George W. Barrett
Encyclopedia
George W. Barrett also called Diamond King, was the first person sentenced to death by hanging
under a congressional act that made it a capital offense to kill a federal agent. On December 7, 1935 he was convicted of first degree murder in the death of special agent Nelson B. Klein by a Federal court jury. He was 55 years old at the time of death.
Barrett had worked as a streetcar conductor in Cincinnati before the murder. He came to the attention of the FBI because he was wanted for car theft and interstate transportation of vehicles. FBI agents Nelson B. Klein and Donald McGovern had tracked Barrett to College Corner, Indiana when Barrett barricaded himself in a garage and began to shoot, injuring Klein. The mortally wounded Klein fired back, hitting Barrett in both legs. Shortly thereafter, the local police arrived, and Barrett was taken to a local hospital and treated for his wounds. After several days he was released, and then taken to Indianapolis
where he was tried and convicted of the murder of a federal agent.
The state of Indiana
had adopted the electric chair
as a method of execution in 1913, and was unprepared to carry out Barret's preference for hanging as the method of execution. A farmer, Phil Hanna, who had taken up the study of hanging executions as a hobby was called upon to perform the execution by the method required by the sentence. Before the trap was sprung at 12:02 pm, Barrett was asked if he had any last words, but did not respond. Barrett was still crippled from his wounds at the time of his execution, and had to be carried to the gallows on a stretcher and supported by deputy marshals. Barrett's last request was to see his brother, John, but no response was received to a telegram sent before his execution. There were approximately 50 official witnesses at the time of his death.
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
under a congressional act that made it a capital offense to kill a federal agent. On December 7, 1935 he was convicted of first degree murder in the death of special agent Nelson B. Klein by a Federal court jury. He was 55 years old at the time of death.
Barrett had worked as a streetcar conductor in Cincinnati before the murder. He came to the attention of the FBI because he was wanted for car theft and interstate transportation of vehicles. FBI agents Nelson B. Klein and Donald McGovern had tracked Barrett to College Corner, Indiana when Barrett barricaded himself in a garage and began to shoot, injuring Klein. The mortally wounded Klein fired back, hitting Barrett in both legs. Shortly thereafter, the local police arrived, and Barrett was taken to a local hospital and treated for his wounds. After several days he was released, and then taken to Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
where he was tried and convicted of the murder of a federal agent.
The state of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
had adopted the electric chair
Electric chair
Execution by electrocution, usually performed using an electric chair, is an execution method originating in the United States in which the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body...
as a method of execution in 1913, and was unprepared to carry out Barret's preference for hanging as the method of execution. A farmer, Phil Hanna, who had taken up the study of hanging executions as a hobby was called upon to perform the execution by the method required by the sentence. Before the trap was sprung at 12:02 pm, Barrett was asked if he had any last words, but did not respond. Barrett was still crippled from his wounds at the time of his execution, and had to be carried to the gallows on a stretcher and supported by deputy marshals. Barrett's last request was to see his brother, John, but no response was received to a telegram sent before his execution. There were approximately 50 official witnesses at the time of his death.