January 12, 2008

80 years ago
1928

Died on this date
Mrs. Ruth Brown Snyder, 33, and her lover, corset salesman Henry Judd Gray, 34, were executed in the electric chair at Sing Sing Prison, New York, at 11:06 P.M. and 11:14 P.M. respectively. They had been convicted at Long Island City on May 9, 1927 (by their own separate confessions) of the murder of the woman's husband, 45-year-old Albert Snyder, art editor of Motor Boating magazine. Mr. Snyder had been found in his bed at the Snyder residence in Queen's Village, L.I., strangled and clubbed to death, on March 20, 1927. Mrs. Snyder's last words were: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." She was survived by a 10-year-old daughter, as was Mr. Gray. Autopsies of the murderers showed that they had normal brains. The reader will note that the trial took place just two months after the crime, and the execution took place just eight months after the trial, in contrast to the 15-20 years of appeals that are so common today. Ah, the good old days...One of the official witnesses to the execution was Thomas Howard, a reporter with the New York Daily News. Howard had strapped a camera to his leg, and snapped a picture at the moment the switch was turned on while Mrs. Snyder was in the chair. The photo was published on the front page, under the headline "Dead!", and the reaction was so sensational that the Daily News had to print 750,000 extra copies to meet the additional demand. Security at executions has been beefed up since then. Howard's actions inspired the 1933 movie Picture Snatcher, starring James Cagney. If you want to see the infamous photo, just Google Ruth Snyder, and you'll find a number of sites that have it.

50 years ago
1958

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents on CBS
Tonight's episode: Together, starring Joseph Cotten and Christine White

Football
NFL
Ray Prochaska, who had served with the Edmonton Eskimos as an assistant coach under Pop Ivy from 1955-1957, shocked the club by telling them that he was turning down the position of head coach with the Eskimos to join Mr. Ivy as an assistant with the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League. He would have made more money as a head coach in Canada (approximately $15,000 per year) than as an assistant in the NFL.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
Edmonton's top 10 (CJCA)
1 Hello Goodbye--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)
2 Daydream Believer--The Monkees
3 Bottle of Wine--The Fireballs
4 Dear Eloise--The Hollies
5 Jezebel--The Witness Inc.
6 Next Plane to London--The Rose Garden
7 Neon Rainbow--The Box Tops
8 Monterey--Eric Burdon and the Animals
9 Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)--John Fred and his Playboy Band
10 Different Drum--Stone Poneys
Pick of the Week: That's All Right--Brenda Lee
New this week: I Wish it Would Rain--The Temptations
Keep the Ball Rolling--Al Hirt
New Orleans--Neil Diamond
Just Dropped In--The First Edition
Has She Got the Nicest Eyes--Gary Lewis and the Playboys

25 years ago
1983

Died on this date
Nikolai Podgorny, 79. President of the U.S.S.R., 1965-1977.