EXECUTION PHOTOGRAPHED

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6551, 7 March 1928, Page 11

EXECUTION PHOTOGRAPHED

NEWSPAPER AUDACITY, MANY PROTESTS MADE. The American “yellow” press surpassed all its previous exploits at the recent execution of Mrs. Ruth Snyder and Judd Gray in Sing Sing,. prison, for the murder, of Mrs./Snyder’s husband. ■ _• , • r : , A few hours sifter the- execution of the couple,, a New’York evening, mewspaper published on, its. front page a photograph, of the actual electrocution of Mrs. Snyder. : ■' The photograph plainly, shows ttye electric chair, with the woman’s’ head encsised in the black mask- She is sitting stiffly erect with .her arms tightly strapped and with the electrode fastened" to her bare right leg. ■ •••■’’ - • Copies of the newspaper with this photograph wore greedily snapped up, and very soon the whole special edition was sold out, with the newsboys clamouring for additional copies. The photograph was apparently taken by a reporter in the death chamber by means of a concealed camera. The taking of photographs in such circumstances is strictly prohibited. Widespread protests have been made. Some 20 newspaper representatives were present at the executions, which took place 'not long before midnight in a brightly-lit room with light-coloured walls. Thie newspaper men were seated on benches resembling'church pews. It is surmised that the picture was taken with a camera little larger than a watch, but fitted with an extremely fast lens.