John Hulbert (executioner)

John Hulbert (also John Hurlbert) was the executioner for the states of New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts from 1913 to 1926.[1][2] Hulbert was trained as "state electrician" by his predecessor, Edwin F. Davis, and oversaw 140 executions during his tenure.[3]

According to his colleague, Sing Sing prison physician Amos Squire, Hulbert became significantly depressed about his job, but performed the duty for the good salary of $150 per execution.[4] Hulbert went to lengths to maintain his privacy, never allowed the press to obtain a photograph, and was described in newspapers as "the man who walks alone."[5] Following a nervous breakdown in 1926, Hulbert retired as executioner. He said, "I got tired of killing people."[1]

In 1929, Hulbert became further depressed over the death of his wife and, at the age of 59, committed suicide by shooting himself.[6]

See also

List of executioners

References

  1. ^ a b Gonnerman, Jennifer (January 18, 2005). "The Last Executioner". The Village Voice. http://www.villagevoice.com/2005-01-18/news/the-last-executioner/3/. 
  2. ^ Solotaroff, Ivan (November 2002). The Last Face You'll Ever See: The Culture of Death Row. Harper. pp. 22–23. ISBN 9780060931032. 
  3. ^ Banner, Stuart (March 2003). The Death Penalty: An American History. Harvard University Press. p. 195. ISBN 0674010833. 
  4. ^ Conover, Ted (June 2001). Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing. Vintage. p. 190. ISBN 0375726624. 
  5. ^ Gado, Mark (November 2007). Death row women: murder, justice, and the New York press. Praeger. pp. 30–31. ISBN 9780275993610. 
  6. ^ Abbot, Jeffrey (April 2006). Execution: The Guillotine, the Pendulum, the Thousand Cuts, the Spanish Donkey, and 66 Other Ways of Putting Someone to Death. St. Martin's Press. p. 190. ISBN 0312352220.