Last Hanging in Huntington 1892

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More than 5,000 people turned out for the last hanging in
Huntington. Allan Harrison was executed November 21, 1892
in Ritter Park. The crowd was so large that people climbed
trees to view the event.

On Noverber 21, 1892 26 year old Allan Harrison was
executed at Four Pole Creek (Known today as Ritter Park).
Harrison was sentenced to hang for the murder of 16 year old
Bettie Adams of Ona. The night before the execution, Huntington
was buzzing, hotels sold out, and special trains brought area
residents to town to witness the event. An estimated crowd
of 5,000 witnessed the hanging.

Although this section of Huntington is now the
affluent Ritter Park neighborhood, it was once an area
notorious for crime and vice. After the death of Adams,
Harrison was quickly apprehended and taken to the
Cabell County Jail.

The Huntington Advertiser describes Harrison as deeply
remorseful and quote the accused as saying that he believed
 that he deserved to die for the crime. However, The
Cincinnati Enquirer painted Harrison as a Stone cold killer,
unremorseful, and quoted him saying that he would murder
Bettie Adams again if he had the chance. Harrison was
found guilty of murder and sentenced to hang.

Close to half of Huntington's population along with
residents from Kentucky and Ohio were present
at the hanging.

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