, 1935-03-28
Mercy for Child Slayers' Says No. l
Executioner Awaiting Hauptmann Job

enough for golf. Likes contract
bridge, too. 4 don't play with
nv wife. though he said. shes
a regular shark, and bawls me out
something awful" Among their
reighbors are numerous close friends
who come in OF IN evening. And on
Sundays they attend q Congrega-
tional Church.
They've been married Is years.
Robert Elliott vas born in Monroe
County. N. Y, OF Scotch-Irish par
ents whose forbears had been IN
America for generations. He left
high school II 10 TO work In an
electric light plant. and at rs was
appointed chief engineer at Clinton
Prison, where he remained for 20
years. In 1903 a prison Official ask
ed that someone be recommended
to understudy 4 =. Davis. the ex-
ecutioner at that time. Under Davis
supervision, ne actually threw q
switch at one execution.
Succeeded Suicide
In 1926. upon the resignation Of
John Hubert, who later commit
ted suicide. prison authorities dis
covered that Elliott was the only
man in the state who ever had per-
former an electrocution. He was
requested TO take over Hulbert's
duties, which included carrying out
death sentences In three other
states. Elliott agreed because, he
said. they really needed me-"
Somebody's got TO do the job"
he went IN. And IL isn't everybody
who can do 1t right. They had had
4 couple Of brutally bungled execu-
tons at Auburn Prison, and I was
sure my nerve was steady enough
to perform them mercifully. People
don't suffer In my chair. They
never know when the current hits
them"
Elliot receives $50 per execution.
and travelling expenses. The latter
are important because he makes
many fruitless trips TO prisons Of the
OLT states, only TO learn ol arrival
that stays Of execution have been
granted his expected victims. He re-
fuses To- divulze his total earnings,
but IL Is a matter OF record that
his fees from New York State have
totaled between $500 and $4,000 In
various years
Looks Belle His Work
Sitting in Robert Elliott's COM
Portable home. and chatting with
the Soft-voiced old man as he Smok-
&c his pipe ana rocked In his chair
and tousled the blond head Of his
cherubic grandson, 1t vas hard TO
remember that here was an indivi-
/ dual whose name on the lips OF
murderers Is synonymous with doom,
II was difficult. too. 70 under
stand the complete detachment be-
tween Elliott the memorable killer
and Elliott the man. Those hands
snuffed out The lives Of Sacco and
Vanzetti. Those hands deity ad-
justed br1ne-soaked helmets on the
heads OF Ruth Snyder and Irene
Schroeder. Those eyes have watched
200 people die-as many as six In
ore day. Those lips, smiling now
again and again have formed the
soundleSs words: And may Coo
have mercy on your SOUL"
Mr.. Elliott" ! asked, what n
your philosophy OF death?"
He sucked 81 his pipe and rock.
ed for a Minute. Il dunno. I really
dunno. NY mother. now-she was
very religious woman. Sometimes
think she used TO get more pleasure
cut Of contemnlatin' the hereafter
than she did out Of life on thi'
u earth.
Il guess I wouldn't want 70 say
ANYTHING tina. would hurt ml
mothers feelings If she was righ'
here now. Religion Is q fine. stronI
thing. I have seen how Il sustain!
men who have 10 die Religion u
stronger than the law; If we hac
enough Of 1t We wouldn't have any
crime.
For me. though-well. I dunno
I like to live. but I'm not scared u
Gle when the time comes. ] go
nothing on nv conscience"