The Hanging of William C. Bell
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On November 21, 1868, a German farmer by the name of Hermann Wendell (also spelled Wendel) was brutally murdered on the bluffs, about three or four miles east of Edwardsville. Wendell was a former Union artillery soldier. His military records state that he spent several months in the stockade for “mutiny.” Wendell’s wife, Johanna Hufendiek Wendell (who was pregnant with their second child), and father-in-law, Johann Casper Hufendiek, left for St. Louis to attend the wedding of the sister and daughter, leaving Wendell alone with William C. Bell, a common laborer who had been living with the family. Wendell went to the nearest neighbor – about 100 yards away – and then returned to his home. Shortly after, a gunshot was heard. When the wife and father-in-law returned, Hermann was missing. Bell told them he gave Hermann $2, and that he left with the intention of going to St. Louis to attend the wedding. Suspicion was raised, and Bell was arrested. The body of Hermann Wendell was found buried in the hog pen. William Bell was hanged for the murder on November 12, 1869.
HERMANN WENDELL BRUTUALLY MURDERED BY WILLIAM BELL
Source: Alton Daily Telegraph, November 28, 1868
We published yesterday an account of an atrocious murder, near
Edwardsville, but have just received, from an esteemed
correspondent, the following additional particulars of the terrible
tragedy:
From Edwardsville, November 27, 1868
Editors Alton Telegraph:
A German farmer, named Hermann Wendell, living about four miles from
this place [Edwardsville] on the upper road to St. Louis, was
brutally murdered on Saturday night, November 21. It seems that on
the morning of the day mentioned, Wendell's wife and Casper
Heofendeck (also spelled Hufendiek), her father, went to St. Louis
to attend the wedding of the sister and daughter, leaving Wendell
and a man named William Bell (who had, for some time, been making
that place his home), at the house. On their return home, Monday
afternoon, from Saint Louis, Wendell was missing, and, upon inquiry
being made, Bell informed them that he had given Wendell $2 on
Sunday morning, and that he had left the house with the intention of
going to St. Louis to attend the wedding. Upon further inquiry being
made, however, it was ascertained that Wendell did not go to St.
Louis, and fears were entertained that he had been murdered -
suspicion resting upon William Bell.
On the Saturday evening mentioned, Wendell went to the nearest
house, about one hundred yards distant, to get a bucket of water,
talked a short time with the family, and returned, as is supposed,
to his own house. Shortly afterwards, the report of a gun was heard
in the direction of Wendell's house, and a noise like that of a man
in great pain. These facts being made known to the authorities,
yesterday, Bell was arrested by Deputy Sheriff Bonner and W. B.
Johnson, who found him in Edwardsville and lodged him in jail to
await further developments. In the evening, Messrs. James T. Cooper,
Bonner, and W. B. Johnson went to the house to make further
inquiries, and if possible, to find the body of the murdered man. It
being after dark when the party reached the place, they could not
make any discoveries and deferred the matter until this A.M., and
before they could get there some of the neighbors repaired to the
house, and in a short time found the body buried about three feet in
the ground in a hog pen about ten feet square, which seemed to have
been made, and the hogs turned in after the body had been thrown
into the hole and covered over. A jury of inquest was empaneled by
Esq. Chapman, acting Coroner, who upon going to the place had the
body taken up, and discovered that the man had been shot in the neck
with buckshot, the shot entering the left side, all but one lodging
in the other side. There was no positive evidence before the jury
that Bell had killed the man, but the circumstances were so strong
as to warrant the jury to return their verdict that they believed
Wendell had been killed by Bell, who will be tried tomorrow before
Esq. West, when he will no doubt be committed for murder. Bell has
been looked upon as a desperate man, and was a Rebel spy. He and
Wendell had a difficulty some time ago, on account of his wife and
Bell being too intimate, but of late they have been seemingly good
friends, and the only reason that can be assigned for his committing
the murder is that of his intimacy with the woman, and he wanted
Wendell out of the way.
FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE WENDEL MURDER
Source: Alton Telegraph, December 4, 1868
The following is the verdict of the coroner’s jury, summoned by
Squire Chapman, to investigate the cause of the death of Herman
Wendel:
“We, the undersigned jurors, selected and sworn to serve at a
coroner’s inquest before Joseph Chapman, Justice of the Peace, upon
the body of Herman Wendel, found dead in Madison County, Illinois,
do find as our verdict in the matter that said Herman Wendel came to
his death from a gunshot wound, inflicted, as we believe, upon him
by a person by the name of William Bell.” Signed Jacob J. Kinder,
foreman; Pat McCary, William B. Johnson, Fred Ungemah, Harrison
Stallings, Dr. Pogue, John Baird, W. R. Griggsby, R. B. Ground,
Robert H. Kinder, Cyrus L. Cook, and Andrew Hood.
Upon the rendition of this verdict, the Acting Coroner issued a
Mittimus, directing the Sheriff to hold the prisoner, Bell, on the
charge of murder, to await the action of the Grand Jury at the May
term of our Circuit Court.
Bell, when arrested, seemed to be perfectly careless and indifferent
about the matter, and denied having had anything to do with the
killing of Wendel. Since the body has been found, however, he acts
very differently, has but little to say, and at times appears very
low spirited.
I learn from parties today, who reside in that neighborhood, that
there is considerable feeling in the matter, and it is believed by
many that Wendel’s wife had some knowledge of the murder, though as
yet there has been no evidence adduced to warrant her arrest. Wendel
was a very quiet, harmless man, though rather indolent; would not
provoke a quarrel with any person. On the contrary, would take a
great deal of abuse before he would resent. He has a brother living
at Keokuk Junction, Illinois; two sisters living in Quincy, in good
circumstances. Also, a mother, stepfather, and sister in St. Louis.
MURDER OF WENDELL
Source: Alton Telegraph, December 4, 1868
From Edwardsville, November 28, 1868 - A man by the name of William
Bell was arrested in town this afternoon, and tried before Justice
West, and committed to jail upon the charge of having committed a
murder. He is suspected of having murdered a man by the name of
Wendell. The parties all lived on the bluffs, about three miles east
of Edwardsville. The accused is an unmarried man, and had been
residing with Wendell. Improper intimacy between Bell and the wife
of Wendell is supposed to be the primal cause of the sad affair. It
seems, according to the testimony so far advanced, that Wendell’s
wife went to St. Louis on Sunday last, leaving her husband the
accused alone at home. Wendell was seen at home on Sabbath evening
by one of the neighbors. During the night, the report of a revolver
was heard several times in succession, followed by groans which soon
ceased, coming apparently from Wendell’s house. Since Sunday,
nothing has been seen of Wendell, and his neighbors suppose he was
killed by William Bell. Earnest search is being made for him at the
present time. Accused was in town this afternoon, apparently
unconcerned, and manifested no particular surprise when Constable
Bonner arrested him.
THE INDICTMENT
October 6, 1869
And now at this day come the People by the State’s Attorney and his
associate counsel, and now also comes William Bell, the defendant,
in person and attended by his counsel. The defendant having been
furnished with a copy of the indictment herein endorsed with the
witnesses, and a list of the regular panel of jurors for the present
week. Said defendant is now arraigned and for plea says that he is
not guilty. Whereupon the trial begins. The regular panel of jurors
being exhausted, the Sheriff is ordered by the court to summon from
the bystanders six more jurors, which is done. The names of the
jurors so summoned are given to this defendant: Thereupon come the
jury in the cause to wit: William Jageman, William McNeilly, Thomas
Hogg, A. Cowan Jr., Thomas M. Tarit, Sidney Robinson, Samuel
McKinney, James N. Sandbach, J. W. Scarborough, O. D. Oberlin, Jacob
S. Deck, and William E. Lehr. Twelve good and lawful men, who being
first elected, tried and duly sworn a true verdict to render in this
cause according to the law and the evidence. Now hear all the
evidence herein together with the argument of counsel and the
instructions of the court. And having also retired to consider of
their verdict in charge of an office of this court, who is first for
that duty sworn. Afterwards on the same day, the said jury returned
into court the following verdict to wit: “We the jury find the
defendant guilty, and recommend the death penalty,” whereupon the
defendant by his counsel moves the court for a new trial.
THE SENTENCING
October 20, 1869
And now again at this day come the People by the State’s Attorney,
and also comes the defendant in person and by counsel. Whereupon the
court heard argument of counsel on motion made by defendant’s
counsel at a former day of this term, for a new trial of this cause.
And being advised this considered by the court, that said motion be
overruled, and therefore the defendant, by attorney, moves the court
an arrest of judgement, which motion is overruled by the court.
Whereupon the defendant is arraigned for sentence, and was then and
there by the Judge of the said circuit court sentenced in these
words: “It is ordered and adjudged by the court that the said
William Bell be taken from the bar of this court to the prison of
Madison County, and there be securely kept until the 12th day of
November A.D. 1869, and then on said day, between the hours of ten
o’clock in the morning and four o’clock in the afternoon, within the
walls of said prison, or an enclosure adjoining, be hanged by his
neck until he is dead. And may God have mercy on his soul.”
WILLIAM BELL’S STATEMENT AND EXECUTION
From the St. Louis Republican Nov. 13, 1869
Yesterday, at Edwardsville, in the County of Madison and State of
Illinois, about twenty miles distant from St. Louis, William Bell
suffered the extreme penalty of the law for the murder of one Herman
Wendell, of that county, on Saturday night, November 21, 1868. The
killing was done at a house occupied by Wendell, his wife, her
father (Caspar Hufendiek), and a part of the time by an unmarried
daughter of Hufendiek,, and William Bell, the executed man, who as a
woodchopper and common laborer, boarded in the family. Feuds were of
frequent occurrence in the family, in which Wendell, his wife, her
father and Bell were all more or less implicated, and it is said,
and has been so proven, that the old man Hufendiek, always sided
with Bell, repeatedly declaring that Wendell was a trifling,
good-for-nothing fellow. On Friday preceding the murder, Mrs.
Wendell and her father (Hufendiek,) came to St. Louis, and on
Saturday night (but at what hour is not known) Wendell was killed
and his body concealed. On Sunday night or Monday morning Bell told
some of the neighbors that Wendell had come to St. Louis also, but
on the return of Mrs. Wendell and her father without Wendell,
suspicions were aroused. These impressions were intensified by some
remarks that Bell had made in regard to Wendell on the occasion of a
difficulty that had previously occurred between the three men,
Wendell, Hufendiek, and Bell, Search was at once commenced for
Wendell, and his remains were found buried in a hog pen, a few yards
from the house, and into which Bell had been seen by the neighbors
to throw stalks, corn husks, &c., which act first directed attention
to that particular place. The neighbors making the search, and
removing the sand or earth, came first to one of the murdered man's
hands, and at once quitted their search and notified the authorities
at Edwardsville. Bell was committed to jail to await the finding of
the Grand Jury at the May Term, 1869, of the Madison Circuit Court.
At that season of the Court a true bill was found against him, and
he was remanded to jail to await the October term of the Court for
trial.
At Bell's trial, he put in the plea of not guilty, which plea he
maintained up to the very last - his last words from the scaffold
being, "I am innocent."
BELL'S STATEMENT
William Bell was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and, to the best of
his knowledge, was about 37 or 38 years of age at the time of his
execution. His parents moved from Nashville to Saline County, in
this State, about 1833-4, when he was quite a child, and about that
time his father died. When he was about 7 years of age, his mother
went on a visit to Tennessee to collect some money due her, and the
last ever heard of her she had collected the money and took passage
on a boat for home, and the presumption was that she had been robbed
and murdered. Hearing nothing of their mother, Bell and his one
brother and two sisters found homes where and as best they could. On
one of the calls for troops, he enlisted in a Nevada regiment for
three years during the war, and was honorably discharged in December
1865. After his discharge he remained in Nevada until November 1867,
when he returned to Missouri to visit his brother and his two
sisters. The murder was committed on the night of November 21, 1868.
At that time, he was boarding with Wendell.
On the day before, Wendell's wife and her father had gone to St.
Louis. Bell's work was about half a mile from Wendell's house, and
he went to the house every day for his dinner. On the day preceding
the night on which the murder was committed, he had gone home and
eaten his dinner, after which he lay down and smoked, as was his
custom, and then got up and went down to look at some timber on the
line of the Decatur Railroad. Wendell went along, and, after looking
at the timber for some time, they went back to the house, from
whence Bell returned to his work. In about two hours after, Wendell
went to where he (Bell) was chopping, when Bell told him he could
have part of his job; they looked around awhile, and about four or
five o'clock returned to the house together; they got their suppers;
while Wendell milked the cow and went for a bucket of water, Bell
chopped some wood for the fire, and then filled his pipe and lay
down upon the bed. After Bell had washed the dishes and put the
house to rights, there was a knock on the door, and Wendell said
"Come in." The door opened and two strange men came in and took
seats in front of the fire, and engaged in conversation. Wendell had
a shotgun hanging over the fireplace, and one of the men asked
Wendell if he would trade it for a pistol, to which he replied he
would trade anything he had. The stranger handed Wendell his pistol
and then took down the shotgun, and said he would "Trade for $2 to
boot." Wendell took the pistol over to the bed where Bell was
reclining, and asked his advice. Bell told him he thought it would
be a good trade, and lent Wendell $2 to pay the difference. After
the exchange had been made, one of the strangers drew a bottle out
of his pocket. Bell got up off the bed and they all drank. After
this, Bell went back to bed and left the others sitting by the fire.
He went to sleep, but was awakened after a while by some noise, and
jumping up, he sprung out of bed, and, as he was in the act of
reaching under the bed for his shoes, the door opened and one of the
men came in, when Bell asked him what was the matter. The stranger
told him to shut up and keep still, or he would shoot him. Just then
the other strange man came in, and the first one asked him, "How's
your man?" to which he replied, "The last breath has left the -- and
he will never kill another brother of mine." The last man that came
in then stooped down before the fire and seemed to be reloading the
gun, after which he rose up and placed it across the corner of the
table, with the muzzle pointing directly at Bell, and said they had
intended to kill them both - meaning Wendell and Bell - but if Bell
would promise secrecy they would allow him to escape. After this
they sat down before the fire again, and all three drank together,
and Bell asked them if he might get up and wind the clock, to which
they assented. Soon after this Bell went back to bed, but could not
sleep. At times one or the other of the men would get up and go out
of the house, and about 1 or 2 o'clock one of them brought in two
sticks, six or seven feet in length, and some boards, and asked Bell
if there were any nails about the house, and he told them to look
under the cupboard. They got the nails and nailed the boards on the
sticks, and about 3 or 4 o'clock one of them said, "Let us go and
carry him off." After they left the house, Bell got up and watched
them, and thought they went down toward the timber. They were not
gone long until one of them came back, and then the other, when they
again sat down by the fire, and remained until about 6 o'clock, when
one of them got up and asked Bell where Wendell's clothes were. He
pointed them out to him, and they went and took them down. One of
them tried on the hat and said it was "too good to rot in the
ground." They then asked for a spade, which Bell told them that they
would find at the side of the house. They then went away, and Bell
did not see them again until late on Sunday night, when they
returned.
On Sunday morning Bell got up, fed the hogs, milked the cow and got
his breakfast, giving a negro who lived near, and who had come over
for the purpose, three pints of milk. He remained alone all that
day, but at night some neighboring boys came over and sat till about
9 o'clock, and then went home. After they had gone, Bell went to
bed, and between 11 and 12 o'clock the strange visitors of the night
before returned, and said they had just finished putting him away.
They remained an hour or so, and then, reminding Bell of his promise
to secrecy, got up and went away, and Bell has never seen them
since. After they had gone Bell returned to bed, and spent the night
in thinking what he should do, but finally made up his mind to keep
his promise. Mrs. Wendell and her father returned from St. Louis on
Monday, when Bell told them Wendell had gone to St. Louis. Bell
continued his work, but on going to Edwardsville for some tobacco
was arrested and held in custody.
The above is Bell's history of the murder, and from it the reader
may draw his own inferences and conclusions.
BELL'S PERSONAL DESCRIPTION AND LETTERS
Bell was about six feet in height, with a rather slender form, and
of handsome proportions, and was a phrenological study. His head was
small and ill-shaped; his countenance almost expressionless, and in
the little that was visible, one could perceive neither warmth,
pity, or humanity. He had a cold, heartless, vicious look. His hair
was auburn; forehead narrow, long and receding; eyes gray; small,
close together, slow in their movement, withered in appearance, far
back in the head and indicative of malice and wickedness. His nose
was large, prominent, with clinched nostrils; mouth large and
ill-shaped; chin heavy and good; face shallow and hollow, slightly
crooked, with a pale rose tinge on cheekbone.
From some cause, known, perhaps, to no one but himself, Bell
doggedly kept his arrest, and the facts that led to it, a secret
from his brother and sisters until after his trial, conviction and
sentence, when he wrote, or caused to be written (for he had no
education and could barely read), to them a letter, of which the
following is a copy:
Edwardsville, Illinois, Oct. 23, 1869
Dear Sister:
I am in jail at this place under the charge of murder, have been
tried, convicted, and sentenced to be executed on the 12th of
November next. I have never asked a favor of you, yet, but now want
you to come and see me, and if you could come write to me and let me
know where brother is. The reason I did not let you know of my
trouble was I thought I would not be convicted, and I did not want
you to know anything about it. Wm. C. Bell
Other Letters:
After Bell had been sentenced, a letter was received by the jailor
that was somewhat mysterious in its character. It bore no date, but
was postmarked "Upper Alton, Nov. 2. " The writing, as well as the
wording, was disguised. It was evidently written by someone used to
handling a pen, as could be easily detected. The construction was
grammatical, while the orthography was of the worst character. The
letter is as follows, verbatim:
Bill Bell:
I know of your truble [sic] and have writ to the Jug (meaning, as is
supposed, the Judge) you may tell everything if you want to. I
dident [sic] think to get you into this truble [sic]. (Signed) The
Brothers
Another one was written, evidently by the same party, and addressed
to Judge Gillespie at Edwardsville, mailed at St. Louis, a copy of
which is not at hand, but is in substance as follows:
Judge:
“Bill Bell is not the man that murdered Herman Wendell. My brother
and I did the act. I am on my way to Texas. Catch me if you can.”
(signed) A Brother.
These letters would indicate that Bell had some friends outside,
and, perhaps, confederates, but whether they will ever be traced up
time alone will tell.
BELL’S LAST LETTERS
A few days ago, Bell received a letter from his brother, of
Brunswick, Missouri, November 8, 1869
Dear Brother:
I am under the painful necessity of writing to you in place of
coming, as I find it out of my power. I thought when I heard from
you, I could get off in a day or two. I had no money on hands. I
thought I could raise what I wanted very easy. I have failed up to
this time. I have been sick all Summer, off and on, and not well
now. Brother, I am very sorry that you have got in such trouble, but
simply being sorry don't do you any good. Brother, I don't see how I
could do you any good; you give me short notice of your trouble. I
don't know anything about the circumstances of the case. You ought
to have wrote to me at first, then I might have done you some good
if the crime you have done was not too great. I don't see why you
did not get a change of venue and move your trial to your old native
county where you were acquainted, and where you know your friends
was. Brother, I wish you could get the day of execution put off a
month or so. If I knew the circumstances, I might get a petition to
the Governor of that State. It might do some good. Brother, you know
my situation when you were here as regards money matters. I have
never collected my money yet. Brother, it may look strange to you
that all of us can't raise money enough for one of us to come to see
you, but it appears to be so. Brother, you have no idea how we all
hate it. Brother, I can't write anything as I know of that will do
you any good, so I will close by telling you that I am. Sister
Elizabeth, she takes it mighty hard about your situation. She wrote
one or two letters to you. We are very anxious to hear from you
while you live. Brother, I close by saying good bye for this time,
and hoping, if we never meet in this world, we will meet in a better
one above. D. H. Bell.
P. S. Direct your letters to New Frankfort, Saline County. John
Graves sends his kindest regards to you, and says he would rather
see you than one of his own brothers. So farewell, brother.
On Thursday night last, Deputy Sheriff Cooper, at the request of
Bell, wrote his letter to his brother and sisters, which is
transcribed below:
Edwardsville, Ill., Nov. 11, 1869
Dear Brother and Sisters:
I received brother's letter of the 8th today, and was glad to hear
from you again, but sorry that I could not see you again and that
you could not be here to see what was done with me. I am going to
leave happy and perfectly content. I never was better treated in my
life than I have been in jail. The jailor has been a father to me,
and as kind as a brother.
The reason I did not change my trial was that I did not think the
crime was against me. The people all liked me, and I was not afraid
of the truth, and that I did not think it would go hard with me if
tried in this county. It was nothing but prejudice, jealousy and
false testimony that convicted me of this great crime. My last words
that I say are that I am innocent of the crime. I am sorry that I
cannot see you all, so that I can tell you all my troubles. Tell
sister Elizabeth that I shall never forget her; that the last few
days I spent with her were happy days to me, and wish they could be
again; that I am very sorry that I did not reverse my road, and go
back to Nevada; that it has been my lot ever since a child to fall
into the hands of cruel people; that if I had taken her advice, and
stayed at home, I would have been happy; that we may never meet
again in this world, and hope that God may bless her when she hears
that I am dead, to pray for me and pray for herself, and be prepared
to meet me in Heaven. Tell brother John that I can never enjoy
myself with him again in this world, and be prepared to meet me in
the next world. Tell Matilda that I want her to remember me, and
remember her sisters that are dead and gone. I want her to raise her
little family up in the world to be good and truthful, to love God
and love her. I am in such a situation that I cannot think, and I do
not know what to write. Remember all of you that you have got to
die. Don't forget to serve the Lord. I would have been happy if I
could have only met with you on my last day. Tell brother Oliver
that I remember him; he was good to me when I was a child. I want
you to pray for me when you hear that I am dead. Pray to God to take
my soul home to rest. I have nothing more to say but farewell, dear
brothers and sisters. W. C. Bell
BELL'S LAST HOURS
About 9 o'clock our reporter was permitted to visit Bell in the hall
of the jail. When he first went in the prisoner was pacing back and
forth in his cell, but in a few minutes was brought out into the
hall, where the details of his life and his version of the Wendell
murder were obtained. We found him somewhat hard of hearing, and at
first not disposed to be very communicative, but, by degrees, we
succeeded in obtaining what is recited above. About 12 o'clock his
spiritual advisers, Rev. A. D. Jack, of the Presbyterian Church, and
Rev. J. P. Dews, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, were ushered in,
and with them Bell retired to his cell, where they engaged in
devotional exercises. Mr. Jack, after a brief exhortation to the
condemned man to examine well his own heart, read from the 8th to
the 17th Psalm inclusive, and, after singing the hymn commencing
"Salvation, O, the Joyful Sound," knelt in prayer and supplication,
Bell evincing a good deal of feeling and earnestness.
FROM THE JAIL TO THE SCAFFOLD
A few minutes before 11 o'clock, the physicians necessary, the jury
and witnesses, and some of the county officials were admitted to the
enclosure, and Bell, supported on either side by a Deputy Sheriff,
and followed by the clergymen named above, and several Press
representatives, was conducted to the scaffold. The doomed man
seemed nerveless and weak, and as soon as he had ascended the steps
was seated on one of half dozen chairs taken up for the occasion.
Soon after reaching the scaffold, Rev. Mr. Dews engaged with the
prisoner in prayer for the last time, offering up in his behalf an
appropriate petition.
THE DEATH WARRANT
At the conclusion of the prayer, Captain L. W. Moore, Sheriff of
Madison County, stepped to the front of the scaffold and read the
death warrant, which was of the usual form, and, when he had
finished the reading, turned to Bell and asked him if he had
anything to say. Being assisted to the front of the platform, Bell
took off his hat, which he held in his right hand, and spoke as
follows:
"Gentlemen: I am honestly innocent of this crime for which I am
charged. I die for other crimes. I was asleep at the time the crime
was committed. These are the last words I have to say: I am
innocent. Gentlemen, it is cruel and hard. I never was afraid of the
truth. Truth did not bring me here. I go happy. My soul is with God,
but you have got my body. But I forgive everybody. That is all I
have got to say."
He was then conducted back to his seat, and in a brief space of
time, everything being in readiness, he was led to the trap. While
one of the officials was pinioning his lower limbs, Bell fainted and
fell over backward. He recovered speedily, was raised up and placed
again on the fatal plank. Just as he reached it, he exclaimed, "O!
my, O!" Besides this and the remarks given above, he uttered not a
word. He had to be held up by a man on either side while the awful
preparations were in progress.
At 11:01 minutes, the trap was sprung, and Bell's earthly career -
whether of guilt or innocence - was ended. At 11:08 his pulse ceased
to beat; at the end of twenty-five minutes life was pronounced
extinct. He made no struggle, except at the end of the first ten
minutes there was a slight twitching of the legs. When life was
pronounced extinct, the body was lowered down into a black walnut
coffin, and an examination made by the physicians. The vertebrae was
found to be thoroughly dislocated. On removing the cap, the face was
pallid and clammy, but otherwise as natural as life. The coffin was
partially closed and carried out into the street, where, for a short
time, the crowd of anxious people were permitted to gaze upon all
that was left of an executed man. From there the remains of William
Bell, the murderer of Herman Wendell, were taken to the County Farm
burying ground and committed to a murderer's grave. He was buried in
the same clothes in which he was hanged, which consisted of black
pants, pretty well worn, black vest, heavy black coat, flannel
undershirt, white overshirt, small black, figured necktie, coarse
brogan shoes, and white socks - all the worse for weary, and
indicative of a want of friends.
NOTE: In May 1872, when a new street was constructed in Edwardsville, which partially ran through the Poor Farm Cemetery, a number of bodies were dug up and re-interred in a different location in the same cemetery. William Bell was among those that were moved. His remains were found in a good state of preservation.
THE EXECUTION OF WILLIAM BELL
Source: Edwardsville Intelligencer, November 18, 1869
The hanging of William Bell, on Friday, for the murder of Herman
Wendell in November last, did not create that excitement which
usually attends the execution of criminals. The history of the
murder is well known to our readers, therefore a repetition of the
circumstances would be superfluous. Bell protested to the last that
he was innocent, and maintained throughout a dogged indifference to
his spiritual welfare. Rev. J. P. Dew and Rev. A. D. Jack constantly
attended on the doomed man for several days previous to the
execution, but without any apparent effect. About the last words
that Bell said before leaving his cell, where he had been confined
just one year, were, “No man can lie in this condition and tell a
lie. There is no use talking.”
About 11 o’clock, Bell was led to the scaffold, erected in the jail
yard, enclosed with a high plank fence. There were about 30 people
admitted to witness the execution, including representatives of the
press, and the county officials. Bell ascended the scaffold between
two deputies, who had to support him from falling to the ground. On
reaching the scaffold, Bell was seated in a chair, and Rev. Mr. Dew
offered up a prayer in behalf of the prisoner. The Sheriff, L. W.
Moore, then read the death warrant, at the conclusion of which Bell
was asked if he had anything to say. Being led to the front of the
platform, he said:
“Gentlemen, I am honestly innocent of this crime for which I am
charged. I die for other crimes. I was asleep at the time the crime
was committed. These are the last words I have to say. I am
innocent. Gentlemen it is cruel and hard. I never was afraid of the
truth. Truth did not bring me here. I go happy. My soul is with God,
but you have got my body. But I forgive everybody. That is all I
have got to say.”
He was then conducted back to his seat, and everything being in
readiness, he was again led forward over the trap. While Mr. Robert
Friday, the jailer, and Constable S. O. Bonner were tying his hands
behind him with a pocket handkerchief, Bell fainted and fell
backward upon the scaffold. As he fell, he was heard to moan, almost
inaudibly, “O my God!” He was immediately raised by the two
deputies, the rope adjusted to his neck by a professional hangman,
the Sheriff kicked with his foot the spring that held the trap, and
before consciousness returned, Bell was swinging between Heaven and
earth. It was an awful scene, and everyone upon the scaffold turned
deathly pale and shuddered. There was not a single friend, with the
exception of the ministers, to offer one word of consolation.
At the end of thirty minutes, the body was taken down, placed in a
walnut coffin, and removed outside the enclosure, where the crowd
outside had an opportunity to view the corpse. It has been stated by
the St. Louis reporters that there were quite a number of women and
children gathered on the outside of the enclosure, and that the
housetops in the neighborhood were crowded with people, drawn
thither by a morbid desire to witness the execution. We give the St.
Louis reporters the credit of possessing elastic imaginations. If
there were any women or children on or near the grounds, or on the
housetops, it is very singular no one else saw them.
Bell’s account of the murder is rather improbably, and we give it
pretty much in his own words. He said:
“After I had washed the dishes and put the house to rights, there
was a knock on the door, and Wendell said, ‘Come in.’ The door
opened, and two strange men came in and took seats in front of the
fire and engaged in conversation. Wendell had a shotgun hanging over
the fireplace, and one of the men asked him if he would trade it for
a pistol, to which he replied he would trade anything he had. The
stranger handed Wendell his pistol, and then took down the shotgun
and said he would ‘trade for two dollars to boot.’ Wendell brought
the pistol over to the bed where I was reclining, and asked my
advice. I told him I thought it would be a good trade, and lent
Wendell two dollars to pay the difference. After the exchange had
been made, one of the strangers drew a bottle out of his pocket. I
got up off the bed and we all drank. After this, I went back to bed
and left the others sitting by the fire. I went to sleep, but was
awakened after awhile by some noise, and jumping up, I sprung out of
bed, and as I was in the act of reaching under the bed for my shoes,
the door opened and one of the men came in. When I asked him what
was the matter, the stranger told him to shut up and keep still, or
he would shoot him. Just then the other strange man came in, and the
first one asked him, ‘How’s your man?’, to which he replied, ‘the
last breath has left the son of a b—ch, and he will never kill
another brother of mine.’ The last man that came in then stooped
down by the fire, and seemed to be reloading the gun, after which he
rose up and placed it across the corner of the table, with the
muzzle pointing directly at me, and said they intended to kill us
both – meaning Wendell and me – but if I would promise secrecy, they
would allow me to escape. After this, they sat down before the fire
again, and we all three drank together, and I asked them if I might
get up and wind the clock, to which they assented. Soon after this,
I went back to bed, but could not sleep. At times, one or the other
of the men would get up and go out of the house, and about one or
two o’clock, one of them brought in two sticks, six or seven feet in
length, and some boards, and asked me if there were any nails about
the house. I told them to look under the cupboard. They got the
nails and nailed the boards on the sticks, and about three or four
o’clock, one of them said, ‘Let us carry him off.’ After they left
the house, I got up and watched them, and thought they went down
towards the timber. They were not gone long until one of them came
back, and then the other, when they again sat down by the fire, and
remained until about six o’clock, when one of them got up and asked
me where Wendell’s clothes were. I pointed them out to him, and they
went and took them down. One of them tried on the hat and said it
was ‘too good to rot in the ground.’ Then they asked for a spade,
which I told them they would find at the side of the house. They
then went away. I did not see them again until late on Saturday
night, when they returned. On Sunday morning, I got up, fed the
hogs, milked the cow, and got my breakfast, giving a negro who lived
near and who came over for the purpose, three pints of milk. I
remained alone all that day, but at night some neighboring boys came
over and sat till about nine o’clock, and then went home. After they
had gone, I went to bed, and between eleven and twelve o’clock, the
strangers of the night before returned, and said they had just
finished putting him away. They remained an hour or so, and then
reminding me of my promise to secrecy, got up and went away, and I
have never seen them since. After they had gone, I returned to bed,
and spent the night in thinking what I should do, but finally made
up my mind to keep my promise. Mrs. Wendell and her father returned
from St. Louis on Monday, when I told them Wendell had gone to St.
Louis.”
NOTES:
Thank you to Brad Nelson, 3rd great-grandson of Hermann Wendell, for
furnishing these additional notes:
The burial place for Hermann Wendell is officially unknown, however
he may be buried in the Old Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church
cemetery in the neighborhood known as Baden, in the north part of
St. Louis, where the family previously lived. His wife, Johanna, was
a member of Old Bethlehem, and she had chosen that church for other
family religious functions over the previous decade.
Hermann and Johanna’s daughter, Anna Fredericka Wilhelmina Wendell
(born March 2, 1861) was baptized at Old Bethlehem on March 5, 1861.
Hermann and Johanna’s daughter, Wilhelmine Fiderike Wendell (born
September 17, 1867) was baptized at Old Bethlehem on October 24,
1867. She died as an infant that same year.
Daughter Lena Wendell (born June 5, 1869), after Hermann’s death,
was baptized at Old Bethlehem on June 20, 1869. (Lena and her older
sister, Anna, moved to Nebraska in 1871 with their mother and her
new husband, Elling.)
When Johanna remarried to Charles August Ferdinand Elling on
September 23, 1869, it was at Old Bethlehem.
The Old Bethlehem Cemetery was located near the corner of Bittner
and Switzer Avenue in St. Louis, from 1849 until the 1960s. Most of
the graves were moved to a larger cemetery, located at 9650
Bellefontaine Rd. in St. Louis County, and buried in a common plot.
The new cemetery is now known as the New Bethlehem Cemetery.