Authentic INVITATION TO A HANGING Gallows Execution Arizona w/ Extras RARE For Sale

Extremely rare, authentic Invitation to a Hanging, inviting Harry Vance to witness the execution of Ramon Penero by hanging on June 1st, 1900, in the jailyard at Solomonville, Graham County, Arizona, and signed by the sheriff, Ben R. Clark, who was the sheriff there from November 7,1899 to November 7,1900.
This is one of the invitations that were actually sent out to prominent citizens at the time requesting their attendance. This invitation was sent to Harry Vance, who did attend the hanging.This one-of-a-kind piece is the rarest of the rare. There were approximately 3800 invitations to hangings issued during the time in American history when hangings were legal. How many of those might have survived for 120-150 years? That is anyone's guess but they are rarely seen outside of a museum.
On the evening of July 21, 1899, Penero, Antonio Saens, and a third Mexican man were drinking in a Morenci saloon. Penero and his accomplice lured Saens outside and, under cover of darkness, stabbed Saens to death and rifled the pockets of the dead man, sharing the plunder. The accomplice fled and was never heard of again but Penero was captured, indicted and tried at the fall term of the Graham County District Court. On October 13, 1899, Penero was found guilty of murder in the first degree and six days later Judge Doan sentenced him to hang on December 1,1899.
An appeal to the territorial supreme court stayed the execution but the lower court's decision was finally affirmed and Judge Doan resentenced Penero to hang on June 1, 1900. Penero's attorney applied to Governor Nathan O. Murphy for a commutation of the sentence to life imprisonment, claiming that Penero was insane. The cause for believing him insane was the fact that 12 years earlier he had received a blow to the head from a hammer, but at 1:00PM word was received from the governor that he had declined to interfere with carrying out the hanging.
A few minutes before the execution, Penero dressed in his new suit and was brought into the courtyard, accompanied by his guards and a priest. He mounted the scaffold without assistance and took his place on the trapdoor, and the straps were applied to his limbs. He was asked if he had anything to say and he replied, "Nothing, except that I would rather be shot than hung." The noose was placed around Penero's neck by Sheriff Ben R. Clark, the black cap was pulled on, and the trap was immediately sprung. Penero fell seven feet, breaking his neck.
Thirteen minutes after the trap was sprung, Drs. Platt, Dudley, Lindley and Parker pronounced Penero dead. He was cut down and given to the undertaker, who took him to his parlor. An autopsy was performed and it was discovered that the hammer blow of years past had left a small indention on his brain, but that was no cause for insanity. Penero was buried that evening.*Information frmo the Solomonville Arizona Bulletin of October 29, 1899 and June 1, 1900; Tuscon Arizona Citizen of June 8, 1899; and Phoenix Arizona Republican of June 3, 1900.
This invitation is surrounded by a piece of barbed wire and an Apache Police badge from the area and the era. This piece was put together by Harry Vance's nephew, Ted. The barbed wire, from the 1860's, was a piece of that surrounding the family's 10,000 acre horse farm near Dallas. The Apache Police badge was given to Ted by his parents and he mounted it under the invitation. The entire piece measures about 15" tall, 8" wide and 7/8" deep. There is a hanging wire on the back.Also included in this sale, if the buyer would like it included, is a marked, framed photo of Harry Vance, the attendee to the hanging.
We are a non-smoking, no pets home. We have been selling on for over 25 years and we have a 100% response rating.We are expert packers and ship quickly. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions.Thank you for taking a look today!