The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-01-13
ELECTR0CUTED
AT. sing sing I
MINUTES APART
Both Walk to Death Chamber
Almost Unaided, With No
Signs Of Collapse
WOMAN Is FIRST TO GO
Mrs. Snyder Tells Priest She
Is Penitent' t'-Gray's Last
Words Inaudible

Cssining, N. r., Jan. 13.-(AP)-
Mrs. Ruth Snyder and Henry Judd
Gray, illicit lovers, died in the elec-
trio chair Of Sing Sing prison seven
minutes apart last night.
They were executed for the mur-
der Of her husband, Albert Snyder,
magazine art editor, who was beaten
to death while asleep in his home
at Queens Village, Long Island,
March 20, last.
Mrs. Snyder was pronounced dead
at 1900 and Gray at 11:15.
Suggestions freely made that Mrs.
Snyder would collapse at the end
were not borne out. She walked to
the death-dealing chair and seated
herself in it with little direction
from two matrons accompanying
her. They held her arms but were
guiding, her more than lending sup
port.
Both Walk to Death Chair
Gray walked with elastic tread and
looked directly into the faces Of the
awed-witnesses, numbering almost
two-score.
Mrs. Snyder walked into the exc
cution chamber with slightly draggy
step, and although her eyes were
wide open they were apparently un-
seeing and it was evident that for
her the crowded room did not exist.
She closed her eyes as she slipped
into the electric chair.
Both died with prayers on their
lips. Just before the black, mask, the
last detail Of the final arrangements,
was placed over her face, Mrs. Sny-
der cried: Forgive them, Father,
for they know not what they do"
Gray's. last words were not audible,
but it was certain that his lips were
moving in prayer as the current was
applied.
First Woman Executed il. 80 Years
Mrs. Snyder was the first woman
to be executed in the state in nearly
80 years.
AS soon as the body Of the woman
could be removed from tho chair and
the room, Gray was brought in,
walking with two guards who barely
touched his elbows.
Gray was carefully groomed, In
contrast to the bedraggled appear
ance Of his erstwhife paramour. He
wore q gray suit with handker-
chief showing from pocket Of his
coat, and was freshly shaven.
Gray seated himself in the chair
as the Protestant chaplain Of the
prison began to repeat the Beati-
tudes. The prisoners lips seemed to
move in response but no one could
hear what he said. He made no
response to the wardcn's formal
question IL he had . last word.
Three times the pulsing current Of
the dynamo feeding the chair with
electricity had been sent through the
form Of Mrs. Snyder but only twice
was is called on to snuff out tie
life Of Gray.
Funeral Services Today
Today funeral services will be held
in the prison chapel and the bcdies
given into the hands Of relatives.
They must, however, be taken i'm
mediately to the cemeteries CHOSEN
to receive them.
The last person from "the outside"
to speak to the condemned pair were
their lawyers, and Father Murphy,
Long Island city Jail chaplain. whc
ministered to Mrs. Snyder. The
priest quoted Mrs. Snyder AZ say
in1: III ever there was : penitcnt.
it Is l." The woman was also quoted
as saying she bore no malice 20 any
~uh0 had criticised her. No men.
tion Of Gray Was made in her quoted
last utterances.
Gray was described g referring
to Mrs. Snyder in kindly terms.
Lovers long before they killed Albert
Snyder with . sash weight and pic
ture wire Is he slept, they became
enemies after the murder, and, at
their joint trial, attempted - place
the greater burden Of responsibility
upon cache other. They did not meet
1t Sing Sing and did not see each
other 6 they went to their death.
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