Ruth Snyder

RS (1895-1928) became the first woman to be electrocuted at the Sing Sing prison, Ossining, NY, USA on 12 January 1928 11.01 pm. This was after she was awarded the death sentence for the murder of Albert, her husband on 13 March 1927. This had been collaborated along with her lover, Judd Gray.

Thomas Howard, a Daily News photographer and one of the official witnesses had a camera strapped to his leg and he took the photograph of Ruth at the moment she was dying. The day after the execution, Daily News had the front page filled by the enlarged picture showing Ruth at the moment of her death. The picture was such a hit that the News had to run off an additional 750,000 copies.

It is a dramatic, horrifying photograph, and has become famous over the years. Its impact was so great that for all future executions at Sing Sing, witnesses were searched before being allowed into the Death Chamber.

Later, Ogden Nash wrote a play called Machinal based on this case. The part of Judd Gray was played by Clarke Gable.