only in the early times but in recent years as well. The old Wabash Hotel, which still stands, was at one time the stopping place of Illinois’s greatest man, Lincoln, and there are still a few men living who can recall the day wrhen this great statesman made his campaign speech in the town. And so we draw the curtain on this history with the hope that our town, Ed-wardsville, will prosper and grow’ as well in times to come as it has in times gone by. CHARLES RICHARDS.

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TTMTE TIfiEl CHAPTERS Chapter I Administration Chapter 11 Senior Album Chapter III Underclassmen Chapter IV Sports Chapter V Organizations Chapter VI Features