Fellows

Two Sides to Story of ‘First Irish War’

The History of Joliet – Chapter 4 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo Posse drives off rioting canal workers “As the residents prepared to celebrate the national holiday, word arrived that Irish workers digging the canal near Romeoville were rioting. They were supposedly killing each other and the contractors at that work site.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News In local history, they called it “the First Irish War.” But those in Joliet — then Juliet — remembered it as the day of the posse comitatus. It was July 4, 1838, … Read more

The Hickory Creek Mystery

The History of Joliet – Chapter 8 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo City ready to jump to conclusions over mysterious death “David Richardson was arrested and charged with the murder. He was guarded in the county jail because there was lots of talk about hanging him without a trial. The people of this city wanted justice.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News In the spring of 1858, the people of Joliet were shocked by a brutal crime. A murder had happened in such a cruel manner that residents couldn’t believe … Read more

Cobbler Tried Thrice in Murder of Benjamin Pickles

The History of Joliet – Chapter 11 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo “The bullet hit Pickles in the head, between the left eye and ear. His sons watched him die.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News With the beginning of the Civil War, crime came to Joliet. Like that night in the blacksmith shop on Eastern Avenue. These were some wild times in Joliet. Although there was a strong patriotic spirit in the city, the war had created problems with all the people passing through Joliet. William STEVENS, a local … Read more