In 1906, Civil War veteran Harry Shoop was arrested and charged with raping the 12-year-old daughter of Dennis Crimmins of York, York County, Pennsylvania. The trial took place in January 1907. Shoop was convicted and sentenced to one year and six months to be served at the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. A little more than two months into serving his sentence, he died of meningitis. Two days after his death, his body was turned over to the Anatomical Board.
Making the connection between the Harry Shoop who committed the rape and the Civil War soldier from Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania took some time. In the end, while the dates of death are off by about a month, the other record matches are sufficient to conclude that the Harry Shoop of the rape conviction is the same person as the Henry Shoop who served in the 103rd Pennsylvania Infantry during the Civil War.
The story of the rape conviction is told through the available documents and news articles.
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From the York Dispatch, September 27, 1906:
ACCUSED BY GIRL
HARRY SHOOP JAILED IN DEFAULT OF $2,000 BAIL ON COMPLAINT OF 12-YEAR-OLD MARY CRIMMINS
The arrest by Constable Mitzel yesterday, of 50-year-old [sic] Harry Shoop on a serious charge preferred by Dennis Crimmins on behalf of his 12-year-old daughter, Mary Belle, is said to indicate that the prisoner’s shoe shop at 236 East College Avenue was a trap into which several little girls were enticed and maltreated. Other charges against Shoop will, it is averred, will be made later.
After his arrest Shoop was taken before Alderman Boyd and committed to jail in default of $200 bail. The hearing will be private, and it will be held in the alderman’s new office in the Twelfth Ward.
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From the York Gazette, September 28, 1906:
JAILED ON SERIOUS CHARGE
Harry Shoop, who conducts a shoe shop at 236 East College Avenue, was arrested yesterday by Constable Milzel, on a serious charge. The charges were preferred as a result of allegations made by Mary Bell Crimmins, aged twelve years. He went to jail in default of bail.
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From the York Daily, October 3, 1906:
HELD FOR ASSAULT
Harry Shoop, and aged shoemaker residing at 226 East College Avenue [York], appeared before Alderman Boyd yesterday to answer to a charge of criminal assault preferred by Dennis Crimmins, East Boundary Avenue, on behalf of his 12-year-old daughter, Clara Belle. The defendant was committed to jail pending the action of the grand jury.
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From the York Daily, October 7, 1906:
SHOOP HELD FOR COURT
Harry Shoop, of the east end, charged with committing a serious offense on the oath of Court Detective Robert Frey, was given a hearing by Alderman Robert Boyd last night. In default he was committed to jail to await the action of the grand jury.
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From the York Dispatch, October 12, 1906:
[Court Docket]: Harry Shoop, rape, statutory rape.
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From the York Daily, October 18, 1906; also the same, from the York Gazette, October 18, 1906:
A divorce was granted Emma Shoop from Henry Shoop.
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From the York Daily, January 9, 1907:
[Court Docket]: Harry Shoop, rape, statutory rape, etc.
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From the York Daily, January 9, 1907:
AGED HARRY SHOOP SERIOUSLY CHARGED
Harry Shoop, charged with rape, brought by Dennis Commins, the father of thirteen-year old Anna Bell Crimmins, was heard before Judge was heard before Judge Bittinger. Shoop is sixty-five years old and several physicians were called to testify to his physical condition. The case was give to the jury but no verdict was rendered at adjournment. The defendant was represented by Attorney Logan the commonwealth by District Attorney Glessner.
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From the York Daily, May 31, 1907:
Comrade Henry B. Shoop, private, Company G, 103rd Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, died April 16, 1907, aged 65 years.
Note: The newspaper death date does not match the date on the official Philadelphia Death Certificate.
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The incarceration record of Harry Shoop, Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia. From: Pennsylvania Archives, via Ancestry.com.
At the time of his incarceration, Harry Shoop was 65 years old (born November 14, 1841) and was a shoemaker by trade. He weighed 145 pounds, stood 5 foot, 8 1/4 inches tall, had a sandy complexion, blue eyes and sandy hair. This was his second conviction, the first having been a 3-month stint in the York County Jail. He was divorced with two children, the oldest being 15.
The crime for which he was convicted was “enlisting a woman child under 16 years, Rape, Statutory Rape, A & B with intent to rape.” He was sentenced at York County Court on January 9, 1907, and received at Eastern State Penitentiary on January 29, 1907. The date on which his term was supposed to end was March 24, 1908. However, he died on March 18, 1907.
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The Philadelphia Death Certificate of Harry Shoop:
The death certificate shows that Harry Shoop died at Eastern State Penitentiary on March 18, 1907, with the chief cause of death being meningitis. His body was given to the Anatomical Board on March 20, 1907. The date of birth as stated on the certificate is November 14, 1841.
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The Pennsylvania Veteran File Card for Henry Shoop‘s service in the Civil War is from the Pennsylvania Archives:
Henry Shoop, a resident of Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, enrolled at Harrisburg on March 7, 1865, as a Private in the 2nd Company G of the 103rd Pennsylvania Infantry. The next day he was mustered into service. He served for more than three months and was honorably mustered out with his company on June 25, 1865.
At the time of his enrollment he stood 5 foot, nine inches tall, had a fair complexion, blue eyes and sandy hair. He gave his occupation as shoemaker.
The physical description is consistent with the prison record.
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The Pension Index Card, available through Ancestry.com, notes that Henry Shoop applied for a Civil War Invalid Pension on June 18, 1892, based on his service in Company G of the 103rd Pennsylvania Infantry. He was awarded a pension as indicated by Certificate Number 899178.
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The Pension Index Card available from Fold3, gives Henry Shoop‘s military service dates as March 9, 1865, through discharge on June 25, 1865. The pension application and receipt information is consistent with that on the other version of the card (Ancestry.com). In addition, the death year of 1907 is consistent with the prison and death certificate information for Harry Shoop who was convicted of rape.
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Genealogical information obtained through Ancestry.com also confirms that Henry Shoop and Harry Shoop are the same person.
- Census of 1860: Henry Shoop is living in Upper Paxton Township and working as a master shoemaker. Henry was single.
- Census of 1870: Henry Shoop is living in Upper Paxton Township and working as a shoemaker. A first wife, Sallie [Wert] Shoop, along with several children, including Charles Shoop are in the same household.
- Census of 1880: Henry Shoop is living in West Manchester Township, York County and working as a shoemaker. A second wife, Lovina [Kleindist] Shoop is living in the household, along with a child from the first wife, Charles Shoop.
- Census of 1900: Henry Shoop is living in North Corrodus, York County, and working as a farmer. A third wife, Emma [Koller] Shoop and two children are in the household.
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Some information for this post was provided by David Hause.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.