/te Philadelphia and fold Miss Flesher that he had killed a man in
Scranton, She accompanied him to a wooded ravine outside of Runnemede,
Ne Jes and he abandoned the car there. It was found on Feb, I)th but
it was not until Feb, 12 that its ownership was traced and the Scran-
ton authorities notified, In the meantime, he and Miss Flesher had
gone to Camden, N, J., where Sloat's sister, Mary Lillian, was living
with her common-law husbandyfor whom she had deserted her legal husband
and child in Scranton, Edward Saunders, and told them about the murder,
Sloat and Saunders then robbed the cash register in the restaurant wher
Saunders worked and both couples left town, Saunders and Sloat's sis-
ter returned to Camden on Feb, 1) and were arrested in connection with
the westaurant robbery. They both told the officers that Sloat had
killed Lowry and told them where to find Lowry's body, Sloat and Miss
Flesher were arrested int heir Philadelphia roomigg house and Sloat
denied the:killing, When: taken to the murder scene before Lowry's body
“had been removed, his face turned white but he still denied the killing
At his trial, his sister, Saunders and Miss Flesher, who had sought to
marry in jail after his arrest, all testified against him, He collapse
during the trial and it had to be halted for four days, When it resume
his attorney announced that Sloat would not take the stand in his own
behalf and presented a defense that lasted for only 25 minutes, He
was convicted following a jury deliberation of one hour and when the
verdict was returned, he broke down and cried for fifteen mintues be=
te Phitadelphia and told Miss Flesher that he had killed a man in
Scranten, She accompanied him to a wooded ravine outside of Runnemede
N, Je; and he abandoned the car there, It was found on Feb, /;th but
it was not until Feb, 12 that its ownership was traced and the Scran-
ton authorities notified, In the meantime, he and Miss Flesher had
gone to Camden, N. J., where Sloat's sister, Mary Lillian, was living
with her common-law husbandgfor whom she had deserted her legal husband|
and child in Scranton, Edward Saunders, and told them about the murder,
Sloat and Saunders then robbed the cash register in the restaurant wher
Saunders worked and both couples left town. Saunders and Sloat's sis-
ter returned to Camden on Febs 1 and were arrested in connection with
the pestaurant robbery. They both told the officers that Sloat had
killed Lowry and told them where to find Lowry's body, Sloat and Miss
Flesher were arrested int heir Philadelphia roomigg house and Sloat
denied the:killing. When taken to the murder scene before Lowry's body
| had been: removed, his face turned white but he still denied the killing
At his trial, his sister, Saunders and Miss Flesher, who had sought to
marry in jail after his arrest, all testified against him, He collapse
during the trial and it had to be halted for four days. When it resume
his attorney announced that Sloat would not take the stand in his own
behalf and bregented a defense that lasted for only 25 minutes. He
was convicted following a jury deliberation of one hour and when the
verdict was returned, he broke down and cried for fifteen mintues be-
® Phitadelphia and told Miss Flesher that he had killed a man in
Scranton, She accompanied him to a wooded ravine outside of Runnemede,
N, Jey and he abandoned the car there, It was found on Feb, ith but 1
it was not until Feb, 12 that its ownership was traced and the Scran-
ton authorities notified, In the meantime, he and Miss Flesher had
gone to Camden, N, J., where Sloat's sister, Mary Lillian, was living
with her common-law husbandsfor whom she had deserted her legal fue
and child in Scranton, Edward Saunders, and told then about the mrder,
Sloat and Saunders then robbed the cash register in the restaurant wher
Saunders worked and both couples left town, Saunders and Sloat's si
ter returned to Camden on Feb, 1h and were arrested in connection with
the wéstaurant robbery, They both told the officers that Sloat had
killed Lowry and told ae yhere to find Lowry's body, Sloat and Miss
Flesher were arrested int heir Philadelphia roomigg house and Sloat
denied the: killings ‘when: taken to the murder scene before Lowry's body
had been: removed, 4 4
At his trial, his sister, Saunders and Miss Flesher,
marry in jail after his arrest, all testified against him, He collapse!
eae the trial and it had to be halted for four days, myhen it resume
his pttomey annopnged the fyhpt, Sloat, would not, take the stand in his, own
was convicted following a pe deliberation of one hour and when the
verdict was returned, he troke down and cried for fifteen mintues be-
SLOAT =< continued rau gee
fore officers could raise him to his feet and apply handcuffs, He
then screamed to the judge and jury: You'll find out? You'll find
outf Saunders framed me, He has no heart, You'll find out and
it won't be long." His appeal was unsuccessful and on March 31,
1930, he was electrocuted at the Rockview State Prison, ‘hen he
entered the death chamber, there was a dazed expression on his face
and his eyes had a faraway look, Whe officers lifted him under the
armpits to place him in the chair, he began screaming: "I don't have
to go!" "Let me talk! "Give me a chance}" He continued screaming
hysterically until the leather mask was pulled tightly about his
face and then the only sound was groans until the current was applied.
while talking with the chaplain before the execution, he cried con
tinuously for two hours, maintaining that he was innocent and claiming
that he had been framed by the Scranton police befause he had witnessed
the murder of a 16-year-old girl in the jail there, He aes nae
religious consolation. The execution was witnessed by Spe Sl eeu
and as Sloat's family did not claim his body, it was buried in the p
son cemeterye
Li7 ATLANTIC 83h
SCRANTON TIMES, Scranton, Pae, March 31, 1930, Photograph, pee ONG,
SLOAT - continued -
fore officers could raise him to his feet and apply handcuffs, He
then screamed to the judge and jury: You'll find out? You'll find
outf Saunders framed meg He has no heart, You'll find out and
it won't be long," His appeal was unsuccessful and on March 31,
1930, he was electrocuted at the Rockview State Prison, ‘hen he
entered the death chamber, there was a dazed expression on his face
and his eyes had a faraway look, When officers lifted him under the
armpits to place him in the chair, he began screaming: "I don't have
to go!" "Let me talk!" "Give me a chancel" He continued screaming
hysterically until the leather mask was pulled tightly about his
face and then the only sound was groans until the current was applied.
While talking with the chaplain before the execution, he cried con=
tinuously for two hours, maintaining that he was innocent and claiming
that he had been framed by the Scranton police befause he had witnessed|
the murder of a 16-year-old garl in the jail there, He oars af
religious consolation, The execution was witnessed by Lowry's a el
and ss Sloat's family did not claim his body, it was buried in the pr
son cemeterye
147 ATLANPIC 83)
SCRANTON TIMES, Scranton, Paes March 31, 1930. Photography ve Ones
SEOAT = continued
fore officers could raise hin to his feet and apply handcuffs, He
then screamed to the judge and jury: You'll find out} You'll find
out! Saunders framed me, He has no heart, You'll find out and
it won't be long." His appeal was unsuccessful and on March 31,
1930, he was electrocuted at the Rockview State Prison, ‘hen he
entered the death chamber, there was a dazed expression on his face
and his eyes had a faraway look, When officers lifted him under the
armpits to place him in the chair, he began screaming: "I don't have
to gol" "Let me talk{" "Give me a chance}" He continued screaming
hysterically until the leather mask was pulled tightly about his
face and then the only sound was groans until the current was applied.
Vhile talking with the chaplain before the execution, he cried con-
tinuously for two hours, maintaining that he was innocent and claiming
that he had been framed by the Scranton police befause he ked witnessed
the murder of a l6-year-old qarl in the jail there, He refused all
religious consolation, The execution was witnessed by Lowry's father
and es Sloat's family did not claim his body, it was buried in the pr
son cemeter;
berye
1b? ATLANTIC 83),
SCRANTON TIMES, Scranton, Pas, March 31, 1930, Photograph, page once
Shs say gharanenreas treet Gee
aS GA atl i ALS fears : Xe] ann LN wy
udgé and jury: "
e
@ jury: "
SLOAT, Ralph Russell |
Sloat, a 28-year-old white native of Seranton, Pae, who used several: —
different aliases, had been in trouble with the law constantly after
he was arrested for the first time in 1918 and sent to Huntington Re-=
formatory following conviction on a charge of car, theft in which he
shot and wounded two men who pursued him, In 1921 he was arrested
again on a car theft charge and returned to the reformatory, Trans-
ferred from there to Eastern Penitentiary in 1923, he served the re-~
mainder of his time there and was released in 1925, In Septe, 1925,
he was again arrested for carrying a concealed weapon after he failed
to pay a taxi fare and was sentenced to one HHHKK year in the Lacka-
wanna County Prison, He was released on parole seven months later, In
the latter part of January, 1929, he was living with his common-law wife
Julia Flssher in a rooming house on Summer St,, Philadelphia, when he
returned to Scranton for a brief visit. On the morning of Feb, 2, 1929,
hetold an acquaintence that he would return to Phikadelphia that night
regardless of, what he had to do, Around 9 o'clock, he telephone for a
taxi and 20-year-old driver John Lowry picked him up. They drove out
of town and when Lowry stopped the cab at his request, Sloat. shot him
in the back of the head, He then carried the body to’ Rockwell Creek
near Morgan Highway and placed it in the water, covering it with large
stones, After removing the taxi signs from the automobile he drove it
SLOAT, Ralph Russell one
Sloat, a 28-year-old white native of Scranton, Pas, who used several
different aliases, had been in trouble with the law constantly after
he was arrested for the first time in 1918 and sent to Huntington Re-=
formatory following conviction on a charge of car, theft in which he
shot and wounded two men who pursued him, In 1921 he was arrested
again on a car theft charge and returned to the reformatory, Trans-
ferred from there to Eastern Penitentiary in 1923, he served the re-
mainder of his time there and was released in 1925, In Septe, 1925,
he was again arrested for carrying a concealed weapon after he failed
to pay a taxi fare and was sentenced to one HMHKK year in the Lacka-
wanna County Prison, He was released on parole seven months later, In
the latter part of January, 1929, he was living with his common-law wifd
Julia Flssher in a rooming house on Summer St., Philadelphia, when he
returned to Scranton for a brief visit. On the morning of Feb. 2, 1929
hetold an acquaintence that he would return to Phikadelphia that night
regardless of, what he had to do, Around 9 o'clock, he telephone for a
taxi and 20-yeareold driver John Lowry picked him up. They drove out
of town and when Lowry stopped the cab at his request, Sloat shot him
in the back of the head, He then carried the body to’ Rockwell Creek
near Morgan Highway and placed it in the water, covering it with large
stones, After removing the taxi signs from the automobile he drove it.
SIOAT, Ralph Russell
‘Sloat, a 28-year-old white native of Scranton, Pas, who used several
different aliases, had been in trouble with the law constantly after
he was arrested for the first time in 1918 and sent to Huntington Re-
formatory following conviction on a charge of car, theft in which he
shot and wounded two men who pursued him, In 1921 he was arrested
again on a car theft charge and returned to the reformatory, Trans-
ferred from there to Eastern Penitentiary in 1923, he served the re~
nainder of his time there and was released in 1925, In Sept., 1925,
he was again arrested for carrying a concealed weapon after he failed
to pay a taxi fare and was sentenced to one KEHKK year in the Lacka-
He was released on parole seven months later, In
wanna County Prison,
the latter part of January, 1929, he was living with his common-law wifd
Julia Flssher in a rooming house on Summer St., Philadelphia, when he
returned to Scranton for a brief visit, On the morning of Feb, 2, 1929,
hetold an acquaintence that he would return to Philadelphia that night
regardless of, what he had to do, Around 9 o'clock, he telephone for a
taxi and 20-year-old driver John Lowry picked him up, They drove out
of town and vhen Lowry stopped the cab at his request, Sloat. shot him
the back of the head, He then carried the body to’Rockwell Creel
near Morgan Righway and placed it in the water, covering it with large
stones, After removing the taxi signs from the automobile he drove it
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