Anna Antonio

“Little Anna” was a 28 year old Italian-American mother of three, who was married at the age of 16 to Salvatore Antonio.

She was reported as being a battered wife and was sentenced to death for having hired two men to murder her husband. Only 10 minutes before her scheduled execution she received the first of many stays. A 24 hour stay became a week stay which then became
a month stay. During this period she barely ate and weighed less than 85 pounds when her execution was finally carried out. Many criticized State Governor Lehman for not saving Anna’s life. His response to his critics was, “The law makes no distinction of sex in the punishment of crime; nor would my own conscience permit me to do so.”

Anna Antonio was electrocuted in Sing Sing Prison on the 9th August 1934. At the time of her execution she weighted only 85 pounds.