The Last Public Execution in America
by Perry T. Ryan
CHAPTER 3
LISCHIA RARICK EDWARDS
Practically everyone in Owensboro knew and loved Mrs. Edwards. She
was born in Kentucky on March 23, 1866, the daughter of Peter and
Celeshia (Birk) Rarick, two German-born immigrants. The spelling of
her name varies somewhat in the records. On various deeds, she signed
her name "Lischia Edwards," but on her marriage certificate, it was
spelled "Lishia," the same way her son spelled it.
In October of 1896, she married Elza Whitlock Edwards, a
well-regarded Daviess County farmer. Born January 29, 1854, near
Glenville in McLean County, Kentucky, Elza was twelve years older
than Lischia.
On August 30, 1901, the Edwardses gave birth to their only child,
Peter Rarick Edwards. Lischia disliked the nickname "Pete," which
people began to call him, so she renamed him "Philip."
An astute tradesman, Elza Edwards had a cattle business with his
brother-in-law James S. Cruse for a number of years and maintained a
farm in the Stanley community of Daviess County. Not long after his
marriage, he sold the family farm. He, his wife, and son moved to a
home at 1230 West Fourteenth Street (now Parrish Avenue) in
Owensboro. Elza was a member of the Masonic Lodge, and the family
attended the Third Baptist Church in Owensboro.
On January 14, 1915, Elza Edwards died suddenly of apoplexy
leaving his widow and thirteen-year-old son financially secure. He
was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.
Part of the family's financial resources were spent on Philip's
education. Philip attended the University of Kentucky and obtained a
bachelor of science degree in 1922. He was the first undergraduate
student at the university to graduate with a degree in bacteriology.
With these credentials, he enrolled in Yale University, earning his
Ph.D. in 1925. Returning to Lexington, Dr. Edwards was appointed
Assistant Bacteriologist at the university in 1925. In 1927, he was
appointed Bacteriologist. He married Katherine Brewer on September
20, 1927. They gave birth to their first child, Katherine, on July 8,
1934. After the hanging, Dr. Edwards continued to develop his career
and his accomplishments became more numerous. A further discussion is
contained in the final chapter of this book.
A few years before her death, Lischia Edwards was rented three
upstairs rooms from Emmett Wells, whose home was located at 322 East
Fifth Street, the southwest corner of Fifth and Crittenden Streets in
Owensboro.
At the time she was murdered on June 7, 1936, she was survived by
her son, Dr. Philip R. Edwards, of Lexington; two sisters, Minnie
Cruse, the widow of James S. Cruse, who lived at 715 Frederica Street
in Owensboro and Mrs. Frank Wright of Boonville, Indiana. She had one
brother, Fred G. Rarick, a blacksmith who worked in the County Road
Garage in Owensboro but lived in rural Daviess County. Her memorial
services were conducted at the Delbert J. Glenn funeral home by Rev.
Alfonso F. Cagle, and her body was taken to Louisville on Tuesday,
June 9, for cremation.
Shortly after his mother's death, Philip Edwards was appointed
administrator of her estate. At the time of her death, Mrs. Edwards
maintained only two bank accounts, both were with the Owensboro Bank
and Trust Company. One account held $4,478.12, and the other,
$5,496.46. Her personal belongings were appraised at only $83.35,
bringing the total value of her estate to $10,057.93. Although this
was a sizeable amount during the Great Depression, it was not enough
to call her "wealthy," as she was dubbed in many of the articles
which have been written about the hanging.
From the assets of the estate, the Glenn Funeral Home was paid
$356.39 for providing the arrangements for cremation and the funeral,
while $12.05 paid the estate settlement fees. Her son Philip, as sole
heir, inherited the remaining amount of $9,689.49.