List of People Executed in New York

This list of individuals executed in New York gives the names of some of the individuals executed by the U.S. state of New York, as well as the individual's date of execution, method of execution, and the name of the Governor of New York at the date of execution. 1963 marked the last execution in New York State.

Regarding electrocutions, which comprise a large percentage of the executions:

  • 24 people were electrocuted at Dannemora
  • 55 people were electrocuted at Auburn
  • 614 were electrocuted at Sing Sing.
This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
Name of the convict Execution date Method Charge Governor Image
Gregory Peterson 5 August 1639 Firing squad Unknown act of mutiny; soldier of the Fort Amsterdam garrison; first execution in New York (Manhattan) Willem Kieft
Jan Creoli 25 June 1646 Asphyxiation and burning Sodomy (charged with "Sodomy, buggery, and bestiality") Willem Kieft
Jan Quisthout van der Linde 17 June 1660 Drowning Sodomy (charged with "Sodomy, buggery, and bestiality") Petrus Stuyvesant
Jacob Leisler 16 May 1691 Hanging Treason after leading the Leisler's Rebellion Henry Sloughter
34 people April 1741 Hanging, burning New York Conspiracy of 1741 George Clarke
John André 2 October 1780 Hanging British spy who recruited Benedict Arnold; assisted in attempted surrender of West Point, New York James Robertson (colonial governor)/George Clinton (elected governor)
Francis Uss 11 July 1789 Hanging Convicted of breaking open and burglarizing a business establishment in Poughkeepsie, New York George Clinton
Anthony Cornish 3 August 1789 Hanging Murder George Clinton
Samuel Cook (or Samuel Cooke) 24 June 1791 Hanging Convicted of forgery. At age 84, Cooke was one of the oldest persons legally hanged in the U.S. The crime involved a falsified legal document used to defraud. George Clinton
Whiting Sweeting 26 August 1791 Hanging Murder of Albany County Constable Darius Quimby on 3 January 1791 George Clinton
James McLean 28 August 1807 Hanging Murder of William Orr Daniel D. Tompkins
Alpheus Hitchcock 11 September 1807 Hanging Murder of his wife, Belinda Bailey Hitchcock Daniel D. Tompkins
Rufus Hill 12 August 1808 Hanging Murder of Mary Sisson Daniel D. Tompkins
Thomas Qua 12 August 1808 Hanging Murder of his wife, Margaret Qua Daniel D. Tompkins
James Dougherty 6 August 1813 Hanging Murder of John Wait Daniel D. Tompkins
John Black, Mahlon Christie, Isaac Kent, and George Orcote 4 June 1814 (other accounts indicate date was in the spring of 1812 or around New Year's Eve 1813) Shot Desertion Daniel D. Tompkins
James Graham 29 July 1814 Hanging Murders of Hugh Cameron and Alexander McGiffrey Daniel D. Tompkins
Mary Antoine 30 September 1814 Hanging "illed a 'female' who had 'alienated her husband's affection'"; daughter of Abram Antoine Daniel D. Tompkins
Charles Thompson and James Peters (aka Peterson) August 1815 Hanging Murder of James Burba Daniel D. Tompkins
Barent Becker 6 October 1815 Hanging Murder of his wife, Ann Becker Daniel D. Tompkins
James Hamilton 6 November 1818 Hanging Murder of U.S. Rifle Corps Major Benjamin Birdsall DeWitt Clinton
John Van Alstine (aka Van Alstyne) 19 March 1819 Hanging Murder of Schoharie County Deputy Sheriff William Huddleston DeWitt Clinton
James Teed 16 April 1819 Hanging Murder DeWitt Clinton
David Dunning 16 April 1819 Hanging Murder DeWitt Clinton
Abram (or Abraham) Antoine 12 September 1823 Hanging " avenging the execution of his daughter Mary Antoine by murdering the man whose testimony hanged her." Joseph C. Yates
John Hallock August 1836 Hanging Murder William L. Marcy
Edward Coleman 12 January 1839 Hanging Murder of his wife William H. Seward
Aaron B. Stookey 19 September 1851 Hanging Murder of Edward Moore Washington Hunt
Otto Grunsig 27 February 1852 Hanging Murder of his wife, Victorine Grunsig Washington Hunt
Nicholas Saul 28 January 1853 Hanging Murder of Charles Baxter Horatio Seymour
Nicholas Howlett 28 January 1853 Hanging Murder of Charles Baxter Horatio Seymour
Joseph Clark 11 February 1853 Hanging Murder of NYPD Policeman George T. Gillespie on 10 July 1851 Horatio Seymour
Patrick Fitzgerald 15 November 1853 Hanging Murder of his wife, Margaret Fitzgerald Horatio Seymour
James L. Hoare 27 January 1854 Hanging Murder of Susan McAnnany Horatio Seymour
John Hadcock 24 February 1854 Hanging Murder of Mrs. Mary E. Gregg Horatio Seymour
John Dorsey 17 July 1857 Hanging Murder of Ann McGirr (a.k.a. Ann Hopkins) John Alsop King
James Rogers 12 November 1858 Hanging Murder of John Swanson John Alsop King
James Stephens 3 February 1860 Hanging Murder of his wife, Sophie Stephens Edwin D. Morgan
John Crummins 30 March 1860 Hanging Murder of Dennis McHenry Edwin D. Morgan
Albert W. Hicks 13 July 1860 Hanging Piracy. Notable because he was the last person to be executed for this crime in the United States (although the execution of the slaver Nathaniel Gordon in 1862 was under the terms of the Piracy Law). Edwin D. Morgan
Nathaniel Gordon 21 February 1862 Hanging Slaver Edwin D. Morgan
Bernard Friery 17 August 1866 Hanging Murder of Harry Lazarus Reuben Fenton
Frank Ferris 19 October 1866 Hanging Murder of his wife, Mary Ferris Reuben Fenton
Henry Gardner 1 March 1867 Hanging Murder of Amasa Mullock Reuben Fenton
George Wagner 1 March 1867 Hanging Murder of his wife, Mary Wagner Reuben Fenton
Jeremiah O'Brien 9 August 1867 Hanging Murder of Lucy McLoughlin (a.k.a. Kate Smith) Reuben Fenton
Theodore Nicklas 18 March 1870 Hanging Murder of his uncle, Dr. Andrew Mead John Thompson Hoffman
John Reynolds 8 April 1870 Hanging Murder of William Townsend John Thompson Hoffman
John Real 5 August 1870 Hanging Murder of Patrolman John Smedick John Thompson Hoffman
Edward Rulloff 18 May 1871 Hanging Murder of Frederick Merrick John Thompson Hoffman
John Thomas 10 March 1871 Hanging Murder of Walter Johnson John Thompson Hoffman
Patrick Morrissey 6 September 1872 Hanging Murder of his mother. (The executioner was future President of the United States, Grover Cleveland.) John Thompson Hoffman
John Gaffney 14 February 1873 Hanging Murder of Patrick Fahey. (The executioner was future President of the United States, Grover Cleveland.) John Adams Dix
William Foster 21 March 1873 Hanging Murder of Avery D. Putnam John Adams Dix
Michael Nixon 16 May 1873 Hanging Murder of Charles Phifer John Adams Dix
William Thompson, William Ellis and Charles Weaver (a.k.a. Charles Weston) 17 December 1875 Hanging Murder of Abraham Weisberg Samuel J. Tilden
Johnny Dolan 21 April 1876 Hanging Murder of James H. Noe Samuel J. Tilden
Peter H. Penwell 20 July 1877 Hanging Murder of his wife Lucius Robinson
William Merrick 29 January 1879 Hanging Murder of his wife, Julia A. Merrick Lucius Robinson
Chastine Cox 16 July 1880 Hanging Murder of Jane L. DeForest Hull Alonzo B. Cornell
Pietro Balbo 6 August 1880 Hanging Murder of his wife, Maria Dichaco Balbo Alonzo B. Cornell
Joseph Abbott 6 January 1882 Hanging Murder of George Reed, a fellow Elmira Reformatory inmate Alonzo B. Cornell
William Sindram 21 April 1882 Hanging Murder of Catharine Craves Alonzo B. Cornell
Augustus D. Leighton 19 May 1882 Hanging Murder of Mary Dean Alonzo B. Cornell
Michael E. "Mike" McGloin 9 March 1883 Hanging Murder of Louis Hanier Grover Cleveland
Pasquale Majone 9 March 1883 Hanging Murder of mother-in-law, Maria Velindino Selta Grover Cleveland
Edward Hovey 19 October 1883 Hanging Murder of sister-in-law, Fanny Vermilyea Grover Cleveland
Charles Clarke 23 May 1884 Hanging Murder of his wife, Martha Clarke Grover Cleveland
William Menken 1885 Hanging Murder of Mary Bradhoft David B. Hill
George H. Mills 10 April 1885 Hanging Murder of his wife David B. Hill
Miguel Chacon 9 July 1886 Hanging Murder of Maria Williams David B. Hill
Roxana (or Roxalana) Druse 28 February 1887 Hanging Murder of her husband William Druse; last female to be hanged in New York David B. Hill
Danny Lyons 21 August 1888 Hanging Murder of Joseph Quinn David B. Hill
Francis Asbury Hawkins a.k.a. Ashbury Hawkins 11 December 1888 Hanging Murder of his mother, Cynthia A. Hawkins, on 1 October 1887 David B. Hill
John Greenwall (né Johann Theodore Wild) 6 December 1889 Hanging Murder of Lyman Smith Weeks; last hanging in New York David B. Hill
William Kemmler 6 August 1890 Electric chair Murder of Tillie Ziegler; first use of the electric chair in the world David B. Hill
Joseph Wood 7 July 1891 Electric chair Murder of a fellow laborer David B. Hill
James Slocum 7 July 1891 Electric chair Murder of his wife David B. Hill
Levy Smiler 7 July 1891 Electric chair Murder of his mistress David B. Hill
Shibuya Jugiro, a Japanese seaman 7 July 1891 Electric chair Murder of one of his comrades David B. Hill
Joseph Wood 2 August 1892 Electric chair Murder Roswell P. Flower
Carlyle Harris 7 May 1893 Electric chair Murder of his wife, Helen Potts Roswell P. Flower
Robert W. Buchanan 1 July 1895 Electric chair Murder of his wife by poison Levi P. Morton
Bartholomew Shea 11 February 1896 Electric Chair Murder of election reformer Robert Ross Levi P. Morton
Giuseppe Constantino 22 June 1897 Electric chair Murder of Pietro Galliotti Frank S. Black
Martha M. Place 20 March 1899 Electric chair Murder of her daughter, Ida Place Theodore Roosevelt
Leon F. Czolgosz 29 October 1901 Electric chair Murder of US President William McKinley Benjamin Odell, Jr.
James P. "Whitey" Sullivan 24 March 1903 Electric chair Murder of Matthew Wilson during a bank robbery Benjamin Odell, Jr.
William "Goat" Hinch 6 July 1903 Electric chair Murder of Matthew Wilson during a bank robbery Benjamin Odell, Jr.
Willis, Frederick, and Burton van Wormer (brothers) 1 October 1903 Electric chair Murder of uncle, Peter Hallenbeck Benjamin Odell, Jr.
Chester Gillette 30 March 1908 Electric chair Murder of Grace Brown Charles Evans Hughes
Charles H. Rogers 20 July 1908 Electric chair Murders of Fred and Willis Onley, and Alice Ingerick Charles Evans Hughes
Angelo Laudiero 20 July 1908 Electric chair Murder of Michael DeOmbro Charles Evans Hughes
Fred Gebhardt 12 June 1911 Electric chair Murder John Alden Dix
Salvatore Condido 6 May 1912 Electric chair Murder John Alden Dix
Nicolo Consuli 28 May 1912 Electric chair Murder John Alden Dix
Giuseppe Cerelli 8 July 1912 Electric chair Murder John Alden Dix
Santo Zanza 8 July 1912 Electric chair Murder of Mrs. Mary Hall John Alden Dix
Filippo DeMarco, Angelo Giusto, Lorenzo Cali, Salvatore DeMarco and Vincenzo Cona 12 August 1912 Electric chair Murder of Mrs. Mary Hall John Alden Dix
John W. Collins 12 August 1912 Electric chair Murder of police officer Michael Lynch John Alden Dix
Joseph Ferrone 12 August 1912 Electric chair Murder of his wife, Kate John Alden Dix
Matteo Dell Omo 16 December 1912 Electric chair Murder John Alden Dix
Joseph Garfalo 10 February 1913 Electric chair Murder William Sulzer
Donato Cardillo 10 February 1913 Electric chair Murder William Sulzer
Frederick Poulin 12 February 1913 Electric chair Murder of Charles Leonard William Sulzer
William Linglui 5 May 1913 Electric chair Murder William Sulzer
Raffaele Ciavarella 21 May 1913 Electric chair Murder William Sulzer
Andrew Manco 2 July 1913 Electric chair Murder William Sulzer
Frank Cirofici 13 April 1914 Electric chair Murder of Herman "Beansie" Rosenthal Martin H. Glynn
Harry Horowitz 13 April 1914 Electric chair Murder of Herman "Beansie" Rosenthal Martin H. Glynn
Pietro Rebacci 22 June 1914 Electric chair Murder Martin H. Glynn
George Coyer 31 August 1914 Electric chair Murder of his wife, Elizabeth Coyer Martin H. Glynn
Vincenzo Campanelli 26 February 1915 Electric chair Murder Charles S. Whitman
Giuseppe Gino 22 March 1915 Electric chair Murder Charles S. Whitman
Vincenzo Buoninsegno 31 May 1915 Electric chair Murder Charles S. Whitman
Joseph Ferri 30 June 1915 Electric chair Murder Charles S. Whitman
Charles Becker 30 July 1915 Electric chair Murder of Herman "Beansie" Rosenthal Charles S. Whitman
Father Hans B. Schmidt 18 February 1916 Electric chair Murder of Anna Aumüller; Schmidt remains the only Roman Catholic priest ever executed for murder in the United States Charles S. Whitman
Charles Sprague 1 May 1916 Electric chair Murder Charles S. Whitman
Rickey Harrison 13 May 1920 Electric chair Murder of Canadian soldier George Griffelns Al Smith
John Emieleta 8 January 1925 Electric chair Murder and robbery of Lee Jong Al Smith
John Rys (a.k.a. Joseph Adams) 8 January 1925 Electric chair Murder and robbery of Lee Jong Al Smith
Charles Goldson 6 January 1927 Electric chair Murder of a night watchman in Manhattan Al Smith
Paul Hilton 17 February 1927 Electric chair Murder Al Smith
Ruth Brown Snyder 12 January 1928 Electric chair Murder of her husband Albert Snyder with her lover, Judd Gray Al Smith
Judd Gray 12 January 1928 Electric chair Murder of Ruth Snyder's husband, Albert Snyder Al Smith
Frank Plaia 30 January 1930 Electric chair Murders of Sorro Graziano and his wife, Mary Franklin D. Roosevelt
Michael Sciafoni 30 January 1930 Electric chair Murders of Sorro Graziano and his wife, Mary Franklin D. Roosevelt
Stephen "Bolly" Ziolkowski 29 May 1930 Electric chair Murder of John Perraton during robbery of Fedders Manufacturing company Franklin D. Roosevelt
Italo Ferdinandi 12 December 1930 Electric chair Murder and robbery Franklin D. Roosevelt
Francis Crowley 21 January 1932 Electric chair Murder of police officer Frederick Hirsch Franklin D. Roosevelt
Tony Marino, Joseph Murphy, Francis Pasqua and Daniel Kriesberg June and July 1934 Electric chair Murder of Michael Malloy Herbert H. Lehman
Eva Coo 27 June 1935 Electric chair Murder of Henry Wright Herbert H. Lehman
Patrick Downey 11 July 1935 Electric chair Murder and rape Herbert H. Lehman
Albert Fish 16 January 1936 Electric chair Kidnapping and murder of Grace Budd (confessed to killing other children) Herbert H. Lehman
Frank Flynn 27 February 1936 Electric chair Murder and rape Herbert H. Lehman
Everett Appelgate 17 July 1936 Electric chair Murder of his wife, Ada Appelgate Herbert H. Lehman
Mary Frances Creighton 17 July 1936 Electric chair Murder of Ada Appelgate Herbert H. Lehman
Major Green 19 August 1937 Electric chair Murder and burglary Herbert H. Lehman
Joseph Carosella 20 February 1941 Electric chair Murder and robbery Herbert H. Lehman
Harry Strauss 12 June 1941 Electric chair Member of Murder, Inc. Herbert H. Lehman
Martin Goldstein 12 June 1941 Electric chair Member of Murder, Inc. Herbert H. Lehman
Harry Maione 19 February 1942 Electric chair Member of Murder, Inc. Herbert H. Lehman
Frank Abbandando 19 February 1942 Electric chair Member of Murder, Inc. Herbert H. Lehman
Anthony Esposito 12 March 1942 Electric chair Murders of Alfred Klausman and NYPD traffic officer Ed Maher Herbert H. Lehman
William Esposito 12 March 1942 Electric chair Murders of Alfred Klausman and NYPD traffic officer Ed Maher Herbert H. Lehman
William Diaz 8 July 1943 Electric chair Murder of Edwin Berkowitz Thomas E. Dewey
Benitez DeJesus 8 July 1943 Electric chair Murder of Edwin Berkowitz Thomas E. Dewey
Edward Haight 8 July 1943 Electric chair Murders of Helen Lynch and Margaret Lynch Thomas E. Dewey
Louis Buchalter 4 March 1944 Electric chair Member of Murder, Inc. Thomas E. Dewey
Louis Capone 4 March 1944 Electric chair Member of Murder, Inc. Thomas E. Dewey
Emanuel Weiss 4 March 1944 Electric chair Member of Murder, Inc. Thomas E. Dewey
Edward Kahkoska, Eugene Koberski and Henry Suckow 6 March 1947 Electric chair Murders of Jack Hylands and Tony Marchisella Thomas E. Dewey
Ward Caraway 3 July 1947 Electric chair Murder and robbery Thomas E. Dewey
John M. Dunn 7 July 1949 Electric chair Murder of Anthony "Andy" Hintz Thomas E. Dewey
Andrew "Squint" Sheridan 7 July 1949 Electric chair Murder of Anthony "Andy" Hintz Thomas E. Dewey
Raymond Fernandez 8 March 1951 Electric chair Murders of Janet Fay, Delphine Downing, and Rainelle Downing Thomas E. Dewey
Martha Beck 8 March 1951 Electric chair Murders of Janet Fay, Delphine Downing, and Rainelle Downing Thomas E. Dewey
Julius Rosenberg 19 June 1953 Electric chair Espionage Thomas E. Dewey
Ethel Rosenberg 19 June 1953 Electric chair Espionage Thomas E. Dewey
Gerhard Puff 12 August 1954 Electric chair Murder of an FBI agent Thomas E. Dewey
Elmer "Trigger" Burke 9 January 1958 Electric Chair Murder of Edward "Poochy" Walsh Averell Harriman
Angelo La Marca 7 August 1958 Electric Chair Kidnapping and murder of Peter Weinberger, an infant Averell Harriman
Ralph Dawkins 16 July 1959 Electric Chair Murder and robbery Nelson Rockefeller
Henry Flakes 19 May 1960 Electric Chair Murder of Joseph Friedman in a 1958 robbery Nelson Rockefeller
Eddie Mays 15 August 1963 Electric chair Murder and robbery. This was the last execution in New York prior to the death penalty being declared unconstitutional in New York. Nelson Rockefeller

As a result of several United States Supreme Court decisions, capital punishment was suspended in the United States from 1972 through 1976.

Since 24 June 2004, the New York State death penalty statute has been declared unconstitutional by the New York Court of Appeals.

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    “Every morning I woke in dread, waiting for the day nurse to go on her rounds and announce from the list of names in her hand whether or not I was for shock treatment, the new and fashionable means of quieting people and of making them realize that orders are to be obeyed and floors are to be polished without anyone protesting and faces are to be made to be fixed into smiles and weeping is a crime.”
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