Executions of Berks County: a Virtual Cemetery

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A Virtual Cemetery created by N.D. Scheidt

Executions of Berks County

Since 1746, Berks County has executed 26 people, three of whom were women. Eighteen of these executions were conducted by hanging. All eight of the county's electrocution executions were for murder, but a little more than a fourth of the hangings were for attempted robbery or burglary. And one execution included a black man who was hanged in 1792 for angering a white man. All three women executed were hanged for killing an infant or child. Sept. 7, 1746: Thomas Fowler hanged for house burglary. March 10, 1759: Elizabeth Graul hanged for killing an infant. Dec. 19, 1767: Catharine Krebs hanged for killing an infant. July 7, 1770: Thomas Proctor hanged for burglary. Unknown date during Revolutionary War: A British soldier named Krouch (no first name given) was hung for attempted robbery in Exeter Township. 1784: A man named Walsh (no first name given) hanged for stealing $9 from a crippled woman. 1792: Samuel Peeves, a black man, hanged for "outraging" a white man. Nov. 11, 1797: Benjamin Bailey hanged for murdering a peddler. June 10, 1809: Susanna Cox, an unmarried woman, hanged for killing her child. Jan. 30, 1813: John Schildt hanged for killing his elderly parents. April 1, 1842: Nicholas Reinhart hanged for murdering a neighbor. May 13, 1870: Zachary E. Snyder hanged for murdering a companion. June 29, 1893: Pietro Buccieri hanged for stabbing a nun to death in St. Joseph's Hospital. Sept. 23, 1902: George Gantz hanged for assaulting and killing a 15-year-old girl. Oct. 29, 1908: Salvatore Gorrito hanged for killing State Trooper Timothy K. Kelleher. Feb. 25, 1909: Frank Palmer for killing a married woman. Feb. 27, 1912: Matthew E. Vanaman for killing his wife. July 9, 1914: Frank P. Schnabel hanged for killing his wife. 1922: Chong Toa for killing a man in his laundry. Toa was the first from Berks to be electrocuted. April 6, 1925: Grant Adams electrocuted for killing Reading Police Officer Henry L. Stoudt. Oct. 19, 1925: Anthony Wickrowski electrocuted for killing his wife. Jan. 25, 1926: Robert Brue, Leamon Crocker and Irvan Grinage electrocuted for the murder of a store owner. May 10, 1937: Edward Shawell and Marcus England electrocuted for the murder of a man during a gasoline station holdup.

Since 1746, Berks County has executed 26 people, three of whom were women. Eighteen of these executions were conducted by hanging. All eight of the county's electrocution executions were for murder, but a little more than a fourth of the hangings were for attempted robbery or burglary. And one execution included a black man who was hanged in 1792 for angering a white man. All three women executed were hanged for killing an infant or child.    Sept. 7, 1746: Thomas Fowler hanged for house burglary.    March 10, 1759: Elizabeth Graul hanged for killing an infant.    Dec. 19, 1767: Catharine Krebs hanged for killing an infant.    July 7, 1770: Thomas Proctor hanged for burglary.    Unknown date during Revolutionary War: A British soldier named Krouch (no first name given) was hung for attempted robbery in Exeter Township.    1784: A man named Walsh (no first name given) hanged for stealing $9 from a crippled woman.    1792: Samuel Peeves, a black man, hanged for "outraging" a white man.    Nov. 11, 1797: Benjamin Bailey hanged for murdering a peddler.    June 10, 1809: Susanna Cox, an unmarried woman, hanged for killing her child.    Jan. 30, 1813: John Schildt hanged for killing his elderly parents.    April 1, 1842: Nicholas Reinhart hanged for murdering a neighbor.    May 13, 1870: Zachary E. Snyder hanged for murdering a companion.    June 29, 1893: Pietro Buccieri hanged for stabbing a nun to death in St. Joseph's Hospital.    Sept. 23, 1902: George Gantz hanged for assaulting and killing a 15-year-old girl.    Oct. 29, 1908: Salvatore Gorrito hanged for killing State Trooper Timothy K. Kelleher.    Feb. 25, 1909: Frank Palmer for killing a married woman.    Feb. 27, 1912: Matthew E. Vanaman for killing his wife.    July 9, 1914: Frank P. Schnabel hanged for killing his wife.    1922: Chong Toa for killing a man in his laundry. Toa was the first from Berks to be electrocuted.    April 6, 1925: Grant Adams electrocuted for killing Reading Police Officer Henry L. Stoudt.    Oct. 19, 1925: Anthony Wickrowski electrocuted for killing his wife.    Jan. 25, 1926: Robert Brue, Leamon Crocker and Irvan Grinage electrocuted for the murder of a store owner.    May 10, 1937: Edward Shawell and Marcus England electrocuted for the murder of a man during a gasoline station holdup.