FATE OF MURDERERS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 May 1933, Page 2

FATE OF MURDERERS

WAITING FOR EXECUTION. SHORTER TIME OF SUSPENSE. New York, May 14. As the number of murderers awaiting execution in Sing Sing (New York State) Penitentiary has mounted steadily in recent years, there is a noticesfole tendency on the part of the courts in this State to shorten the period of suspense between conviction and execution. There was a time, 15 or 20 years ago, when condemned men averaged one year’s solitary confinement before .execution. This period was gradually reduced to eight months, but in recent years the courts have, shown a tendency to speed up justice. Now, with 28 murderers in the death cells, they average not more than six months’ confinement.

Since the exposure by the Seabury Commission of political graft and Court irregularities in New York City, murderers have less chance of buying their way to freedom. All except six of the 28 murderers are from New York City. Only three of the condemned men have their execution date set. They, are Anthony Lopez, for killing a policeman, and two negroes for slaying two compatriots. They will die on June 1. Court appeals may grant new trials to five or six of the remainder, - but eventually the majority will go to the electric chair.

Out of the 28, there is only woman to die. She is Anna Antonio, who assisted Sam Feraci ’and Vincent Saetta to kill her husband in an insurance plot. They bungled the whole matter badly, did not collect a penny of insurance, and were convicted a year after their fearful crime.