Page 7 - Hancock County Tourism ~ 2021 History
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Do you know about...
the Old Bay St. Louis City Hall
The original Bay St. Louis
City Hall was built in 1905 on
a small tract of land adjacent to the railroad tracks. The 1.6-acre property, located at 300 S. Second St., was purchased from the Sisters of St. Joseph Academy for $950. Architecturally, the two-story building is of the Classic Revival design. Construction took less than four months to complete. There was a jail on the first floor and a board room and offices on the second. Over the years the jail was removed, walls were changed,
and front stairs were added. The building is also the former home of the public works, utility, and other city departments, the mayor’s office, and a couple of restaurants.
The only hanging at the old jailhouse took place in 1928.
Silas Richardson, who was jailed
for stealing an automobile, shot
and killed police officer John V. Damborino and injured Chief
Mark Oliver when they entered Richardson’s cell to search him. Silas escaped to New Orleans on a freight
car, and after a three-state search, was found 10 days later hiding under his parents’ home where
he had returned to pick up some clothes. He was found guilty by a Circuit Court jury and sentenced to death by hanging. He was the only person to be hanged there.
Fortunately, most days at the
jail were peaceful. The back of
the jailhouse, however, stayed unusually busy. At one time, customers could buy white lightning right out the rear window.
 Bay St. Louis City Hall Building, built in 1905
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