Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 February 1883 — Half a Century in Jail. [ARTICLE]

Half a Century in Jail.

Union) own (Pa.) Special. William Sfcandford, known tliroughoqt Fayette oounty as “Crazy Billy," died this morning in the county jail, where lije had been a prisoner over fifty-one consecutive years. In 1831 Billy drove Alexander Crow and wife out of their home in Spring Hill township. The neighbors came to Crow's rescue, and by strategy overpowered Billy, who was armed with Crow’s gun, butcher-knife and axe. Billy was 6ent to jail at Uniontown for trial Soon afterward William Updegraff was looked up for drunkenness, and during the night Billy asked a stick of wood if he should kill Updegraff. The billet Said yes, and Billy crushed in the drunkard’s skulL The following June Billy was tried and acquitted of murder on account of insanity. For eighteen years he was chained by the leg to the floor of his cell. Since 1848 he has been allowed to roam at will, being harmless. Eighteen sheriST have gone in and out of office while Billy was a prisoner. Four ex-sheriffs will serve as pall-bearers at bis funeral to-morrow, and the entire bar will turn out. Billy was about eighty years old, and was born in England, but beyond this nothing is known of his earliest history. Just before dying he called for his mother : “Dear mother.” This was the only time he was ever known to refer in any Way to any one connected with his childhood.