The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-08-10
YOUNG MOTHER
PUT TO DEATH
AT SING SING
FraiI Woman UnfllnChing as
State ExaCtS Penalty
for Staying.
2 MEN ALSO EXECUTED
Gov. Lehman Is Distressed,
but Finds No Grounds
for ReprleVe.

EANlU CAAAu EEfACAN-Nr AJtot-AAh ~
y. Y. Aug ia trail 29-year-old
woman said good-by 10 her canary.
walked steadily down a corridor
and permitted herself 10 be strapped
into a chair A moment later the
state Of New York fulfilled It's girls
In function OF exactIng a life for
life. except that last night It eX-
acted three lives for one.
Ladies we're first in the death
house a IN al social and official
functions. After Mrs. Anna Anto-
MO died the tw0 men she hired 10
murder her husmand followed her
into eternity
Warden Lewis z. Lawes went
from the death chamber to his Of
he. and into an empty telephone
said.
IT'S all over"
The telephone line led into the
executive mansion at Albany, 10
miles up the river. Governor Her
bert II. Lehman said, Thank you,
and vent of to bed. satisfied that
ne had performed his duty to the
state OF New York as he saw 1t.
issues Formal Statement
Until the very last minute Gov
ernor Lehman waited at the tele-
phone on the possibility something
might happen to justify a new re-
prieve TO his official conscience. He
had wrestled with that official con-
science because TO him II was dis
tressing" for the state to execute
a woman who also happened TO be
the mother OF three children.
The law made no distinction be-
tween sexes. he said in a formal
statement Therefore. he, as an
officer of the state. could not make
the distinction of committing her
sentence 10 life for no other rea-
son than her sex.
Only twelve hours before she
died. Mrs. Antonio was historical.
- her time approached and 1t
s1.he evident even 10 her that
9Oe was no hope. her compOsure
I courage returned and she died
hinching.
The Difference man always shows
woman was given Mrs. Antonio
even to the moment death got her.
Her chair mates were dressed for
the execution during the afternoon
and locked into cells. She was per-
mitted the run of the death house
corridor and not until 9 p. m. did
the prison barber present himself
10 shave the crown Of her head for
the eleCtrOde.
Distressed by Bald Spot
Several weeks ago. he performed
the same task. After he finished,
Governor Lehman gave her a re-
prieye and she was so distressed by
the shaved spot that she kept her
head covered with a towel for days.
When the barber finished, ma
irons bound her breasts in a bras
siere. dressed her in a blue dress
with white collar and gave her
stocking for her right leg. The
left had TO remain bare for the
electrode. they explained.
BY the time they finished. Father
John P. McCafery. prison chap
LAIN. was waiting TO give spiritual
consolation. soon afterward he
walked with her into the chapel
like execution chamber where pewS
were filed with official witnesses.
The priest prayed while the
StrapS we're frightened. The womanS
face was composed, her eyes 10
cusSed on the wall above the wit
neSSeS' heads. The death mask was
adjusted. The whine of the gen.
orator broke IN on the prayer and
the priest left the room TO fetch
the next victim. AT ll.l5 n. m.
Robert NJ. Elliott. eXeCutiOner. sig
nailed that he had turned of the
current. DR.. Charles c. Sweet.
prison physician. applied his Steth-
oScope. SAYING in a hollow voice.
4 pronounce this woman dead
Second Jolt Needed
Only then did the keepers. stand
ing like statues around the walls
with hands locked tightly behind
their backs. open their eyes.
Samuel FeraCCi. one Of the paid
killers. was next. He sat down IN
the chair and smiled.
I want 10 thank you. gentlemen,
he said 10 the witnesses. I 90 TO
die. but I am innocent. That is all
I can say. wish YOU good luck
all Of you-au your life"
The period Of his sentence was
provided by the generator. Father
McCafrey left 10 bring the next.
DR.. Sweet stepped forward. found a
hutter Of life and signaled Elliott for
another Jolt. The generator hummed
for another minute. This time DR.
Sweet said.
I declare this man dead" he said
In the third row Of spectators
there was a flutter Of excitement.
one 81 the Official witnesses had
tainted.
Father McCafery returned with
Vincent Saetta. He smiled. but had
nothing to say. One jolt was enough
for him and az 1881 p. m. Dr.
Sweet, for the third and final time.
said.
Il declare this man dead"
Mrs. Antonio spent the conscious
moments OF her last day thinking
about her canary and her children.
She thought OF her 7-year-old
daughter Marie. who was celebrat-
ing a birthday. She had sent Marie
a dress she made IN the death
house.
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