The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-06-28
EVA COO DIES
CALMLY, VOWS
INNOCENCE
BY KENNETH T. DOWNS

OSSlN1NG, N. K, June "a
uN.S)-Eva Coos scared body
lay unclaimed in the morgue Of
Sing Sing prison today-an I'm
claimed receipt for her debt to
society.
At 11:05 last night she paid
with her life in the electric chair
for the insurance murder Of
Harry Wright, the crippled
handy.man who worked for his
keep at her Otsego county road
house.
The buxom Diamond Lii met
death stoically though she pro
tested her innocence to the end
She walked to the chair I'm
assisted, but she swore she was
not guilty.
Two minutes after Eva's life
less body had been wheeled out
of the death chamber, Leonard
Scarnici, 29-year-old gangSter who
killed Rensselaer, county police
men, staggered to the chair.
Hopes Blasted
Eva hoped to the bitter enc
for a communication from Cover
nor Lehman.
At a minute before II O'Clock
the cell door was opened. She
turned to Lawes:
IT am going to die In three
minutes and I swear before God
I'm innocent and never saw
that mallet. Goodbye"
AS the three guards and two
matrons escorted her past Scar
nici's cell she said goodbye to the
Rev. John P. McCafferty and tc
the gangster. Scarnici replied:
Goodbye, kid. Keep your
chin up"
Eva walked, unhurriedly, with
her sombre escort to the death
chamber. She cast q bewildered
look at the % newspaper men, al
the officials lining the wall, al
the gaunt little executioner.
Walks To Chair
The she walked directly to the
oak chair and sat down. She
gripped its arms. Her mouth was
puckered; her gray eyes fixed
straight ahead.
Guards quickly adjusted the
black straps. The Rev. Anthony
Peterson was softly praying:
The Lord Is my shepherd, I
shall not want"
The gaunt little executioner
fixed an electrode on her right
leg.
"Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow Of
death / shall fear no evil"
The death mask was adjusted.
Eva spoke family to the matronS:
Goodbye darlings, GOO"
The mask shut off the rest.
90. and shall dwell in the
house Of the Lord forever"
A guard gave the strap across
Eva'S bosom a final yank. She
uttered a muffled cry. The min
lister turned his back as the execu'
toner at a nod from Warden
LSwes pressed the switch. It
was exactly 1905.
Two minutes later Scarnici, grin
ming, violently chewing gum ano
smoking a cigarette, staggered in
He plunked down in the chair and
with nod of permission from
Lawes, proclaimed in loud voice
"All I want to say is to give
this message to the people up in
Albany who double crossed
me"
His voice broke for a moment
before he continued
"I'm still q better man than
they are, that's all. Thanks,
warden. Okay, let's 10. Okay,
Bob"
He was dead at 1913.
Pens Confession
After the execution Lawes re-
vealed Scarnici had called for the
prison clerk, a notary public, just
80 minutes before his execution
and written the following confes'
sion:
ITO Whom It May Concern:
I, Leonard Scarnici, being Of
sound mind and not looking for
anything, testify that Arthur
PIentI, now in Weathersfield
State Penitentssry Connect.
cut) is innocent Of the Lesnow
shirt factory hOld.up. I took
part in the crime and know
that Plentl was not there. do
mot want to see an innocent
man suffer-"
Lawes said he would send the
confession to Connecticut author.
tiles at once.