New-York tribune., 1920-08-27
Peg-Legg g E gan
And Kelley Are
Put to Death
Hig wayman, Artificial
Limb Removed, Hops to
Sing Sing Chamber and
Shouts 'Cood-by!' to Pals

OSSINING, N. Y, Aug. 26.--J ohm
Egan. one-egged highwayman, and
Frank Kelley, a negro burglar, were
put to death at Sing Sing tonight for
murder.
Egan was the first to die. His wooden
leg had been removed and he limped
painfully between the tiers of the con-
dcmned cells resting heavily on the
arm of Keeper The Rev. William E.
Cashin, Catholic chaplain of the prison,
accompanied him, and Egan prayed as
he hoped along.
Good by, boys!" he called as the
arched door of rivet-studded steel
swung open and he entered the death
chamber
"Goodby, John!" came hearty
chorus from those whose turn had not
yet come.
Egan died at 11:1O.
Fills Chamber With Smoke
A few minutes later the door swung
open again and the big negro, Kelley
staggered in. With something of a
1lourlsh he removed a newly lighted
cigar from his mouth, blew a cloud of
smoke into the death chamber and
called:
Goodby, boys! I hope I'm the last
man."
"Goodby!" came the echo from with
in the vaultcd doorway and Kelly, his
cigar again between his lips, marched
toward the chair that was still warm
from the presence of his predecessor.
RE flung down the cigar and seated
himself.
At 1881 he was pronounced dead
The smoke still curled upward from the
cigar on the floor 1t was left to die
d natural death.
helley's composure, verging on bra
vado, was something of surprise to
those in the prison. During the day
he had alternated between periods of
cNhilaration in which he was confident
OF reprieve and gorged himself with
appreclative lip-smackings on water
melon and periods of depression in
which he almost lost control on him
self.
Assumes Anothers Guilt
During one of the latter, while
Warden Lewis f. Lawes was in his
cell. the negro relieved his conscience
Of burden which he said had been
torturlng him for years. He declared
that another negro was serving time in
that very prison for an offense which
he himself had committed in the earlv
part of November, 1915.
ne had held up Florence Hart in the
tlatbush section Of Brooklyn, he said.
with the intention of robbing her of
pay roll she was carrying After he
had telled her, he said, an automobile
approached and he fed without taking
the n<ncy. Later, he declared, he
read that negro had been arrested,
convicted and sentenced for the at
tempt at robbery, but he could not re-
member his name
Warden LaWes communicated with
the Brooklyn police and learned that
the negro was arrested for the crime,
but was not convicted nor mad any
one ever been convicted of it, Kelley
showed little emotion when told that
the burden he had been bearing was
one OF the imagination.
Wants Love Sent to Wife
Shortly before Egans time came he
sent letter to Warden Lawes in which
he said:
q have loved my wife (probably you
are not interested), but since my in
generation | have lost track of her
insert few words in a New York
newspaper to the effect that | loved
her still and that | am sorry? With
the hope that she may see and know. I
am, more than grateful to you.
JOHN EGAN."
Egan, with his two half brothers, now
IN Sing sing, held up United Cigar
store at 1888 .Westchestcr Avenue, the
Bronx, June 2, 1919. Louis Kline, the
clerk in the store. put up fight and
was shot and killed. Egan did not
take the stand at his trial, his motive
being, his attorney said later, to shield
his half-brothcrs as much as possible
1t was thought that he might have had
a chance for rcprieve but for let
ter which he wrote to the Governor
telling him that he preferred death to
life Imprisonment.
Kelley entered the home of Clarence
Clark, ll46 East Twcnty-frst Street,
Brooklyn, about a year ago, killed Kath-
crime Dunn, a maid, whom he encoun-
tered, and robbed the house