The Washington times., 1928-01-13
RUTH AND JUDD.
!. DIE IN CHAIR
CONTINUED from Fec %

ened.
Executioner Elliot gave one swift
look.
He took two or three steps to
his alcove and pushed down the
Another sputtering sound. The
current had been applied the
second time. This time, however,
the voltage was not so strong and
the shock was of shorter duration.
prison physician, loosened Gray's
white shirt at the throat and re-
moved his pure white flowing tie.
DR.. Sweet again stepped up to the
chair, applied the stethoscope and,
after second or two, announced:
81 declare this man dead"
It was 11:19 p. m.
The headgear and mask were re.
moved. The straps were unfas-
tened.
The chaplain, in his flowing black
robe, stepped back to the wall and
leaned heavily against il. He con-
tinued to pray as the attendants,
agafn DOMINIC white coats. lifted
the iifeless body upon the chair
and wheeled 1t into the autopsy
room, past the rows Of benches
upon which sat the Mortified news
papermen.
In this gruesome manner did
the State of New York exact the
penalty for the staying of Albert
Snyder.
And once again the former
lovers, known to Sing Sing as No.
1882 Ruth Snyder and No. 1881
Judd Cray were together. This
time In death, on marble slabs
IN the prison autopsy room.
Slowly the newspaper men who
had witnessed this grim spectacle
filed out Of this castle Of tho
doomed.
Feels Good to Get Out
How good the night air felt,
overhead the stars were twinkling
in the sky and full moon beaned
benigningly down upon the swirl.
ing. waters of the Hudson River
which backs up against the drab
walls of Sing Sing. Lights were
still lit in the homes OF pretty
Ossfning.
t1p at the barred windows, that the
faces Of convicts were looking down
upon him with a~contempt that the
subserviency Of iron bars could not
pbliterate from their pallid faces
Tl1av know Ruth and Judd, whom
they had got to like, had gone
west.
The lights Of Sing Sing are not
2imnaed any more during execu-
TONS but these social outcasts knew
that Ruth and Judd were done for.
Not word was spoken by the
20 reporters as they slowly scuffled
down the cement walk toward the
big iron gate through which they
were to go to sign the register that
they had been official witnesses"
10 the double execution. For once,
there was no thought Of q scoop.
No rush for the wires or telephones.
Each man was busy with his own
thoughts. Life is not exactly the
same after one witnesses a sight
such ais they had just observed.
"Let my death be warning to
other men who are steering wrong
course in life, Judd Gray had said
shortly before he died
The reporters had come to the
warden's office at the prison, as
Instructed, prior to 10:45 p. m. They
stood around in groups, saying very
S
had said. what Judd's last words
had been. and how they ate their
last meal
Given Communion
Father George Murphy, Roman
Catholic priest, described his final
visit to Ruth. She was weeping
quietly. he said, but she was
Am@
Caffrey had given her holy COM
naunion a half hour before she died.
Formerly a Lutheran, she became
converted 70 the Catholic faith while
IN prison.
Her lawyers were among her last
callers. Attorneys Edgar +. Hazel
ton and Dana Wallace and one OF
their investigators, Frank Bambaro,
went to her cell. They found her
leaning against the mess screen,
her blonde head bowed.
.tAh, gee" said Hazelton, unable
20 think of anything to say. He
had fought so hard to obtain stay
Of execution.
Don't feel so bad, Mr.. Hazelton,"
replied Ruth. "You have been won.
derful." She began to sob.
baby. Lorraine, and my dear, dear
mother.
please tell them forgive every
body, that / hold no malice against
anybody in the world.
"Have you made your peace with
God2" Hazelton managed to gasp.
ct have she replied. And then
she sat down in rocking chair and
began to cry softly. -
Tears in their eyes, the attorneys
hurriedly said their good-byes and
departed. Soon Ruth was alone with
Father McCaffrey, her spiritual ad.
visor.
Warden Lawes summoned the re.
porters into his office, Is minutes
before the execution. He explained
TO them what he expected of them.
He knew they would conduct them.
selves with decorum and observe
silence. How superfluous this in.
struction proved to be. He told
them Mrs. Snyder had given him
some letters for her mother, that
Judd had turned over his Bible to
be sent to his mother.
Neither Dragged
He assured the press that no soda.
tive would be given to either Ruth
or Judd, that this never had been
the practice at Sing Sing. He adj
Enitted that while he officially wit
nesses all the executions in the
prison. he does not see them all. He
locks the otter way. Had the exc
cutioner asked for an increase in
pay for electrocuting Ruth. Lawes
~ L 1gsA