The sun., 1894-12-18
JACK CR0NIN HANGED.
THE U7oMATIC GALLONS WORKED
PERgECTLE
Ths Preparations Did Not Require the
Forty Seconds Allowed by the Machine,
s-d w.rden woodbridge Pressed ui-
Lever Rather thsn Make Cronir wait.

Lever Rather thsu Make Cronir wait.
HARTFORD Dec. 1s.-The execution at the
Connecticut State Prison at wethersfeld this
morning with the new automatic hanging ma
chine was q perfect success.
The executed murderer was John Cronin. who
was convicted of the murder Of Albert J. Skin
ner Of South Windsor.
The trap was sprung at exactly nine minutes
past / o'clock. Cronins neck was broken by
the shock and death was instantaneous.
Warden Woodbridge remarked that Of the
dozen or more executions that he had witnessed
this was the most successful
Father Lynch was closeted with the prisoner
for half an hour before the execution, and at
O'Clock Cronin was led out OF his cage and
in the presence Of the Warden. deputy warden,
and one or two others asked II he had anything
TO say.
He replied that he was sorry for his crime and
hoped for forgiveness AS to the details Of the
crime he had nothing more to say.
The death warrant had already been read to
him, and now his arms were pinioned behind
his back.
The door leading to the execution room was
then opened, and he was conducted to the
slightly raised platform on which he was to
stand.
The black cap was then adjusted and he
stepped on the platform.
This set the machinery OF the automatic gall
lows to working. and tho hand on the dial began
slowly to revolve.
Meanwhile his legs were strapped together
and the moose adjusted around his neck, the
knot being just under the left ear.
The time required was not equal to
that provided for the trap TO spring,
and everything being in readiness the
Warden pressed his foot on one OF the
automatic springs and the trap was sprung.
Cronin was jerked into the air and dropped,
death being instantaneous.
Only twenty-five persons were present at the
execution. They were: Warden Woodbridge.
Deputy Warden Barsden. Officers Doolittle and
Perkins, Chaplain Dighton Moses, DR.. Edward
@. Fox. the Rev. Father Lynch. State Prison
Directors Charles +. Bollmann Of New Haven.
Edward NJ. Chaplin OF Pine Meadow, Frank G.
Sumner of Hartford. Michael w. Lawton of
Middl dletown, Frederick A. Spencer of Water
bury, John n. Chittenden of Madison. Marvin
II. Sanford Of Simsbury, Sheriff Miles b. Pres
ton Of Hartford county, and one representative
each from ten newspapers.
As soon as Cronin's body was cut down It was
placed in . plain casket and taken by the un-
dertakers to the morgue. At daylight the re-
mains will be buried In the Blue Hills Roman
Catholic Cemetery. There will be no religious
services at the grave.
HARTFORD. Dec. 17.-Murderer Cronin spent
his last day In his usual taciturn fashion. Most
OF the time he read Catholic books received
the ministrations Of Father Lynch, his spir-
itual adviser. He told tho day watch that
he was prepared 10 die, and preferred
that rather than q term of yoags IN
Hs oud fs 5. q s eo
had wronged. His half sister and her husband
came 70 the prison to visit him, but he would
not sec them.
and about 10 o'clock retired for the night. The
watch had strict orders not TO disturb him until
the Warden arrived to read the death warrant
Early in the fall of 1909 Albert J. skinner. a
carpenter and joiner OF South Windsor, went
hunting with "Jack" Cronin as his companion.
As he passed along the road a neighbor greeted
ner made no verbal reply, but nodded his head
toward Cronin. who was following about twenty
feet behind, as II to say, There's my dog"
That nod undoubtedly furnished the motive
morning OF Oct. q, 1893. On that morning Skin
ner was sitting in the kitchen OF the one-story
house In which he Lived at South Windsor, eat
ing breakfast with his hve-year;old daughter
Irene. Suddenly Cronin entered the room, drew
q six shooter from his pocket, and discharged
five OF its chambers. One shot took effect In
the back Of Skinner. who arose from the
"Oh. mother. I'm shot" and started TO go
through small hallway to the room where his
wife was busy. He turned 10 come back 20 the
kitchen, and fell to the hoor unconscious Skin
he fingered for nearly an hour, after having said
that Jack " shot him.
.Cronin ran away, but was found hanging
about the road near by, and with great ugliness
10 reply TO a question: II shot the d dog,
and want to 90 in and finish him."