PENALTY OF CRIME

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20106, 13 May 1935, Page 7

PENALTY OF CRIME

ELECTRIC CHAIR CLAIMS FIVE PUBLIC ENEMIES United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received May 12, 6.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, May 11. At Huntville (Texas), Raymond Hamilton, the last man to bear the title “Public Enemy No. 1” was executed in the electric chair. Four others were executed at the same hour, thus cancelling a long series of crimes and marking the end of the Barrow, Hamilton and two other gangs. Hamilton accumulated sentences totalling 363 years, for crimes committed before he was 21 years of age, and he died specifically for the shooting of Major Crowson, a prison guard, during a gaol delivery in January, 1934. The crime was alleged to have been engineered by the late Clyde Barrow. Joe Palmer, who shot his way out with Hamilton on that occasion, died with him today. Both were last week baptised in the Catholic Church. Three other bandits, Gerner, Thielen and Hoff, were executed, after the fourth member of their gang had committed suicide. They killed a bank cashier and shot dead two sheriffs who intercepted them in their fight next day. The five executions occupied 17 minutes.