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Record Group Number: 000670
Series/Collection Number: .S 2178
Creator: Florida. Dept. of Corrections.
Title, Dates: Execution logs 1924-1964.
Amount: 2 v.
0.5 cubic ft.
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Organization/Arrangement: Chronological.
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Summary:     The series contains log books associated with the electrocution of those convicted of capital crimes and sentenced to death.  Electrocution replaced hanging in Florida as the more humane method of execution in 1924. 

    The volumes appear to be logs, maintained at the prison, which were created at different times.  The first volume is a typewritten volume beginning with the first death by electrocution on October 7, 1924 and ending on July 1938.  It provides the name of each convicted person, the crime for which condemned, the date of sentencing, the court from which sentence was imposed, the date the prisoner was received (possibly at the death), the date and time of execution, and in most cases names of witnesses to the execution.  Also, in some instances the name of the executioner is listed.  Usually this executioner is the sheriff of the county in which the trial took place.  A few entries include notes on the page indicating that the prisoner was returned to the originating county jail to await medical tests or the exhausting of legal action.

    The second volume appears to have been made at a later date with most entries having been entered at the same time rather than as the events occurred.  The volume begins with the October 1924 execution of Frank Johnson and lists his name, race, sex, prison number, county of trial, and date and time of death.  This format is followed throughout the volume until the changes as noted later occur.  Although there are columns for the entering of "switch thrower" and "Pro[nounced] dead" there is no entry of information under these columns.  While the "switch thrower" column was still a header there is never any use of it and it was discontinued in 1944.  From that year onward there is only the "time pronounced dead" column in use.  A total of 196 executions are counted in the log.  Every execution has a notation as to crime for which executed, and beginning with number 105 the race and sex of the victim is entered in many instances.  The last execution noted in the second log is May 12, 1964.
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Subject Access Fields: Capital punishment Florida.
Crime Florida
Death penalty.
Criminals Florida
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