WRITER RECALLS EXECUTION OF NEGRO “SHACK” CALDWELL IN 1882; COURT RECORDS ARE QUOTED
McKinney Courier-Gazette, November 17, 1922, by F. Carlie Thompson
The writer attended the hanging of “Shack” Caldwell, colored, which took place just north of the city limits where Church street terminates. The place where the scaffold was erected was in a thicket composed largely of bois d’arc and elm growth. When we were asked to write briefly about this event, we could scarcely remember the full name of “Shack.” When we began to enquire we found that other “old timers” as well as ourself, who attended this awful scene, could not give the full name of “Shack,” nor the exact date on which he was hung. Each had a guess of the year and a number said it “sure was a hot day.” some said it was between 1875 and 1880. Others said it was later, probably between 1882 and 1888.
We finally invaded the District Clerk’s office and interviewed our clever friend, Deputy District Clerk Ed Geren. He at once got down an old index file docket about forty years old and began to search. It was a hard job, being without the name of the defendant, and not even the date of the year his trial was had. We temporarily gave up the search. The following day we went back and told Mr. Geren that we had heard the name of the defendant was “Shack Caldwell.” “Who told you,” said he, and continued by saying he had found the record by turning the papers one by one and looking for the name “Shack.”
The trial of The State of Texas vs. “Shack” Caldwell, charged with the murder of W. R. Norvelle at the latter’s home a few miles south of Melissa, just east and close to the H. & T. C. railroad track, was docketed on page 400, Book “G.” No of case, 3008, under date of February 20, 1882. Judge Joseph Bledsoe presided and Philander B. Muse was prosecuting attorney. The trial concluded on February 21, 1882, and the jury returned a verdict as follows:
“We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree, and assess his punishment at hanging by the neck until he is dead.”
“Signed W. T. Duer, Foreman.”
As we remember W. R. Norvelle was killed in his own home by “Shack.” The negro went to the home of Norvelle armed and insisted that Norvelle owed him a small sum of money for work amounting to one or two dollars. A few words passed when the negro shot and killed Norvelle. The negro escaped and went into the Indian Territory headed for Kansas. Wms. Warden, the brave and intrepid sheriff, took up the trail, riding a familiar bay mare which was noted as a long reach fox trotter. Sheriff Warden and his faithful animal gained steadily on the negro, and in a few days came in sight of the fugitive. With his usual caution he kept up just a regular pace, avoiding any undue haste to alarm the negro. He in a very casual way rode up behind the negro and spoke “Hello, shack,” to which the negro responded “Hello, Mars Warden.” and made no attempt to get away. He was brought back and lodged in jail and proceedings culminated as above stated.
The Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the judgment of the lower court and on June 7 filed its findings in the District Court at McKinney.
On page 518 of Book “G” the record shows that “Shack” was brought into court and Judge Bledsoe pronounced the sentence of death to take place on August 18, 1882, concluding with the words:
“He shall be taken by the said Sheriff (Wms. Warden) within the hours prescribed by law, and in the manner of the statutes of this State in such cases made and provided that he be hanged by the neck until dead, Dead, DEAD; and may God have mercy upon his soul.”
When the fatal day arrived (August 18) people came in vehicles, on horseback and even on foot from every point of the compass, from all surrounding counties. In fact, they began to arrive the day before and early upon that day McKinney was literally packed with people, curious to witness the tragic scene. The writer came into town on horseback from the old Rowlett Baptist Church community, twelve miles southwest of McKinney. When we arrived no one seemed to know just where the scaffold was. All of a sudden the crowd became excited and moved rapidly to the north along the old Sherman road. The cause as we heard was that some boys had been in the thicket and discovered the gallows and some men arranging the final details. It was a seething mass of humanity who stto the heat and strain until the death wagon arrived with “Shack” accompanied by Sheriff Warden and the guards. As “Shack” rode on his coffin to the fatal spot, he sane religious sons.
The usual preliminaries were had at the gallows. A song and a prayer, closing with a talk by the condemned negro in which he pleas with his race not to follow in his footsteps. When the black cap was adjusted and all was still, the Sheriff asked if all were ready. There was an oppressive silence, and Mr. Warden pulled the trap door and the body of “Shack” shot downward to its doom. Death was almost instantaneous. This writer has not the heart to desire to witness another scene of that nature again.
Attorney Will Abernathy says that he was six years old when “Shack” was hung, but he remembers that when the death wagon with attendant officers and crowd of followers passed the old home of his parents just north of Mrs. John Church’s residence, he sat on a post in front and curiously watched the passing scene. One incident he remembers: a wagon filled with men, women, and children, toppled from a bridge near by, creating much excitement. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt.
W. R. Norvelle, the murdered man, had purchased the farm on which he was killed from Jordan O. Straughan, father of W. A. Straughan of McKinney, had located there in an early day. Also had been elected District Court clerk. The farm purchased by Norvelle contained 160 acres, for which he paid $2800.
A little over ten years before this execution, Stephen D. Ballew was executed on May 24, 1872. Much has been printed about the Ballew hanging, it being the first legal hanging in Collin county.
In looking over the records, we chanced to read the sentence of Ballew, and we append it here because of its remarkable preachment, well worded and written by Judge W. H. Andrews, father of Mrs. J. R. Gough of this city. The old home of this lamented man stands in East McKinney. The late Captain W. N. Bush was Sheriff, J. M. Benge Clerk of the Court and Sam K. Rudolph Deputy Clerk.
The sentence is recorded in Book “D,” page 175, and reads as follows:
THE STATE OF TEXAS
vs. NO. 1051
Stephen M. Ballew, Murder ....
McKinney Courier-Gazette, November 17, 1922, by F. Carlie Thompson
The writer attended the hanging of “Shack” Caldwell, colored, which took place just north of the city limits where Church street terminates. The place where the scaffold was erected was in a thicket composed largely of bois d’arc and elm growth. When we were asked to write briefly about this event, we could scarcely remember the full name of “Shack.” When we began to enquire we found that other “old timers” as well as ourself, who attended this awful scene, could not give the full name of “Shack,” nor the exact date on which he was hung. Each had a guess of the year and a number said it “sure was a hot day.” some said it was between 1875 and 1880. Others said it was later, probably between 1882 and 1888.
We finally invaded the District Clerk’s office and interviewed our clever friend, Deputy District Clerk Ed Geren. He at once got down an old index file docket about forty years old and began to search. It was a hard job, being without the name of the defendant, and not even the date of the year his trial was had. We temporarily gave up the search. The following day we went back and told Mr. Geren that we had heard the name of the defendant was “Shack Caldwell.” “Who told you,” said he, and continued by saying he had found the record by turning the papers one by one and looking for the name “Shack.”
The trial of The State of Texas vs. “Shack” Caldwell, charged with the murder of W. R. Norvelle at the latter’s home a few miles south of Melissa, just east and close to the H. & T. C. railroad track, was docketed on page 400, Book “G.” No of case, 3008, under date of February 20, 1882. Judge Joseph Bledsoe presided and Philander B. Muse was prosecuting attorney. The trial concluded on February 21, 1882, and the jury returned a verdict as follows:
“We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree, and assess his punishment at hanging by the neck until he is dead.”
“Signed W. T. Duer, Foreman.”
As we remember W. R. Norvelle was killed in his own home by “Shack.” The negro went to the home of Norvelle armed and insisted that Norvelle owed him a small sum of money for work amounting to one or two dollars. A few words passed when the negro shot and killed Norvelle. The negro escaped and went into the Indian Territory headed for Kansas. Wms. Warden, the brave and intrepid sheriff, took up the trail, riding a familiar bay mare which was noted as a long reach fox trotter. Sheriff Warden and his faithful animal gained steadily on the negro, and in a few days came in sight of the fugitive. With his usual caution he kept up just a regular pace, avoiding any undue haste to alarm the negro. He in a very casual way rode up behind the negro and spoke “Hello, shack,” to which the negro responded “Hello, Mars Warden.” and made no attempt to get away. He was brought back and lodged in jail and proceedings culminated as above stated.
The Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the judgment of the lower court and on June 7 filed its findings in the District Court at McKinney.
On page 518 of Book “G” the record shows that “Shack” was brought into court and Judge Bledsoe pronounced the sentence of death to take place on August 18, 1882, concluding with the words:
“He shall be taken by the said Sheriff (Wms. Warden) within the hours prescribed by law, and in the manner of the statutes of this State in such cases made and provided that he be hanged by the neck until dead, Dead, DEAD; and may God have mercy upon his soul.”
When the fatal day arrived (August 18) people came in vehicles, on horseback and even on foot from every point of the compass, from all surrounding counties. In fact, they began to arrive the day before and early upon that day McKinney was literally packed with people, curious to witness the tragic scene. The writer came into town on horseback from the old Rowlett Baptist Church community, twelve miles southwest of McKinney. When we arrived no one seemed to know just where the scaffold was. All of a sudden the crowd became excited and moved rapidly to the north along the old Sherman road. The cause as we heard was that some boys had been in the thicket and discovered the gallows and some men arranging the final details. It was a seething mass of humanity who stto the heat and strain until the death wagon arrived with “Shack” accompanied by Sheriff Warden and the guards. As “Shack” rode on his coffin to the fatal spot, he sane religious sons.
The usual preliminaries were had at the gallows. A song and a prayer, closing with a talk by the condemned negro in which he pleas with his race not to follow in his footsteps. When the black cap was adjusted and all was still, the Sheriff asked if all were ready. There was an oppressive silence, and Mr. Warden pulled the trap door and the body of “Shack” shot downward to its doom. Death was almost instantaneous. This writer has not the heart to desire to witness another scene of that nature again.
Attorney Will Abernathy says that he was six years old when “Shack” was hung, but he remembers that when the death wagon with attendant officers and crowd of followers passed the old home of his parents just north of Mrs. John Church’s residence, he sat on a post in front and curiously watched the passing scene. One incident he remembers: a wagon filled with men, women, and children, toppled from a bridge near by, creating much excitement. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt.
W. R. Norvelle, the murdered man, had purchased the farm on which he was killed from Jordan O. Straughan, father of W. A. Straughan of McKinney, had located there in an early day. Also had been elected District Court clerk. The farm purchased by Norvelle contained 160 acres, for which he paid $2800.
A little over ten years before this execution, Stephen D. Ballew was executed on May 24, 1872. Much has been printed about the Ballew hanging, it being the first legal hanging in Collin county.
In looking over the records, we chanced to read the sentence of Ballew, and we append it here because of its remarkable preachment, well worded and written by Judge W. H. Andrews, father of Mrs. J. R. Gough of this city. The old home of this lamented man stands in East McKinney. The late Captain W. N. Bush was Sheriff, J. M. Benge Clerk of the Court and Sam K. Rudolph Deputy Clerk.
The sentence is recorded in Book “D,” page 175, and reads as follows:
THE STATE OF TEXAS
vs. NO. 1051
Stephen M. Ballew, Murder ....
