The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-04-06
Chapman Died Game,
A Wan Smile on Face
AS Trap Was Sprung
By JAMES L. KILGALLEN
international News Service

international news service
STATE PRISON. WETHERs-
FIELD, Conn.,, April 6.--CouI:t
fifteen. In the space Of time you
have just counted Gerald Chapman
was shuffled into a brilliantly
lighted EXECUTION, chamber here
early today. looked for the rope he
didn't see and
Snap. went a strap around his
knees. =
swoOp;. went a black hood over
his head.
SWISH went a rope around his
neck.
Bingi went a button releasing
heavy counterweight and Gerald
Chapman was whirIed TITO the air
to his almost instant death
Prisoner Died Game
In this lightning-lfke and efficient
manner did the State Of Connect
cut bring to q heart-chilling end
the notorious career OF the cold
blooded slayer of Policeman James
SkeIIy and the perpetrator OF the
biggest hold-up in the history Of
York city mail robbery.
Chapman entered this pale green
room, with its high ceiling and
drab concrete walls at 12:04:10 this
morning.
At 12:O4:25 the trap was sprung.
At 1213:15 he was officially pro-
nounced dead.
They say Chapman '-died game
That he didn't finch. The truth
10 he died quick-he didn't have
time to die any other way.
II all happened so swiftly he
probably didn't know what was
happening.
It was done so quickly that even
we newspaper men who witnessed
Il could hardly keep up with it.
It was fraction after four min
utes past midnight when they led
the frail, wan-looking, jail-worn
wreck of a man into the bleak
slow, shuffling step, his feet en-
He seemed to Iurch slightly.
He was preceded by the Rev.
Father Michael p. Barry, Catholic
chaplain at the prison.
Didn't See the Rope.
He gave a quick, upward glance,
evidently expected to see the rope.
But II was behind him, and he
did not see it. He had passed it by.
black hood was clamped down over
his head, his -deep-set, piercing blue
eyes swept the room.
There was a sad, wistful express.
sion on his pale face. There was
n sennblance of a smile on his tired
features.
His odd. egg-shaped head inclined
slightly to the right. accentuating
the impression Of helpiesspess, utter
futiIity, that he gave.
He whispered something to Father
Barry-what it was : couldn't de-
tect, and 1 doubt that even the
priest did.
The black hood was quickly thrown
over his head by a guard reaching
from in back of him.
At the same time another guard
snapped strap around his knees,
which seemed to be on the point OF
waVering.
In another second Deputy Warden
George ii. Starr slipped the moose
over Chapman's head and pulled il
taut.
A signal was Immediately flashed
10 Warden III. K. w. Scott. tall,
angular man with a hawk-like face.
Scott, standing back of a partition
n a far corner Of the room. stepped
Ou DuLlUIl HluCD IN TIC SoIlAC
manner as does a street car motor.
man when he cIangs his gong.
His Neck Broken
The warden's stamp on the but
ron actuated a lever which released
300-pound counter-weight attached
20 the hanging rope.
The weight dropped into a well
and Chapman was jerked into the
air with terrific speed. as IL shot
from a 14inch mortar. Chapman's
neck was broken by that first up
ward whiZz, the warden said.
But that wasn't enough. His
neck was to be Immediately broken
again.
One wondered what kind OF mind
could conceive such a deadly con-
tEiVance.
AS the body dropped TO about
three feet from the floor, there was
another CHASTITY snap, and, again
chapman was jerked toward the lofty
ceiling.
His neck was most certainly
hrolEan this second time.
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