The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-06-20
By RELMAN NORM

his wife, Ethel walked quietly to
The electric chair last night and
were executed for the crime of
delivering to Soviet Russia the
secrets of the atomic bomb.
Neither Of the condemned spies
talked, nor attempted to talk, as
Che last moments came.
Both entered the death chamber
IN Sing Sing Prison-only a few
moments apart-with a firm step
and a stony face. They were exc
euted before sunset so that
the grim task would be finished
before the beginning of the Jewish
Sabbath.
II was the day after their 14th
wedding anniversary.
They were the first non-military
convicts in the history of the
United States to be executed for
espionage.
At the hour of retribution, crowds
gathered, demonstrating, in New
York, London and Paris. Hysteri-
cal sympathizers, screaming and
crying, milled around speakers
stand in New York's Union Square.
Street fights broke out in Paris,
and several policemen were re-
ported wounded. In London, thou
sands roved the streets, waving
copies of the Communist newspap-
err, Daily Worker, which carried a
single word in giant type-'Mur-
der"
In Dublin, two bottles of kero-
sene were thrown through the win
dow Of the U. S. information office.
They did not explode.
But in Ossining, where the pris-
on is located, the night was quiet.
Heavy details of police and state
troopers, guarding temporary bar
ricades, met no demonstrators.
AS the fixed hour approached,
two telephone lines were opened
between the office Of Warden
Wilfred L. Demo and Washington
presumably to be in touch with
the White House and the office of
Attorney-General Herbert Brown
ell.
The Rosenbergs spent most of
their last day together. Warden
Demo said they talked from about
noon to 500 p. m. (EST) in the
woman's wing of the prison. They
were separated by wire screen.
The party of official witnesses
entered the death chamber a few
moments before 7 p. m. (EST).
1t Is a square room. Behind the
electric chair was white, wheeled
table. In front were four rows
Of benches, like pews in church.
The room was heavy with silence.
From overhead, the lights beamed
on the electric chair.
A moment later, a voice was
heard in the corridor leading in
from the death chamber. 1t was
low but distinct.
Then Rabbi Irving Koslowe emit
cred. He wore black robes with a
white praying shawl around his
shoulders and the Tabbinical hat.
AS he came in, ne was informing the
words of the 23rd psalm. 1.-THE
Lord is my shepherd. ! shall not
want"
Rosenberg was a step behind
him. 1t was about 7:02 lEST).
The executions were SO arranged
that husband and wife would not
know when the other went down
the corridor. Had Ethel Rosenberg
gone first, she would have passed
her husbands cell.
Rosenberg, IS, wore dark brown
trousers, a white undershirt with
short sleeves, and low slippers
without heels.
His mouStache had been shaved
off. His glasses were removed.
His face was blank. His eyes
appeared not to see any OF the
people in the room nor any of its
details.
But he turned, without guidance,
to the electric chair and sat down
quietly.
Rabbi Koslowe moved to the left
Of the chair, beside the witness
benches. He kept bic eyes on the
prayer book. His Voice dropped to
a whisper, He prayed steadily, and
twice kissed the book.
The black helmet was placed on
Rosenberg's head. Then the black
straps we're fixed around his chest.
and the other electrode was set
against his right leg. The trouser
had been slit, so that the leg was
bare from the knee down.
The guards stepped away. A sig.
nal was given TO the executioner.
Joseph Francell, la an aleove to
the left Of the room.
A metallic rattle sounded II
sounded like marbles rolling down
. metal washborad. Then it stop
ped. The room was filled with a
humming buEr.
RoSenherg's chest hulged, strain
Ing against the straps. His fists
elenehed in tight krois. HIS neck
and shoulders turned crimson.
There were three massive
charges Of electricity. TIE FIRST
LASTED three seconds. the second
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