Death Penalty

It is so many years since the death penalty has been in vogue in Michigan that speaking of it is something not comprehended by tho majority of our citizens. Even those who remember it have probably most of them forgotten that Washtenaw Co., during her history, has sentenced one man tobe put to death. The name of the victim we have not been able to iind, but in 1843, one Charles Chorr was arrested for murder, and on October 5th of that year, was brought to trial, found gnilty and sentenced to death. The judieiary of this state was then vested in the supreme court, and the judges had certain districts assigned to them. The presiding judge in this trial was Benjamin F. II. Witherell, and associate judges William li. Perry and Caleb Clark. Peter Slingerland was sheriff of the county at that time, and among his deputies Thomas F. Leonard, who held the office of deputy sheriff from that almost contiruially up to his death two or three years ago. A f ter his convic tion, the prisoner was remanded to the jail and place by the sheriff in charge of Deputy Leonard. One morning when Mr. Leonard went to the cell in the old jail which used to stand on the corner of Fifth ave. and Liberty st . to give the prisoner his breakfast, he was surprised to lïnd no prisoner there. There was no hole to be found through which he might have escaped, and no opportunity for him to leave the room except through the door. Officer Leonard carried the key, and yet he could offer no explanation for the escape. He woull always shake his head in a curious way when asked about this, and remark that that was one of those things that no body had ever been able to finil out. Certain it is, Chorr was not hanged. Thus endeth Washtenaw's one capital punishment case.