The last calaboose in use in the State of Missouri until 1977, taken October 2024 in Hermitage. A calaboose is a jail with no jailer, just an enclosure. Those kept in a calaboose either could not make bail or were serving a jail sentence less than a year.
It was closed after Walter Richard “Wicki” Olinghouse escaped and murdered a man.
State v. Olinghouse - 605 S.W.2d 58
law.justia.com
When it was in operation, my grandmother (who was a locally famous writer) would have me carry a pie up from her home, and she’d hand it through the bars on the window shown.
It put meaning to the teachings of the Master, and explained a lot of old ballads.
I asked Grandma what would happen to those men if there was a fire.
She said if the Sheriff wasn’t close with the key, they’d all get burned alive.
No doubt, they were carful with the wood stove.
