West Virginia State Penitentiary Prisoner Pardoned for Christmas

Although most of the blog posts you’ll find on Theresa’s Haunted History of the Tri-State directly relate to the paranormal, (most often ghost stories and hauntings) every once in awhile I like to shake things up with a little bit of history.  As the history covered in today’s blog relates to the West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville, it is indirectly related to the paranormal.  The West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville no longer serves as an operational prison, but that doesn’t mean that the souls of plenty of convicts aren’t still trapped behind the steel bars and thick, rock walls. The prison is routinely given the distinction of one of the most haunted locations in the country, if not the world. 

Throughout the year, community events and historic tours are offered, as well as private and public ghost hunts and tours. It’s one of my favorite places to investigate, and I love researching as much about the history of the location as I can in order to have a broader understanding of what prison life was like for the many inmates that called Moundsville home over the years. One aspect of prison life I wasn’t expecting to learn about were ‘Christmas Pardons.’ Apparently, it used to be a thing for the governor to grant either the longest serving or the oldest prisoner at Moundsville a pardon at Christmas time. This article, transcribed below, is from the Pt. Pleasant Register, dated 9 November 1910 and discusses the pardon of Joe Battle, who served 18 years at the penitentiary. Unfortunately, the article goes on to discuss how it will NOT be a very Merry Christmas for another prisoner, who is scheduled to be executed at the same time. (Source: Chronicling America)

OLDEST CONVICT

In Penitentiary Will be Pardoned

Christmas by Governor

After serving eighteen years behind the gray walls of the Moundsville Penitentiary, for a crime he alleges he never committed, Joe Battle, the oldest convict in that institution, will be pardoned on Christmas Eve by governor Glasscock. Each Christmas a convict at the penitentiary is pardoned and this year the aged negro was fortunate in the lottery. 

With but one exception, Battle has served the longest term ever served by a convict behind the walls of the Moundsville prison. Vergie Gibson, who was pardoned a little over a year ago, also served a sentence of a similar length. The woman was convicted of aiding in burying her husband alive after rendering him unconscious.  Three negroes aided her, two of whom were executed on the gallows of the penitentiary.

The aged negro who has not seen his home for eighteen long years is expecting the pardon and has made all arrangements for his departure. The little money he saved since his confinement in the prison which he earned by working in the shops he has purchased Christmas presents for his wife and children.

While the approach of Christmas brings joy to Battle, there is another negro convict confined in ‘murderers row’ who looks on its approach with horror. This prisoner is John Wayne, convicted murderer who killed Mrs. John Aliff several months ago at Quinnmont, Fayette County. Wayne will pay the penalty for his crime on the gallows of the prison on December 23rd. Warden Matthews is already prepping for the execution. The scaffold will be repaired by the prison carpenter within a short time. The same rope that snapped out the life of Frank Waldon and John Brown will be used for Wayne. It cost the state several thousand dollars to prevent this negro from being lynched after his arrest. Both Huntington and Fayetteville were for awhile under martial law. 

Want MORE articles on the haunted West Virginia Penitentiary at Moundsville? Theresa’s Haunted History has plenty of articles about the ghosts and history of this spooky institution, with more being planned for the near-future. 

The Ghost of Red Snyder at the WV State Penitentiary

The Ghost of RD Wall

The Shadow Man of the WV State Penitentiary 

Theresa Travels to the West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville

Theresa Travels BACK to the West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville

White Gate Cemetery: Burial Ground for the WV State Penitentiary

Mingo Man is WV State Penitentiary’s First Prisoner of 1910

The Execution of Hugh Bragg