A Hanging in Detroit: Stephen Gifford Simmons and the Last Execution Under Michigan Law (Great Lakes Books) [Hardcover]

David G. Chardavoyne (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0814331327 | ISBN-13: 978-0814331323 | Publication Date: August 2003

The first historical study - and a riveting accont - of the last execution in Michigan.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

On September 24, 1830, Stephen G. Simmons, a fifty-year-old tavern keeper and farmer, was hanged in Detroit for murdering his wife, Levana Simmons, in a drunken, jealous rage. Michigan executed only two people during the fifty-year period, from 1796 to 1846, when the death penalty was legal within its boundaries. Simmons was the second and last person to be executed under Michigan law. In "A Hanging in Detroit" David G. Chardavoyne vividly evokes not only the crime, trial, and execution of Simmons, but also the setting and players of the drama, social and legal customs of the times, and the controversy that arose because of the affair. Chardavoyne illuminates his account of this important moment in Michigan's history with many little-known facts, creating a study that is at once an engrossing story and the first historical examination of the event that helped bring about the abolition of the death penalty in Michigan.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Great Lakes Books (August 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814331327
• ISBN-13: 978-0814331323
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,088,739 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Last Hanging in Detroit, September 26, 2007

By 

Barbara G. Chaney (Wyoming) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Hanging in Detroit: Stephen Gifford Simmons and the Last Execution Under Michigan Law (Great Lakes Books) (Paperback)

Well written and an excellent story. Stephen Gifford Simmons was the youngest brother of my ancestor, William Simmons. What a sad end to someone who didn't utilize all of the advantages he was born with. It is a testament to what alcohol can do to anyone.