Pie Theft Penalty

Sumner Press November 4, 1897

"Sheriff Rodrick with Deputy Thorn and C. W. Roberts, took three prisoners, Harry Wilson, for burglarizing a pie and S. T. Mickey and John Solinger for murder, to the Chester penitentiary on Monday. The pie eater got between five and twenty years, while the murderers get four and one year respectfully."

One year for murder..... 20 for stealing a pie. That must have been one Heck of a Pie! Researchers were intrigued by this article, so decided to do some fact checking.

Sampson T. Mickey, a prominent teacher of Lawrence County, shot and killed James H. Dailey, a well-liked young doctor in Birds June 8, 1896 over a woman. Mickey claimed self- defense. After six hours of deliberation, the jury found him guilty of manslaughter and sentenced him to four years.

John Solinger, who, in a fit of jealousy concerning his wife, fatally shot Ashley Medlin, a farmhand generally known as a neighborhood bully, on the night of June 19,1897. The jury sentenced him to one year.

Harry Wilson who entered Lew Gowens’ kitchen and ate half a pie received a sentence of one to five years according to the Lawrence County News published on November 4, 1897, the same day as the Sumner Press printed the above article. The Sumner Press might have been trying to make a point. There was quite a bit of public disagreement with the sentences for the murderers, feeling that they should have received longer imprisonments.