Description:

AN INVITATION TO A HANGING
Very rare and quite morbid partly-printed D.S., 1p. 4to., 'Sheriff's Office', Rochester, NY, July 10, 1838, an invitation to the hanging of the man who committed the first murder in Rochester. In part: '...Dear Sir...I do hereby...invite your personal attendance, as a Witness, at the EXECUTION of OCTAVIUS BARON, for the Murder of the late William Lyman, which Execution will take place at within the Jail of the County of Monroe...A punctual attendance is required...' Signed at bottom by Darius[?] Perrin, County sheriff who adds an additional note. This particular invite was sent to Ephraim Goss, the county Clerk. With integral address leaf. Folds, a few errant light stains, else very good. OCTAVIUS BARON (1820-1838) was a Canadian-born barge worker and petty thief. On Oct. 20, 1837 he crept up behind businessman William Lyman, shot him in the head and robbed him. Arrested with the assistance of his own mother, Baron was tried with the verdict coming in in just 15 minutes. He could not be publicly executed, despite the city's desire for such a display, as public executions had been banned three years earlier. Instead, he hung on the first floor of the Monroe County jail house in downtown Rochester before about 50 witnesses.

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April 2, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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