Thomas Fitzgerald, 1919 October 17

to the spot in the celler where he had buried the body underneath a
pile of coal, Fitzgerald said that after he had seen the girl early
that morning he had gone home to sleep, He awoke around noon and no-
ticed the girl approaching the building, on her return from the park
and met her in the hall, He asked her if she wanted some candy and
when she hesitated, he lifted her in hgs arms and carried her into
his room, hen she began screaming, he threw her across a bed and
manually strangled her to death, After he had dressed, he carried the
body to the celler and concealed it. At his trial, his defense was
one of insanity but he was convicted and sentenced to die, A last
minute BX¥XX petition for a stay of execution on the grounds on in-
sanity was filed by his wife and denied by Judge Kennesaw M, Landis
and he was hanged in the Cook County Jail on Oct, 17, 1919, Prior to
his execution, he issued a statement expressing his sorrow for the
crime and expressing his willingness to expiate it with his own death,
His last words, in reply to the question as to whether or not he had
anything to say, were: "No, thank you," His body was returned to
Lafayette for burial,

SERRE, TAP Was PASE te se, WH abdPodb RS gay PONY

to the spot in the celler where he had buried the body underneath a
pile of coal, Fitzgerald said that after he had seen the girl early
that morning he had gone home to sleep, He awoke around noon and no-
ticed the girl approaching the building on her return from the park
and met her in the hall, He asked her if she wanted some candy. and
when she hesitated, he lifted her in hs arms and carried her into
his room, Uhen she began screaming, he threw her across a bed and
manually strangled her to death, After he had dressed, he carried the
body to the celler and concealed it, At his trial, his defense was
one of insanity but he was convicted and sentenced to die, A last
minute HXEAX petition for a stay of execution on the grounds on in-
sanity was filed by his wife and denied by Judge Kennesaw M, Landis
and he was hanged in the Cook County Jail on Oct, 17, 1919, Prior to
his execution, he issued a statement expressing his sorrow for the
crime and expressing his willingness to expiate it with his own death,
His last words, in reply to the question as to whether or not he had
anything to say, were: ""No, thank you," His body was returned to
Lafayette for burial,

IRL, A Sts MBSE ts ae, EFA od gS gy Mo Soy oT

to the spot in the celler where he had buried the body underneath a
pile of coal, Fitzgerald said that after he had seen the girl early
that morning he had gone home to sleep, He awoke around noon and no=
ticed the girl approaching the building. on her return from the park
and met her in the hall, He asked her if she wanted some candy and
when she hesitated, he lifted her in hés arms and carried her into
his room, hen she began screaming, he threw her across a bed and
manually strangled her to death, After he had dressed, he carried the
body to the celler and concealed it, At his trial, his defense was
one of insanity but he was convicted and sentenced to die, A last

minute #XEXX petition for a stay of execution on the grounds on in-

sanity was filed by his wife and denied by Judge Kennesaw M, Landi
and he was hanged in the Cook County Jail on Oc
his exccution, he issued a statement exp
ime and expressing his willingness to expiate it with his own death,
last words, in reply to the ouestion as to whether or not he had
anything to say, weret ""No, thank you," His body was returned to
Lafayette for burial,

IRS, Eas Seta ee, Heb od gS BI Me Sty 7

“FIT@GERALD, Thomas Richard

Fitzgerald, a 39-fear-old white man, was a native of Lafayette, Ind,
who had lived in Chicago, Ill,, for 25 years. For many years a taxi
driver, he had become the night watchman of the Virginia Hotel early
in 1919, He and his wife had, for a number of years, lived in an
appartment located at 112 East Superior St., as @id the parents of
T=year-old Janet Wilkinson, In 1918, Fitzgerald, whose only previous
criminal offense had been a conviction for larceny for which he had
served 60 days in the county jail fourteen years preiouvsly, was
arrested, convicted and fined for indcent exposure before two small
girls, In, December, 1918, Janet Wilkinson complained to her mother
that Wilkinson had invited her into his apartment for candy and kissed
her, On the morning of July 22, the child went to a nearby park to
play and was seen, by one of her playmates talking to Wilkinson,

She was not seen alive again after she left the park to go to her

home for dinner, ‘Wilkinson was taken into custody for questioning
that night and steadfastl y denied any knowledge of the girl's dis-
appearance until July 27 when, after eight hours of ¥AK#MX continuous
and various psychological interrogations (on one occasion he was urged

to confess by a policeman in the garb of a priest and on another he
was questioned if a darkened room before a Fable on which the honda

from dolls were laid out) &MXXXKEK he finally confessed and led officerg¢

FITZGERALD, Thomas Richard

Fitzgerald, a 39-ear-old white man, was a native of Lafayette, Ind,
who had lived in Chicago, Ill,, for 25 years. For many years a taxi
driver, he had become the night watchman of the Virginia Hotel early
in 1919, He and his wife had, for a number of years, lived in an
apprtment located at 112 East Superior St., as lid the parents of
7=year-old Janet Wilkinson, In 1918, Fitzgerald, whose only previous
criminal offense had been a conviction for larceny for which he had
served 60 days in the county jail fourteen years preiouvsly, was
arrested, convicted and fined for indecent exposure before two small
girls. In, December, 1916, Janet Wilkinson complained to her mother
that Wilkinson had invited her into his apartment for candy and kissed
her, On the morning of July 22, the child went to a nearby park to
play and was seen, by one of her playmates talking to ‘Wilkinson,

She was not seen alive again after she left the park to go to her

home for dinner, Wilkinson was taken into custody for questioning
that night and steadfastl y denied any knowledge of the girl's dis-
appearance until July 27 when, after eight hours of ¥AKSHX continuous
and various psychological interrogations (on one occasion he was urged

to_ confess by a, policeman in the garb of a priest and on another h
was questionéd ah a darkened room before a table on which the holds

from dolls were laid out) &HXXXKHN he finally confessed and led officerd

FITZSERALD, Thomas Richard

Fitegerald, a 39-fear-old white man, was a native of Lafayette, Ind,
who had lived in Chicago, Ill,, for 25 years, For many years a taxi
driver, he had become the night watchman of the Virginia Hotel early
in 1919, Ke and his wife had, for a number of years, lived in an
apprtment located at 11? East Superior St., as Bid the parents of
T=year-old Janet Wilkinson, In 1918, Fitzgerald, whose only previous
criminal offense had been a conviction for larcety for which he had
served 60 days in the county jail fourteen years preiouvsly, was
arrested, convicted and fined for indcent exposure before two small
girls, In, December, 1918, Janet Wilkinson complained to her mother
that Wilkinson had invited her into his apartment for candy and kissed
her. On the morning of July 22, the child went to a nearby park to
play and was seen, by one of her playmates talking to “Alkinson,
Sho as not saen elive again after she Left the park to go to her
hone for dinner, villins taken into custody for questioning
that night and steadfast z denied ary knowledge of the girl's dis-
appearance until July 27 when, after eight hours of ¥M#M continuous
rariou: re eK
seeeatepe bya potigena IM ihe°faro of 6p Ror nae ereeiies hee
estionéd “th room before a babl
rom dai tetaereniaes anes before a table on which the hand
finally confessed and Led officer

aly ooneeesed and Ted afer