Last Hanging in Huntington 1892

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 November 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 quotes 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 hnging.

[ Back ]