Smith - Charles L. "Pacer"
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 4 October 1895
All the baseball people of Crawfordsville will remember the notorious “Backstop” Smith. Smith came to Crawfordsville several years ago and played base ball. He organized a team and after collecting money to build a back stop he skipped the town. He frequently came here afterward, playing with Danville, Ill., and was always known here as “Backstop” Smith. The following from the Danville News is of interest:
Chas M. Smith, or “Pacer” Smith, as he was known in baseball circles, wound up a long list of crimes by committing murder at Decatur Saturday afternoon. Smith has been the hero of many a bar room brawl, and has always been known as a tough citizen. His wife left her some time ago and with her child resided with her parents. Smith called to see them on Saturday, and was sitting on the front steps chatting when he suddenly, without provocation, pulled a gun and commenced firing. The first shot struck his child and the second was directed against his wife, but struck his sister-in-law instead, killing her instantly. Smith then started up the street on a run and had gone about three blocks when he was captured by the police and placed in jail. There was no imitation of any impending tragedy, the parents of the dead girl saying that no loud talk had been indulged in. Smith refuses to talk.
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday 11 Oct 1895
A special from Decatur, Ill., says: In the circuit court Monday, after hearing the evidence of half a dozen witnesses to learn the details of the crime, Judge Vail sentenced Charles N. Smith to be executed by hanging on Friday, Nov. 29, 1895, for the murder of his little daughter, Louise, aged six years, and Miss Edna Burchert, aged seventeen years, his sister-in-law. Smith confesses to murdering his child and said he was willing to hang for it.
He asked that the day of execution be fixed at Feb. 16, the day on which the child was born, but the court fixed the day as stated. The court room was densely packed and when the sentence was pronounced a pleased shout of satisfaction with up, the women of the Burchert family gathering in a bunch and crying out, “we are satisfied!” “We are satisfied!” “He killed our baby, let him hang!”
Judge Vail is generally commended for his course in the case. The crime was committed Sept. 28th, and inside of two months and a day, Smith will be dead.
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 6 December 1895
Decatur, Ills., Nov. 29th, 1895—Charles L. (Pacer) Smith was hanged today at 11:55 a.m. in the corridor of the county jail in the presence of 300 people. It was a smooth job with no mistake anywhere. Smith was nervy to the last and died while repeating the Lord’s Prayer. Three Catholic priests stood on the scaffold and Sheriff Nicholson and Deputies Holmes and Stabler did the work. Smith’s neck was broken by the fall of 7 feet. He was pronounced dead in 15 minutes. Last September Smith killed his little six year old daughter and Miss Edna Burchert. He tried to kill his wife. She escaped. Today Smith confessed that he took part in the torture and robbery of Wm Florey in 1894. He located the money but would not give up the names of five people who aided him in the job.