List of people executed in the United States in 1937

One hundred and fifty-one people, one hundred and fifty male and one female, were executed in the United States in 1937, one hundred by electrocution, thirty-three by hanging, and eighteen by gas chamber. ^[1]

The last semipublic execution in the United States occurred this year, that being the execution of Roscoe Jackson.

List of people executed in the United States in 1937

No.	Date of execution	Name	Age of person			Gender	Ethnicity	State	Method	Ref.
			At execution	At offense	Age difference
1	January 3, 1937	Isaiah Opher Jr.	36	36	0	Male	Black	Delaware	Hanging	[2]
2	January 4, 1937	Jacob M. Gable	21	19	2		White	Pennsylvania	Electrocution	[3]
3	January 7, 1937	Theodore DiDonne	31	30	1			New York		[4]
4		Joseph Bolognia	24	23
5	January 8, 1937	Frank Duarte		22	2		Hispanic	Arizona	Gas chamber	[5]
6		Joe Joven	32	31	1		Asian	California	Hanging	[6]
7	January 14, 1937	Louis Lazar	29	26	3		White	New York	Electrocution	[7]
8	January 15, 1937	Louis R. Shaver	53	51	2			California	Hanging	[8]
9		Tommie Howard	38	Unknown	Unknown		Black	Louisiana		[9]
10		Johnnie Sanders	20	19	1					[1]
11	January 20, 1937	George Owens	17	16				Mississippi		[10]
12		Joe Phillips	16	15
13	January 21, 1937	Chester White	33	Unknown	Unknown			New York	Electrocution	[11]
14		John Fiorenza	25	24	1		White
15		Charles Ham	20	19			Black
16		Frederick Fowler	19	18
17	January 22, 1937	Natividad Valenzuela	24	23	1		Hispanic	California	Hanging	[12]
18	January 26, 1937	Luther Jones	32	32	0		White	Nevada	Gas chamber	[13]
19	January 29, 1937	Edgar Prude Skelton	36	Unknown	Unknown			Alabama	Electrocution	[14]
20	February 1, 1937	Robert Dreamer	40	30	10			Pennsylvania		[15]
21	February 10, 1937	James Joseph McElroy	45	45	0			Connecticut		[16]
22	February 11, 1937	Alfred E. Volckmann Jr.	21	19	2			New York		[17]
23	February 19, 1937	George B. Underwood	23	22	1			Kentucky		[18]
24	February 24, 1937	Arthur Burden	28	25	3		Black	Georgia		[1]
25	February 26, 1937	James Victor Franklin	32	Unknown	Unknown		White	Alabama		[19]
26		Allen Mitchell		Unknown	Unknown		Black	Illinois		[20]
27		Rufo Swain	27	Unknown	Unknown
28		Hurt Hardy Jr.	32	30	2		White	Missouri	Hanging	[21]
29	March 2, 1937	Joseph Rappaport	35	33				Illinois	Electrocution	[22]
30	March 5, 1937	James Turner	24	23	1		Black	Tennessee		[1]
31	March 12, 1937	Chester Arkuszewski					White	Indiana		[23]
32	March 15, 1937	James Taylor					Black	Tennessee		[1]
33	March 17, 1937	Anderson Berry	26	24	2
34	March 18, 1937	Samuel Williams	23	22	1			Mississippi	Hanging
35		Tom Franklin	20	19				Tennessee	Electrocution	[24]
36	March 19, 1937	Sam Franklin	24	22	2			Kentucky		[25]
37	March 31, 1937	Petronilo Pacren	40	39	1		Asian	California	Hanging	[26]
38	April 2, 1937	Fred Adams	21	18	3		White	Missouri		[27]
39	April 8, 1937	Gus McCoig	25	23	2			Tennessee	Electrocution	[28]
40	April 9, 1937	Ralph Eisenhardt	21	19				Louisiana	Hanging	[29]
41		Gladstone James	24	22
42		George McDuffie	22	21	1		Black	South Carolina	Electrocution	[30]
43	April 13, 1937	Frank Pramera	23	Unknown	Unknown		White	West Virginia	Hanging	[1]
44	April 16, 1937	Fred Hart	44	43	1			California		[31]
45		Joseph Schuster	30	29				Illinois	Electrocution	[32]
46		Stanley Murawski	37	36
47		Frank Matthew Whyte	42	41
48		Roy Wilburn Eatmon	24	22	2			Tennessee		[33]
49	April 19, 1937	James Burke					Black	Georgia		[34]
50	April 23, 1937	Clinton Medlock	29	26	3			Arkansas		[35]
51		John Homer Cummings						District of Columbia		[36]
52		Willett Marcus	23	20
53		Willie Walker	34	34	0			Florida		[37]
54	April 29, 1937	Mary Holmes	35		1	Female		Mississippi	Hanging	[38]
55		Selmon Brooks	32	31		Male
56	April 30, 1937	Howard Lee Dunn	24	23			White	Tennessee	Electrocution	[39]
57		William Farmer	19	18
58		Elmer Pruitt	24	21	3		Black	Texas		[40]
59	May 3, 1937	Andy Yacas	52	51	1		White	Pennsylvania		[41]
60	May 10, 1937	Simee Lee Fields	21	19	2		Black	Florida		[42]
61		Marcus England	36	35	1			Pennsylvania		[43]
62		Edward Shawell	38	38	0
63	May 14, 1937	James Austin Jr.	22	21	1			Arkansas		[44]
64		John P. Goodman	21	Unknown	Unknown			Georgia		[1]
65	May 19, 1937	Stephen Kotowicz	22	22	0		White	Ohio		[45]
66	May 21, 1937	Will Lacy	41	39	2		Black	Georgia		[46]
67		Eli C. Melton	30	28			White
68		Dudley Barr	39	35	4		Black	Missouri	Hanging
69		Roscoe Jackson	36	33	3		White
70	May 24, 1937	Leonard Brown	18	17	1		Black	Georgia	Electrocution	[1]
71	May 28, 1937	John Woods	49	48				California	Hanging	[47]
72		Mose Trammell	36	35				Georgia	Electrocution	[48]
73		Lonnie Lee Joiner	38	37			White	Texas		[1]
74	June 4, 1937	Joseph Nelson	36	36	0		Black	Delaware	Hanging	[49]
75		Augustus Dwight Beard	27	26	1		White	Texas	Electrocution	[50]
76		Wisie Ellison	36	35			Black
77	June 10, 1937	William A. Kuhlman	28	27			White	Indiana		[51]
78		John Joseph Poholsky	35	34
79		Frank Gore Williams	39	38
80		Chew Wing	32	31			Asian	New York		[52]
81	June 11, 1937	Roosevelt Collins	31	30			Black	Alabama		[53]
82		William Gill	28	27				Louisiana	Hanging	[54]
83		Robert Lucas	27	Unknown	Unknown					[1]
84		Charles A. Sands	22	20	2		Native American	Oklahoma	Electrocution	[55]
85		Leon Siler					White
86	June 14, 1937	Willie Hopkins	21	21	0		Black	Georgia		[1]
87	June 18, 1937	Edgar Rose	27	26	1		White
88		James Worthy	24	24	0		Black
89	June 25, 1937	Charlie Young	33	Unknown	Unknown
90		Willy Becker	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown		White	West Virginia	Hanging
91	June 28, 1937	Roy Crittenton	36	34	2		Black	Pennsylvania	Electrocution	[56]
92	July 1, 1937	Robert Jones	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown			Mississippi	Hanging	[1]
93		Harry Eisenberg	43	42	1		White	New York	Electrocution	[57]
94		Watson Edwards	25	24
95		Anthony Garlaus	33	32
96	July 2, 1937	Clemens Konstantin Matura	66	65				Texas		[58]
97	July 9, 1937	John D. McNeill	54	53				California	Hanging	[59]
98		Mitchell Jackson	27	27	0		Black	Georgia	Electrocution	[60]
99		James Irvin Howard	21	20	1			Maryland	Hanging	[61]
100		Robert Glenn Brown	19	18				North Carolina	Gas chamber	[62]
101		Earnest McCarty		Unknown	Unknown			Texas	Electrocution	[1]
102	July 12, 1937	Marcus C. Powell	51	50	1		White	Florida		[63]
103		Alexander Thweatt Meyer	19	19	0			Pennsylvania		[64]
104	July 16, 1937	Arnold Clift	24	23	1			Kentucky		[65]
105		Fred Steele	22	Unknown	Unknown		Black	North Carolina	Gas chamber	[66]
106		Sam Jones	21	Unknown	Unknown
107	July 19, 1937	Preston McDonald	28	26	2			Florida	Electrocution	[67]
108		Walter Williams	38	36
109	July 23, 1937	Robert Hinds	17	17	0					[68]
110		Fred Grey	26	Unknown	Unknown			North Carolina	Gas chamber	[69]
111		Hunter Winchester	24	Unknown	Unknown
112	July 26, 1937	John Becker	38	37	1		White	Pennsylvania	Electrocution	[70]
113	July 30, 1937	Willie E. Douberly	25	24				Georgia		[71]
114		Thomas Perry	23	Unknown	Unknown		Black	North Carolina	Gas chamber	[72]
115		A.W. Watson	21	20	1		White
116		George Washington Patton	56	51	5			Texas	Electrocution	[73]
117	August 5, 1937	Solomon Mahoe	32	30	2		Pacific Islander	Hawaii Territory	Hanging	[74]
118	August 6, 1937	George Exum	22	Unknown	Unknown		Black	North Carolina	Gas chamber	[75]
119	August 9, 1937	Jimmie Lee Parrish	35	Unknown	Unknown	Tennessee		Electrocution	[76]
120	August 10, 1937	Fred Ritchie	32	Unknown	Unknown		White		[1]
121	August 13, 1937	Burt Anderson	53	52	1	Arizona		Gas chamber	[77]
122		Ernest Patten	37	36			Black
123		Francisco A. Aguilar	34	33		Hispanic	Colorado		[78]
124		Lawrence R. Ward	51	50		White	Georgia	Electrocution	[79]
125		James McNeill	21	19	2	Black	North Carolina		[80]
126		Leroy McNeill	18	17	1			Gas chamber
127		Perry Hampton Carroll	37	35	2	White	Wyoming		[81]
128	August 19, 1937	Major Green	34	33	1	Black	New York	Electrocution	[82]
129	August 20, 1937	Furman McDonald	44	42	2	White	South Carolina		[83]
130		Luke Trammell Jr.	28	27	1		Texas		[84]
131		Willie Leake	30	Unknown	Unknown	Black	Virginia		[85]
132		Lawrence Wyche		Unknown	Unknown
133	August 26, 1937	Louis Apicello	40	39	1	White	New York		[86]
134	September 3, 1937	Thomas Jefferson Hutto	51	50			Arkansas		[87]
135		David Benjamin Knight	33	31	2		Arizona	Gas chamber	[88]
136	September 10, 1937	Arthur Oliver	46	43	3		Alabama	Electrocution	[89]
137		Mervin Brown	33	Unknown	Unknown	Black	West Virginia	Hanging	[1]
138	September 17, 1937	Raymond A. Fortune	26	25	1	White	Indiana	Electrocution	[90]
139	September 24, 1937	Marion Sandy Edwards	63	Unknown	Unknown	Black	Arkansas		[1]
140	September 29, 1937	Clinton Pinson	40	36	4		Georgia		[91]
141	October 15, 1937	Jessie Amos	35	Unknown	Unknown		Arkansas		[1]
142		Peter Chrisoulas	40	39	1	White	Illinois		[92]
143	November 5, 1937	William Brown Read	25	24			West Virginia	Hanging	[93]
144	November 12, 1937	Perry Marion	28	27			Kentucky	Electrocution	[94]
145	December 3, 1937	Charles McGuire	30	29			California	Hanging	[95]
146	December 10, 1937	Walter Caldwell	37	37	0	Black	North Carolina	Gas chamber	[1]
147		William Clifton Perry	17	17
148	December 17, 1937	John L. Montjoy Jr.	23	21	2		Kentucky	Hanging	[96]
149		J.H. Thompson	67	65			Ohio	Electrocution	[1]
150	December 27, 1937	Willie Frank Daniels	25	24	1		Georgia
151	December 31, 1937	John Winsor		Unknown	Unknown		Virginia

Demographics

Gender
Male	150	99%
Female	1	1%
Ethnicity
Black	76	50%
White	67	44%
Asian	3	2%
Hispanic	3	2%
Native American	1	1%
Pacific Islander	1	1%
State
Georgia	16	11%
New York	14	9%
North Carolina	12	8%
Tennessee	10	7%
California	8	5%
Pennsylvania	8	5%
Texas	8	5%
Illinois	7	5%
Florida	6	4%
Louisiana	6	4%
Mississippi	6	4%
Arkansas	5	3%
Indiana	5	3%
Kentucky	5	3%
Alabama	4	3%
Arizona	4	3%
Missouri	4	3%
West Virginia	4	3%
Virginia	3	2%
Delaware	2	1%
District of Columbia	2	1%
Ohio	2	1%
Oklahoma	2	1%
South Carolina	2	1%
Colorado	1	1%
Connecticut	1	1%
Hawaii Territory	1	1%
Maryland	1	1%
Nevada	1	1%
Wyoming	1	1%
Method
Electrocution	100	66%
Hanging	33	22%
Gas chamber	18	12%
Month
January	19	13%
February	9	6%
March	9	6%
April	21	14%
May	15	10%
June	18	12%
July	25	17%
August	17	11%
September	7	5%
October	2	1%
November	2	1%
December	7	5%
Age
Unknown	2	1%
10–19	11	7%
20–29	66	44%
30–39	48	32%
40–49	13	9%
50–59	8	5%
60–69	3	2%
Total	151	100%

Executions in recent years

Number of executions
1938	188
1937	151
1936	196
Total	535

References

1. "Executions in the U.S. 1608-2002: The ESPY File" (PDF). Death Penalty Information Center . Retrieved September 27, 2025.
2. "The Reviewing Stand". The Sunday Morning Star. January 10, 1937. p. 4.
3. "Young Killer Dies in Chair". The Pittsburgh Press. January 4, 1937. p. 1.
4. "Two Die In Electric Chair For Subway Holdup-Murder". Meriden Record. January 8, 1937. p. 1.
5. "Killer Executed in Gas Chamber". Spokane Daily Chronicle. January 8, 1937. p. 9.
6. "People v. Joven". Stanford Law School.
7. "Killer Executed". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. January 15, 1937. p. 7.
8. "Louis Shaver Executed for Killing His Wife". Lewiston Morning Tribune. January 16, 1937. p. 2.
9. "Is Hanged for Shooting Of Man Who Still Lives". Youngstown Vindicator. January 16, 1937. p. 12.
10. "Two Negroes Hanged". The Tuscaloosa News. January 21, 1937. p. 3.
11. "TITTERTON SLAYER IS PUT TO DEATH; Fiorenza Is Emotionless and Silent as He Goes to Chair for Murdering Author; THREE NEGROES ALSO DIE; Killer of 2 Women in Nassau and Murderers in Brooklyn Hold-Up Pay Penalties". The New York Times. January 22, 1937.
12. "People v. Valenzuela". Justia Law.
13. "Slayer of Three Dies". Berkeley Daily Gazette. January 26, 1937. p. 6.
14. "Skelton Dies In Chair, Franklin Gets 28-Day Reprieve". The Tuscaloosa News. January 29, 1937. p. 6.
15. "Dreamer Dies in Chair for Killing Girl". The Pittsburgh Press. February 1, 1937. p. 8.
16. "M'ELROY IS EXECUTED; Slayer of Woman Is First to Die by Electric Chair in Connecticut". The New York Times. February 11, 1937.
17. "GIRL'S KILLER DIES IN CHAIR; Volckman, 21, Put to Death for Killing Pastor's Daughter, 9". The New York Times. February 12, 1937.
18. "Convicted Slayer Smiles as Executed". Kentucky New Era. February 19, 1937. p. 1.
19. "Two Sentenced in Pate Murder Plead for Lives". The Tuscaloosa News. January 17, 1937. p. 1.
20. "Execute Two". The Southeast Missourian. February 26, 1937. p. 1.
21. "Slayer of Girl Runs Up Steps, Dies on Gallows". The Pittsburgh Press. February 27, 1937. p. 5.
22. "Lie Detector Signs His Death Warrant". Spokane Daily Chronicle. March 2, 1937. p. 2.
23. "Indiana Killer Dies in Chair". The Pittsburgh Press. March 12, 1937. p. 34.
24. "Slayer is Shot to Death After Stabbing Guard". Reading Eagle. March 13, 1937. p. 20.
25. "Armed Robber Dies Quietly At Prison". Kentucky New Era. March 19, 1937. p. 1.
26. "Filipino Is Hanged For Double Slaying". Lodi News-Sentinel. April 1, 1937. p. 1.
27. "Young Slayer Hanged". The Daily Times. April 2, 1937. p. 5.
28. "Put to Death". The Windsor Daily Star. April 8, 1937. p. 14.
29. "He Serenades Death". Reading Eagle. April 10, 1937. p. 2.
30. "Lee County Jury Condemns Negro To Chair Death". Herald-Journal. February 3, 1937. p. 2.
31. "People v. Hart". Justia Law.
32. "Trio of Slayers are Electrocuted". Lewiston Morning Tribune. April 16, 1937. p. 1.
33. "Calm Young Slayer Pays up With Life". Prescott Evening Courier. April 16, 1937. p. 1.
34. "Burke v. State". vLex.
35. "Medlock v. State". vLex.
36. "Young Killers Die in District Electric Chair". The Afro-American. May 1, 1937. p. 13.
37. "Execution Witness". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. April 24, 1937. p. 2.
38. "Two Negroes Pay with Lives for Slaying of Sharkey County Man". The Delta Democrat-Times via newspapers.com. April 29, 1937. p. 1.
39. "Slayers Die in Electric Chair". Kentucky New Era. April 30, 1937. p. 1.
40. "Negro Is Executed At Huntsville Today". The Victoria Advocate. April 30, 1937. p. 2.
41. "Miner Who Killed Couple Executed". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. May 4, 1937. p. 6.
42. "Hillsborough's Sheriff up For First Execution". The Evening Independent. May 5, 1937. p. 6.
43. "Two Negroes Executed In Berks County Murder". The Washington Reporter. May 10, 1937. p. 3.
44. "Policeman's Murderer Executed in Arkansas". The Southeast Missourian. May 14, 1937. p. 22.
45. "Kotowicz Executed". The Toledo News-Bee. May 20, 1937. p. 4.
46. "Four Executed in U.S. Prisons Today for Various Crimes". The Victoria Advocate. May 21, 1937. p. 4.
47. "People v. Woods". Justia Law.
48. "Trammell v. State". vLex.
49. "Axe-Killer Hanged in Delaware". The Afro-American. June 12, 1937. p. 2.
50. "Dwight Beard One of Two Bandits to Be Executed Today". The Victoria Advocate. June 4, 1937. p. 1.
51. "3 Ex-Ohio Felons Die in Chair". The Toledo News-Bee. June 10, 1937. p. 5.
52. "Tong Killer Waiting Chair Is Known Here". Berkeley Daily Gazette. March 13, 1937. p. 2.
53. "Collins Executed For Assaulting Housewife". The Tuscaloosa News. June 11, 1937. p. 2.
54. "State v. Gill". vLex.
55. "Grin at Death". The Southeast Missourian. June 11, 1937. p. 2.
56. "Electrocution Date Set". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. April 29, 1937. p. 2.
57. "THREE SENT TO CHAIR FOR BROOKLYN KILLING; Norton, Fourth Man in Hold-Up Murder, Escapes Death by Last-Minute Commutation". The New York Times. July 2, 1937.
58. "Aged Man Dies in Electric Chair". Spokane Daily Chronicle. July 2, 1937. p. 1.
59. "People v. McNeill". Justia Law.
60. "Negro in Georgia Executed in Chair". Herald-Journal. July 10, 1937. p. 4.
61. "Howard Must Hang, July 9, for Slaying". The Afro-American. June 19, 1937. p. 1.
62. "Negro Executed". The Bladen Journal. July 15, 1937. p. 3.
63. "Dies in "Chair."". Spokane Daily Chronicle. July 12, 1937. p. 7.
64. "Electric Chair Takes Life Of Sex Murderer". The Tuscaloosa News. July 12, 1937. p. 2.
65. "Youth Sent to Chair". The Portsmouth Times. July 18, 1937. p. 4.
66. "2 Die in Gas Chamber". The Afro-American. July 17, 1937. p. 22.
67. "Two Negroes Pay With Lives For Driver's Murder". The Evening Independent. July 19, 1937. p. 5.
68. "Negro Dies For Assault". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. July 24, 1937. p. 5.
69. "News Items in Carolinas". Herald-Journal. July 23, 1937. p. 17.
70. "Pays Penalty for Murder". Greensburg Daily Tribune. July 26, 1937. p. 10.
71. "Refuse New Trial For Willie Douberly". Waycross Journal-Herald. April 14, 1937. p. 3.
72. "Two Executed, North Carolina". Ellensburg Daily Record. July 30, 1937. p. 4.
73. "Dies in Texas Chair for Killing Family of Four". The Lewiston Daily Sun. July 30, 1937. p. 16.
74. "Hawaiian Gives Life For Slaying of Three". Berkeley Daily Gazette. August 5, 1937. p. 6.
75. "North Carolina Man's Life Saved". Herald-Journal. August 6, 1937. p. 7.
76. "Dies in Electric Chair". Reading Eagle. August 9, 1937. p. 1.
77. "Arizona Takes Two Lives in Lethal Gas Chamber". The Southeast Missourian. August 14, 1937. p. 6.
78. "Frank Aguilar Was Executed". The Pueblo Indicator. August 21, 1937. p. 1.
79. "Father Who Stamped Stepdaughter, 14, To Death, Executed". St. Petersburg Times. August 14, 1937. p. 5.
80. "Electrocution Friday". The Bladen Journal. August 12, 1937. p. 8.
81. "State Makes First Use of Lethal Gas Chamber". The Southeast Missourian. August 16, 1937. p. 5.
82. "Chair Waits Bathtub Slayer". The Newburgh News. August 19, 1937. p. 1.
83. "McDonald To Die Today Unless Johnston Saves". Herald-Journal. August 20, 1937. p. 1.
84. "Texas Killer Executed". The Pittsburgh Press. August 20, 1937. p. 38.
85. "Huffman Execution Set for July 20th Unless Peery Acts". Waynesboro News-Virginian. July 7, 1937. p. 1.
86. "APICELLO DIES IN CHAIR; Brooklyn Bartender Pays Penalty for Murder Last December". The New York Times. August 27, 1937.
87. "Texan Must Die Sept. 3 for Arkansas Slaying". St. Joseph Gazette. July 31, 1937. p. 3.
88. "Expiates Friends' Slaying". The Spokesman-Review. September 4, 1937. p. 18.
89. "Arthur Oliver Pays With Life". The Tuscaloosa News. September 10, 1937. p. 2.
90. "Poker Killer Will Die in Chair Tonight". Ludington Daily News. September 16, 1937. p. 1.
91. "Pinson v. State". vLex.
92. "Dies in Chair After Getting 3 Reprieves". The Lewiston Daily Sun. October 15, 1937. p. 12.
93. "Hanged for Torch Killing". The Free-Lance Star. November 6, 1937. p. 1.
94. "Slayer to Electric Chair". St. Joseph Gazette. November 12, 1937. p. 2.
95. "People v. McGuire". Stanford Law School.
96. "News Flashes". The Evening Independent. December 17, 1937. p. 1.

Preceded by 1936

List of people executed       in the United States in    1937

Succeeded by 1938