John W. Dobbins, white male age 21, was executed by hanging on 4-15-1864 for the slitting
the throat of a farmer, George Lindemuth, white male 50, with a pocket knife in the late
evening of 2-14-1863.  Earlier Dobbins (a common laborer at best and vagabond) met the
victim for the first time at a the Coffee House saloon, E. Third and St. Clair streets.
The two traveled from tavern to tavern drinking until throughly intoxicated.  Sometime
before 11:00 p.m. the two walked to a secluded area of the town on the river bank at Water
(now Monument Ave.) and Jefferson streets.  
 
Dobbins fled the city but was captured in Cincinnati.  The first trial ended in a hung jury
but the second trial resulted in conviction for 1st degree murder.  While in the Montgomery
County jail, he unsuccessfully attempted suicide by poisoning himself with chloroform and
then trying to cut his wrist and neck.  He recovered from his suicide attempt andwas hung
at 1:30 p.m. on 4-15-1864.
 
Contributed by: 
 
     Steve Grismer, historian/curator
     Dayton Police History Project
     Dayton Fraternal Order of Police
     Captain John C. Post Lodge No. 44