Wilford Burton McMichael

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Wilford Burton McMichael

Birth
Anderson County, Kentucky, USA
Death
13 Jun 1906 (aged 18)
Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA
Burial
Lawrenceburg, Anderson County, Kentucky, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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JUNE 14, 1906

LOUISVILLE HOME COMING WEEK

THREE KILLED BY ONE MAN

Clarence Sturgeon Shoots with Deadly Aim.

Every Bullet Fired Finds Human Target.

One Victim unidentified At The Morgue

Self-Defense is Claimed

THE KILLED:

W.Ira Bruner, 2424 Rowan Street, Wilford B. McMichael, 2424 Rowan Street.
Unknown man, forty-five or fifty years of age, six and a half feet tall, weight about 160 pounds, slender face with short red mustache, two upper front teeth broken.

With a long, blued steel Colt revolver tightly gripped in both hands, Clarence Sturgeon yesterday afternoon shot to death W. Ira Bruner, Wilford McMichael and an unknow companion of the two men in front of 431 Eleventh Street, the residence of Daisy Jackson, a woman with whom Sturgeon had become infatuated. Sturgeon emptied his five-chambered piston, and for a moment stood looking at the men whom he had shot. He then turned and deliberately re-entered the house.

The three men ran to the corner of Jefferson Street, where they fell in a heap, Bruner and McMichael dead. The unknown man died shortly after arriving at the Hospital. He was later identified as James Blackerby.

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Jan.4,1908......COURIER-JOURNAL

CLARENCE STURGEON.....HANGED

Nineteen-Year-Old Boy Pays the Penalty For Killing Three Person's

Louisville, KY-The smallest crowd in the history of executions in Louisville witnessed the hanging of Clarence Sturgeon, aged 19, the triple murdered. Sheriff Scholl, following the precedent of former Sheriff Scott Bullitt. Limited the passes to the statutory number of 50.

Several niches occurred during the execution. The trap at first refused to spring because of a projection screw, and the noose had to be readjusted. Deputy Sheriff Joseph Ludwig, who has hanged 14 men, arranged the cap and rope. Sturgeon had nothing to say on the gallows, but was calm and apparently unmoved during the trying preliminaries. Even the last interview with the aged father and mother, and farewells to his several brothers and two sisters failed to affect him.

Sturgeon was so light that the drop did not break his neck, and he was not pronounced dead for 17 minutes.

The youth was executed for killing Ira Bruner, James Blackerby and Wilford McMichael, on June 13, 1906, because of jealousy. He resented their attention to Daisy Jackson, with whom he was in love.
JUNE 14, 1906

LOUISVILLE HOME COMING WEEK

THREE KILLED BY ONE MAN

Clarence Sturgeon Shoots with Deadly Aim.

Every Bullet Fired Finds Human Target.

One Victim unidentified At The Morgue

Self-Defense is Claimed

THE KILLED:

W.Ira Bruner, 2424 Rowan Street, Wilford B. McMichael, 2424 Rowan Street.
Unknown man, forty-five or fifty years of age, six and a half feet tall, weight about 160 pounds, slender face with short red mustache, two upper front teeth broken.

With a long, blued steel Colt revolver tightly gripped in both hands, Clarence Sturgeon yesterday afternoon shot to death W. Ira Bruner, Wilford McMichael and an unknow companion of the two men in front of 431 Eleventh Street, the residence of Daisy Jackson, a woman with whom Sturgeon had become infatuated. Sturgeon emptied his five-chambered piston, and for a moment stood looking at the men whom he had shot. He then turned and deliberately re-entered the house.

The three men ran to the corner of Jefferson Street, where they fell in a heap, Bruner and McMichael dead. The unknown man died shortly after arriving at the Hospital. He was later identified as James Blackerby.

************************************************************

Jan.4,1908......COURIER-JOURNAL

CLARENCE STURGEON.....HANGED

Nineteen-Year-Old Boy Pays the Penalty For Killing Three Person's

Louisville, KY-The smallest crowd in the history of executions in Louisville witnessed the hanging of Clarence Sturgeon, aged 19, the triple murdered. Sheriff Scholl, following the precedent of former Sheriff Scott Bullitt. Limited the passes to the statutory number of 50.

Several niches occurred during the execution. The trap at first refused to spring because of a projection screw, and the noose had to be readjusted. Deputy Sheriff Joseph Ludwig, who has hanged 14 men, arranged the cap and rope. Sturgeon had nothing to say on the gallows, but was calm and apparently unmoved during the trying preliminaries. Even the last interview with the aged father and mother, and farewells to his several brothers and two sisters failed to affect him.

Sturgeon was so light that the drop did not break his neck, and he was not pronounced dead for 17 minutes.

The youth was executed for killing Ira Bruner, James Blackerby and Wilford McMichael, on June 13, 1906, because of jealousy. He resented their attention to Daisy Jackson, with whom he was in love.

Gravesite Details

Headstone unmarked