Francis Crowley

Francis "Two Gun" Crowley (October 31, 1912 – January 21, 1932) was an American murderer. His crime spree lasted nearly three months, ending in a two-hour shootout with the New York City Police Department on May 7, 1931 that was witnessed by 15,000 bystanders and received national attention. In 1932, he was executed on the electric chair of Sing Sing Prison. His story was referenced in Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Early life Crowley was born in New York City on October 31, 1912, the second son of an unwed German mother who gave him up for adoption. His grandfather was a police officer, and he was raised by a woman who took him in as an orphan. By his late teens, he had a reputation as a troubled youth with a criminal history. Adler's dog Trixie attacked the robbers and drove them from the house, saving her owner's life, before being shot by one of Crowley's accomplices as the gang exited the apartment.

On April 27, Crowley was out joyriding in a stolen vehicle with his partner Rudolph "Fats" Durringer and dance hall hostess Virginia Brannen. Brannen resisted Durringer's advances, so Durringer shot and killed her while still in the car. Crowley then helped him dump her body at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers.

Crowley and the police exchanged gunfire for nearly two hours, with the police firing an estimated 700 rounds into the building. While Walsh and Durringer reloaded Crowley's pistols, Crowley threw back several tear gas grenades that the police had thrown into the apartment through a hole cut into the roof. After suffering four gunshot wounds and bleeding heavily, he finally surrendered. Arresting officers found two pistols strapped to his legs.

Trial and execution On May 29, less than three weeks after his arrest, Crowley was tried and convicted of the murder of police officer Frederick Hirsch. His partner, Fats Durringer, was found guilty of the murder of Virginia Brannen. Both men were sentenced to death in the electric chair on June 1.

Crowley spent his last year on death row at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York. He remained a disciplinary problem – stuffing his prison uniform down a toilet, setting fire to his bed, and frequently crafting homemade weapons. His attitude became somewhat more serene as his execution neared: he reportedly adopted a starling that frequently flew into his cell.

On January 21, 1932, Crowley's last words to Warden Lewis Lawes were to ask for a rag. Referring to Durringer's death in the same electric chair, Crowley said, "I want to wipe off the chair after this rat sat in it." It is not clear if the request was granted.

Crowley was 19 when he was executed.