Florence Katherine Shoemaker Thompson Riney (October 30, 1892 – April 13, 1961) was the first female sheriff in the United States of America to carry out an execution. Rainey Bethea, the last man to be publicly executed in the U.S., was convicted of rape and sentenced to death by hanging in Daviess County, Kentucky.
Florence Shoemaker Thompson
First female sheriff in the U.S. to oversee the carrying out of capital punishment
Florence Shoemaker was born to Andrew Jefferson and Henrietta Fronie Shoemaker in Louisville, Kentucky. She married Joseph Everett Thompson on January 12, 1915, and had four children. Everett was sworn in as the sheriff of Daviess County on January 1, 1934. On April 10, 1936, Everett Thompson died of suspected pneumonia at the age of 42. After her husband died, Florence had no way to provide for her family. By law, the county judge needed to appoint a sheriff to finish Everett's position until someone else could be elected. The judge asked Florence to fill the vacancy (customarily known as widow's succession) and she accepted as a way to support her family.
Time as Sheriff
Florence Thompson was sworn in the day after her husband's funeral. Through her time as sheriff she rarely wore a uniform, but would sometimes wear a badge on her dress.[1] She generally did not perform arrests but would do so when no one was available. In her first few years as sheriff she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
Public Execution of Rainey Bethea
On July 25, 1936, just over two months into Thompson's term, Rainey Bethea was sentenced to death by hanging for raping Lischia Edwards. Because of the way the law was written, Bethea had to be returned to Daviess County to have the execution carried out and because Thompson was the sheriff at the time, it was her duty to carry out the execution. She was quite conflicted with the ruling and its impact on her role as sheriff and as a woman.[1] She wanted to carry out her duties, but being a devout Christian was concerned about her standing with the church should she follow through with the hanging. Her friend and confidant, Father Albert J. Thompson, priest at an Owensboro church, assured her she could perform all of her duties, including the execution and remain in good standing with the church.[2]
As news of the hanging got around, she was bombarded with reporters. They expected her to effect the actual execution, which would make her the first American woman to kill a man by court order.[3] The journalists nicknamed Thompson as "The Hangwoman". She received many letters, some encouraging her to do the execution herself while others expressed distress at the thought of her carrying out the task. The secretary of the Louisville National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Bessie Etherly, wrote to the current Governor, Happy Chandler, concerned about the way the execution would take place. Governor Chandler wrote to Thompson requesting that she not make it a spectacle. He also included Etherly's letter with his. Thompson also received letters from people offering to carry out the execution for her. Thompson decided not to perform the execution herself. Thompson had asked each of her deputies if they would carry out the execution before offering the job to Arthur L. Hash, a former Louisville police officer and World War I veteran.[1]
Thompson had forbidden all of her children from attending and had made arrangements for her children to stay at her friend Elmer Dyer's home. Death threats had been made toward Thompson's children. An FBI agent drove Thompson to the scaffold the morning of the execution, and she stayed in the car about 50 yards away then drove away soon after Bethea was executed.[4] Hash was so intoxicated that when given the sign to pull the lever, he did not do it and ultimately, one of Thompson's deputies had to lean on the lever to open the trap door. A reporter for The New York Times wrote: "Ten thousand white persons, some jeering and others festive, saw a prayerful black man put to death today on Daviess County's 'pit and gallows'."[5] The Chicago Sun reported that Thompson fainted at the base of the scaffold, forcing Hash to perform the task. Some reported that the crowd was rowdy and unruly while others reported that the crowd jumped on the body and began ripping off the hood.[6][7]
Because of these reports and the nature of the hanging, Thompson received multiple marriage proposals and death threats. One threat said that they already had Hash and that they were coming for her and her children next.[1]
Landslide election victory
Thompson's appointment by the county judge did not run the entire length of her deceased husband's term, and an election was required to determine who would be sheriff for the remaining term. Thompson subsequently ran and was elected by a landslide. Thompson received 9,811 votes. Simon B. Smith, a competitor received two votes and Tom Gall, and another competitor received one vote. On November 3, 1936, Thompson was elected to carry out the remainder of her husband's term.[8] Thompson did not to run for sheriff after her elected term, and Simon B. Smith was sworn on January 3, 1938.
Later life
Thompson was appointed a deputy sheriff by Simon B. Smith and was in the position for nine years. In December 1944, Thompson married J. Carl Riney after his wife, one of Thompson's friends, had died nine years prior. Her Parkinson's continued to progress. In July 1959 Thompson was admitted to Our Lady of Mercy Hospital in Owensboro, Kentucky. On April 13, 1961, she died there at the age of 68. Her funeral was held at St. Stephen's Catholic Cathedral by Reverend Anthony Higdon. She was buried beside her first husband, Everett, in the Mater Dolorosa Catholic Cemetery in Owensboro.
^ abcdPitzulo, Carrie (2017). "The Skirted Sheriff: Florence Thompson and the Nation's Last Public Execution". Register of the Kentucky Historical Society. 115 (3): 377–410. doi:10.1353/khs.2017.0075. S2CID 157781136.
^Ryan, Perry T. "The Last Public Execution in America". Retrieved 28 February 2013.
^"Woman Sheriff to Hang Man". The Lincoln Times (Lincolnton, N.C.). Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Lib. of Congress. 9 July 1936. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
^"Souvenir Hunters at Hanging Tear Hood from Face". Evening Star (Washington, D.C.). Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Lib. of Congress. 14 August 1936. p. 3. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
^"10,000 SEE HANGING OF KENTUCKY NEGRO; Woman Sheriff Avoids Public Appearance as Ex-Policeman Springs Trap. CROWD JEERS AT CULPRIT Some Grab Pieces of Hood for Souvenirs as Doctors Pronounce Condemned Man Dead", The New York Times, 15 August 1936
^"Souvenir Hunters at Hanging Tear Hood from Face". Evening Star (Washington, D.C.). Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Lib. of Congress. 14 August 1936. p. 1. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
^"Kentucky Negro Attacker Is Publicly Hanged as 10,000 People Watch Trap Sprung". The Lincoln Times (Lincolnton, N.C.). Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Lib. of Congress. 17 August 1936. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
^Schulz, Dorothy Moses (2004). Breaking the Brass Ceiling: Women Police Chiefs and Their Paths to the Top. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Pub. p. 118.
Further reading
Katz, Josh (14 April 2011), On this Day: Kentucky Holds Final Public Execution in the US, retrieved 28 February 2013
Weiser-Alexander, Kathy, , Legends of America, archived from the original on 2 February 2013, retrieved 28 February 2013
McNutt, Laura (14 August 2011), Sunday Marks the 75th Anniversary of the Nation's Last Public Hanging, Evansville, IN: WFIE, retrieved 28 February 2013
Wright, George C. (1990). Racial Violence in Kentucky, 1865–1940: Lynchings, Mob Rule, and "Legal Lynchings". Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press. pp. 72–73.
January 27, 2023
florence, shoemaker, thompson, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, a. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Florence Shoemaker Thompson news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations March 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Florence Katherine Shoemaker Thompson Riney October 30 1892 April 13 1961 was the first female sheriff in the United States of America to carry out an execution Rainey Bethea the last man to be publicly executed in the U S was convicted of rape and sentenced to death by hanging in Daviess County Kentucky Florence Shoemaker ThompsonFirst female sheriff in the U S to oversee the carrying out of capital punishmentBornOctober 30 1892Louisville Kentucky USDiedApril 13 1961 1961 04 13 aged 68 Owensboro Kentucky USOccupationSheriffSpouseJoseph Everett ThompsonChildrenFour children including James ThompsonEverett Thompson 1893 1936 Contents 1 Road to Sheriff 2 Time as Sheriff 2 1 Public Execution of Rainey Bethea 2 2 Landslide election victory 3 Later life 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingRoad to Sheriff EditFlorence Shoemaker was born to Andrew Jefferson and Henrietta Fronie Shoemaker in Louisville Kentucky She married Joseph Everett Thompson on January 12 1915 and had four children Everett was sworn in as the sheriff of Daviess County on January 1 1934 On April 10 1936 Everett Thompson died of suspected pneumonia at the age of 42 After her husband died Florence had no way to provide for her family By law the county judge needed to appoint a sheriff to finish Everett s position until someone else could be elected The judge asked Florence to fill the vacancy customarily known as widow s succession and she accepted as a way to support her family Time as Sheriff EditFlorence Thompson was sworn in the day after her husband s funeral Through her time as sheriff she rarely wore a uniform but would sometimes wear a badge on her dress 1 She generally did not perform arrests but would do so when no one was available In her first few years as sheriff she was diagnosed with Parkinson s disease Public Execution of Rainey Bethea Edit On July 25 1936 just over two months into Thompson s term Rainey Bethea was sentenced to death by hanging for raping Lischia Edwards Because of the way the law was written Bethea had to be returned to Daviess County to have the execution carried out and because Thompson was the sheriff at the time it was her duty to carry out the execution She was quite conflicted with the ruling and its impact on her role as sheriff and as a woman 1 She wanted to carry out her duties but being a devout Christian was concerned about her standing with the church should she follow through with the hanging Her friend and confidant Father Albert J Thompson priest at an Owensboro church assured her she could perform all of her duties including the execution and remain in good standing with the church 2 As news of the hanging got around she was bombarded with reporters They expected her to effect the actual execution which would make her the first American woman to kill a man by court order 3 The journalists nicknamed Thompson as The Hangwoman She received many letters some encouraging her to do the execution herself while others expressed distress at the thought of her carrying out the task The secretary of the Louisville National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Bessie Etherly wrote to the current Governor Happy Chandler concerned about the way the execution would take place Governor Chandler wrote to Thompson requesting that she not make it a spectacle He also included Etherly s letter with his Thompson also received letters from people offering to carry out the execution for her Thompson decided not to perform the execution herself Thompson had asked each of her deputies if they would carry out the execution before offering the job to Arthur L Hash a former Louisville police officer and World War I veteran 1 Thompson had forbidden all of her children from attending and had made arrangements for her children to stay at her friend Elmer Dyer s home Death threats had been made toward Thompson s children An FBI agent drove Thompson to the scaffold the morning of the execution and she stayed in the car about 50 yards away then drove away soon after Bethea was executed 4 Hash was so intoxicated that when given the sign to pull the lever he did not do it and ultimately one of Thompson s deputies had to lean on the lever to open the trap door A reporter for The New York Times wrote Ten thousand white persons some jeering and others festive saw a prayerful black man put to death today on Daviess County s pit and gallows 5 The Chicago Sun reported that Thompson fainted at the base of the scaffold forcing Hash to perform the task Some reported that the crowd was rowdy and unruly while others reported that the crowd jumped on the body and began ripping off the hood 6 7 Because of these reports and the nature of the hanging Thompson received multiple marriage proposals and death threats One threat said that they already had Hash and that they were coming for her and her children next 1 Landslide election victory Edit Thompson s appointment by the county judge did not run the entire length of her deceased husband s term and an election was required to determine who would be sheriff for the remaining term Thompson subsequently ran and was elected by a landslide Thompson received 9 811 votes Simon B Smith a competitor received two votes and Tom Gall and another competitor received one vote On November 3 1936 Thompson was elected to carry out the remainder of her husband s term 8 Thompson did not to run for sheriff after her elected term and Simon B Smith was sworn on January 3 1938 Later life EditThompson was appointed a deputy sheriff by Simon B Smith and was in the position for nine years In December 1944 Thompson married J Carl Riney after his wife one of Thompson s friends had died nine years prior Her Parkinson s continued to progress In July 1959 Thompson was admitted to Our Lady of Mercy Hospital in Owensboro Kentucky On April 13 1961 she died there at the age of 68 Her funeral was held at St Stephen s Catholic Cathedral by Reverend Anthony Higdon She was buried beside her first husband Everett in the Mater Dolorosa Catholic Cemetery in Owensboro See also EditRainey Bethea Hanging in the United States Pearl Carter PaceReferences Edit a b c d Pitzulo Carrie 2017 The Skirted Sheriff Florence Thompson and the Nation s Last Public Execution Register of the Kentucky Historical Society 115 3 377 410 doi 10 1353 khs 2017 0075 S2CID 157781136 Ryan Perry T The Last Public Execution in America Retrieved 28 February 2013 Woman Sheriff to Hang Man The Lincoln Times Lincolnton N C Chronicling America Historic American Newspapers Lib of Congress 9 July 1936 Retrieved 26 June 2020 Souvenir Hunters at Hanging Tear Hood from Face Evening Star Washington D C Chronicling America Historic American Newspapers Lib of Congress 14 August 1936 p 3 Retrieved 26 June 2020 10 000 SEE HANGING OF KENTUCKY NEGRO Woman Sheriff Avoids Public Appearance as Ex Policeman Springs Trap CROWD JEERS AT CULPRIT Some Grab Pieces of Hood for Souvenirs as Doctors Pronounce Condemned Man Dead The New York Times 15 August 1936 Souvenir Hunters at Hanging Tear Hood from Face Evening Star Washington D C Chronicling America Historic American Newspapers Lib of Congress 14 August 1936 p 1 Retrieved 26 June 2020 Kentucky Negro Attacker Is Publicly Hanged as 10 000 People Watch Trap Sprung The Lincoln Times Lincolnton N C Chronicling America Historic American Newspapers Lib of Congress 17 August 1936 Retrieved 26 June 2020 Schulz Dorothy Moses 2004 Breaking the Brass Ceiling Women Police Chiefs and Their Paths to the Top Westport Conn Praeger Pub p 118 Further reading EditKatz Josh 14 April 2011 On this Day Kentucky Holds Final Public Execution in the US retrieved 28 February 2013 Weiser Alexander Kathy Lynching and Hangings in America Legends of America archived from the original on 2 February 2013 retrieved 28 February 2013 McNutt Laura 14 August 2011 Sunday Marks the 75th Anniversary of the Nation s Last Public Hanging Evansville IN WFIE retrieved 28 February 2013 Wright George C 1990 Racial Violence in Kentucky 1865 1940 Lynchings Mob Rule and Legal Lynchings Baton Rouge LA Louisiana State University Press pp 72 73 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Florence Shoemaker Thompson amp oldid 1127322680, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
