Springfield, IL  (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – The Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission received a valuable donation: a 26-page typed transcription of Clarence Darrow’s passionate argument to save 17-year-old Russell McWilliams from the electric chair. Attorney Peter F. Carroll of Woodstock, Illinois, donated the manuscript, which he found among his grandfather’s old newspaper clippings. The document is Darrow’s closing argument from a 1933 court case in Winnebago County.

“It’s a remarkable oration from one of the greatest trial attorneys of the early 20th century,” Carroll said.

McWilliams had confessed to shooting a streetcar conductor during a robbery. He faced three sentencing hearings and two appeals before narrowly avoiding execution thanks to Darrow’s plea for clemency.

Darrow’s speech highlighted McWilliams’ troubled childhood and the influence of alcohol. Governor Henry Horner later commuted McWilliams’ death sentence to 99 years in prison. This case sparked a nationwide debate about the ethics of executing young offenders.

The donation is important for preserving Illinois’ judicial history. It honors Darrow’s work and highlights the challenges in the juvenile justice system. McWilliams was eventually released and lived a crime-free life, showing the potential for rehabilitation.

Full history:  Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission Receives Donation for Historic Clarence Darrow Case