Condemned: Inside the Sing Sing Death House

Witness

PARAMOUNT THEATRE TIMES SQUARE NEW YORK OFFICE OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR June 30, 1948 Acting Warden C. J. Ferling Sing Sing Prison Ossining, N.Y. Dear Warden: Thank you for your kind invitation to be present as a witness at the execution of Anthony R. Papa on July 1st. Inasmuch as this letter did not reach me until the morning of the 30th, it was too late for me to arrange my appointments to be there in time. However, please accept my sincere thanks for remembering to communicate with me. Sincerely yours, ROBERT M. WEITMAN Witness What makes someone request permission to witness an execution? What are the relationships between the condemned, the executioners, and the witnesses? The answers to these and other questions are often subject to speculation, yet they may help explain some essential aspects of capital punishment. At Sing Sing, as in executions performed at the end of the twentieth century, the state required those present formally to attest and certify that they had witnessed the implementation of the death sentence. Some among the witnesses attended for the express purpose of reporting to the public about what had happened; others were required to attend, in the performance of their jobs. 122 C O N D E M N E D Middletown Police Social Club Middletown, New York Incorporated 1919 Affiliated with Police Conference, State of New York March 8, 1954 Warden W. L. Denno Sing Sing Prison Ossining, New York Dear Sir: This is to acknowledge your invitation to the executions on Thursday March 11, 1954. I am replying for Ptl. Edward Durkin and myself. We will both attend. Respectfully yours, Sherwood Myers Witness 123 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AGAINST JOHN RANFORD #102–682 I, WILLIAM E. SNYDER Warden of Sing Sing Prison, Pursuant to Section 508 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the State of New York, do hereby certify that, in obedience thereto and in conformity with the judgment and sentence of the above Court, which judgment has been affirmed by the Court of Appeals of the State of New York, did attend on the 25th day of May 1944 at Sing Sing Prison, Ossining, Westchester County, New York, upon the execution of the judgment of said Court, and that the said John Ranford the prisoner named therein, was then and there, to wit, at the time and place aforesaid, executed in conformity with the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the State of New York. I do further certify that the persons invited by me as such Warden, to be present at said execution, and whose names are hereinafter subscribed were the persons and all the persons present and witnessing the execution of judgment and sentence upon the said JOHN RANFORD #102–682. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WARDEN OF SING SING PRISON Dated, Ossining, N.Y. May 25,1944 We, the undersigned, do certify that we were present and witnessed the execution of the judgment and sentence of JOHN RANFORD #102–684 as set forth in the foregoing certificate and we do hereby, pursuant to the Statute, at Sing Sing Prison, Ossining, Westchester County, New York, subscribed to the same on the 25th day of May,1944. WITNESSES: OFFICERS: E. B. Ferguson Thomas J. Keeley, Principal Keeper I. Popps Chas. W. Priest, Asst.Prin.Keeper Emil B. Spivak F. Vetter, Captain D. A. Young M. Darrow, Sergeant Raymond Ayers J. Nolan, Sergeant Fred Morris John A. Lamahan, Sergeant Sanford Rivenburgh Louis J. Kelley, Lieutenant J. Woodrow Wilson Wm. T. Alger, Sgt. John M. Horn Alfred G. Werben, Sgt. George T. Griffen J. Toploski, Sgt. John E. Allen Julian B. Moss J. C. Dorbandt Robert H. Fillmore Robert I. Bennett Gustave Mederer Raymond Harrigan Hugo W. Busch Harold E. Pullen 124 C O N D E M N E D Witness 125 name: number: age: physical: education: religion: crime: claims: judge: sentenced: received: executed: John Ranford 102–682 40 6', 164 lbs. No schooling Baptist Struck Valdemar E. Nielson with tire iron, robbery, day, Manhassett, LI Claims innocence Collins, Nassau County Court 11–17–43 11–17–43 5–25–44 ...