Edward Webb, an African American farmer and possibly a veteran of the Civil War, was convicted of the murder of William S. Finney, an elderly white farmer, in 1878. Although he maintained his innocence until his death, Webb was hanged for the crime. The hanging drew crowds in Mansfield that were estimated at between 10,000 and 15,000. Afterwards, public outcry against the gruesome show led to the end of public hangings in Mansfield. This collection consists of six items: the indictment of Edward Webb, signed by Mayor J.R. Richardson, which is 8.3" x 13.4" (21 x 34 cm); the arrest warrant for Webb, 8.3" x 13.4" (21 x 34 cm); the subpoena of witnesses, including twelve year old Minnie Finney, 7.9" x 6.7" (20 x 17 cm); a Mansfield Herald account of the trial (scanned from microfilm); an admission ticket to the hanging, 3.5" x 2.4" (9 x 6 cm); and a Mansfield Herald account of the hanging with the headline "Edward Webb is Hung Before a Howling Mob of Cut-throats" (also scanned from microfilm).

This collection is significant as a record of race relations in small-town Ohio in the late-nineteenth century. In addition, it shows the character of the time, in that public hangings were a spectacle not to be missed.