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by Norman Conquest
Visiting
McKinney?
Book Your Hotel Here & Save
McKinney
Hotels
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Collin
County Prison in McKinney
Photo courtesy Lexie Nichols and Jordan Gibson, December 2006 |
While
most counties in Texas merely had a jail, Collin County had
a prison, if only in name. One half block off McKinney's
Square, this simple, utilitarian fortress was the work of F.E.
Ruffini and finished in 1880. Written in stone above the
door are the words: COLLIN COUNTY PRISON. Until recently that was
the only door in or out.
Presently
undergoing restoration, it wasn't long ago that this building was
on the Historic Commission's Endangered Buildings List. |
Collin
County Prison
Photo courtesy Charles Schuler |
Highlights
of the Prison's History:
While new breath
is being breathed into the structure, this is the address where
E. Stepp breathed his last. Convicted of killing a man and sinking
the corpse in a well, Mr. Stepp was the last legal execution in
Collin County before the State assumed the task. The fatal day was
November 17, 1922, and having no permanent gallows, an impromptu
affair was set up with a plank running through two windows of an
upper corner. "Mr. Ed" was the executioner du jour.
A detailed and entertaining transcribed oral history by the former
jailer is available in the McKinney Public Library.
Claude West
was the jailer, and the son of a Collin County Sheriff. For many
years a jailer's job was seven days a week - 24 hours a day. Mrs.
West cooked for family and inmates alike, although Mr. West got
more syrup on his hotcakes. Claude wore a medium brim Stetson hat,
carried a long barreled .38 and was proud of the fact he wore dress
shoes instead of boots.
Another personality was "Uncle Bud", who would arrive unannounced
and park his "coach" in the alley. He was sent to transport those
prisoners who had graduated to Huntsville.
Huntsville
was and continues to be the only town offering "bus service" to
all 254 Texas counties. A considerate man, Uncle Bud would wait
while prisoners sent a messenger to their families, so they could
be properly sent off. (This also gave him time to enjoy Mrs. West's
cooking and a visit with Claude).
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Prison Alumni
Frank James
was perhaps the Prison's most infamous 19th Century Guest.
In the early
20th Century, Ray Hamilton spent some time under Mr. West's
supervision. A member of the Barrow Gang, Ray proved his
criminal ineptitude by finding a way to get arrested usually within
five minutes of arriving in a town. The second floor of the prison
(to be the restaurant's kitchen) has a bar sawn halfway through
by ol' Ray.
Charles "Tex"
Watson of the Manson Group (not an investment firm) also spent
time here awaiting extradition to California for his part in the
Tate-LaBianca killings. Charles went to High School in nearby Farmersville.
©
John Troesser
Since 2000
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