- Arthur Gooch (criminal)
Arthur Gooch (died
June 19 ,1936 http://users.bestweb.net/~rg/execution/OKLAHOMA.htm] ) was a American criminal, who is notable for being the only person ever be executed under the federal Lindbergh kidnapping law.Gooch was the only person sentenced to death and executed by the
United States Federal Government [ [http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=29&did=149 Federal Executions 1927-2003 ] ] for kidnapping, while a victims remained unharmed. Gooch participated in kidnapping two policemen inTexas and released them inOklahoma . [ [http://www.deathrowspeaks.info/federal/federaldeathpenalty.html ] at www.deathrowspeaks.info] In contrast Victor Geuger, the last federal inmate executed before 2001 (1963 inIowa ) was charged for kidnapping, but his victim died. PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt declined to commute the sentence. [cite news
author=
title=Business, Pleasure & Politics
date=1936-06-29
work=Time Magazine
url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,770189,00.html
accessdate=2008-08-09]Although
electric chair was an only method of executions inOklahoma at this time, Gooch was executed byhanging . Like Gooch, another federal inmateJames Alderman , executed inFlorida onAugust 17 ,1929 , was also hanged, despite Florida State law authorized electrocution as a sole method. [http://users.bestweb.net/~rg/execution/DATA%20FEDERAL.htm]The sentence was carried out by Oklahoma's state electrician
Richard Earnest Owen . According to the witnesses Gooch's hanging was performed by a botched way and his death lasted 15 minutes. Many blamed Owen for this failure, because this was the only hanging he ever performed. [ [http://www.angelfire.com/fl3/starke/executionersong.html The Executioner's Song ] ]His last words: "It's kind of funny--dying. I think I know what it will be like. I'll be standing there, and all of a sudden everything will be black, then there'll be a light again. There's got to be a light again--there's got to be.". [http://www.burkfoster.com/AnyLastWords.wpd]
Gooch was 27-year old at time of his execution.
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