The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-12-18
The GAlLOWS.
An Experiment for the First
Time in the East.
tronin Executed for the Murder OF
Albert Skinner in 1893.

HARTFORD, Dec f5 John C-or.n was
hanged at i;ol o'clock this morning at the
state prison In Weathersfeld. and was
pronounced dead 10 minutes after. The
automatic gallows worked perfectly. His
body was taken down at lao o'clock and
inferred at Bluehill cemetery at o'cl ock.
Cronin spent yesterday, as usual, read
ing religious books. He ate hearty sup
per and retired to his couch In the steel
seath cage in the evening. When the
warden came 10 him at midnight 10 read
che death warrant Cronin was soundly
sleeping. He had nothing to say why SEN
tence should not be pronounced.
He replied TO the warden's statement
chat he must carry out the law: 81 have
no hard feeling toward you, warden"
These were his last words. except In his
medltations with his spiritual advisers.
He was dressed In black suit and wore
the cruclflx and emblem OF the Sacred
Heart.
The moon was shining through par
TALLY cloudy atmosphere when the wit
nesses were escorted from the warden's
house into the interior court Of the prison.
The scene was weird one, not alone for
the novelty of the hanging occurring at
such an hour, but for the complete mil
itary discipline displayed by the warden In
conducting the men to the execution
house.
Every detail was carried out with strict
precision, such as characterzes an execu'
tion at court-martial Within the exc
cution room was another uncanny sight.
Lighted up by ~ gas-jets, the room was
bare In It's outlines, save the closet In the
corner, enclosing the mechanism and
chair which had been provided should
Cronin faint At the center Of the room
hung the moose, and on the wall was the
dial which was to tell the story OF tho
progress of the automatic movement.
On the Way to the Gallows.
Cronin met death with only a slight
tremor His arms were bound when he
left the cage and was marched into the
room with Keepers Doolittle and Perkins
on either side. As he stepped on the plat
form no trembled slightly, and stood with
his head bowed forward. The fine shot In
tho machine were started by the warden by
putting his foot on lever. Deputy War
den Baisdcn placed black hood over
Cronin's head, and the Keepers bound his
legs at the knees and ankles DR. Fox, the
prison physician, adjusted the moose so
that the large knot i'm the five-eighths inch
MANILA rope was placed directly under
the left ear.
The dial on the wall showed that the
ohot had been running in the machine for
10 seconds Surgeon Fox turned away,
and the deputy warden raised his hand to-
ward the warden, signifying all was ready.
The warden did not walt for the shot to
run slowly out, which would require 90
seconds more. He at once pressed his foot
on second lever and jumped the shot ut
once n
Cronin's body shot up into the afr five
feet at an angle Of 35 degrees and fell back
Instantly, his feet being about Is inches
from the door. The body was motionlcss
for about 10 seconds, and then percepti-
bic switching of the whole body was no
ticeable for a few seconds. His hands be-
came very firmly clenched, growing
tighter and tighter until rigor mortis set
IN, Just nine minutes after the trap was
sprung.
.ssSucccssful,' said the warden, and
nearly every one present stepped up to him
and shook hands with him. w. II. Sill,
one Of tbcse present, who has attended Is
oxacutions, said that he had never seen
any so perfectly carried ont as this The
whole affair was perfectly noiseless, the
dull thud Of the heavy weight as 1t struck
she ground net being noticeable In the ex-
0itemcnt OF the moment.
Cronin's Crime.
John Cronins crime was the murder of
Albert Skinner at South Windsor, a small
village about five miles north of this city,
on Oct. g. 1898. Cronin was prompted by
revenge He had been boarding with
Skinner for several months, when the lat
ter ordered him away. A fight ensued at
tho time, and Cronin then went on pro-
tracted debauch.
The night before the murder he slept In
the house Of Edward Tucker, who lived q
short distance from the Skinners. He
I arose early in the morning and went
toward SINNERS farm. He entered the
house. and. going to the kitchen, awaited
the approach of Skinner, who was at work
In the barn. As soon as Skinner appeared,
Cronin drew revolver and shot him
through the side, inflicting mortal
wound
Mrs. Skinner, attracted by the shot saw
what had been done and Immediately
went into Mysteries Three workmen,
passing the house a few minutes later.
saw the woman in the yard tearing her
hair and screaming. They undertook to
pacify her and discovered her husband in
pool Of blood and in dying condition.
Other neighbors hastened to the scene
and medical attendance was secured, but
The injured man died within an hour.
All this time the murderer was bolster.
ously walking through the house and
yard with the pistol In his hand, and de-
flying the spectators to interfere with him
Robert Skinner, stepson Of the dead man
seizing a favorable opportunity, grappled
with the man, aud, Others coming TO his
aid, the murderer was overpowered, tied
band and foot with ropes and taken TO the
D5unty Jail The prisoner had little TO say,
except to repeat that he was glad he had
'nxed the d--d dog"
Albert skinner, the murdered man, was
- years OF age Joiner by trade. and had
\ always resided In South Windsor He
\ was sober and industrious, and left q
widow and two small children. Mrs.
Skinner attempted suicide twice after the
d mur,ier, aud had TO be constantly watched
4 70 prevent her accomplishing this end.