Joseph Francel


Joseph Francel was an electrician from Cairo, New York, who was the state of New York's executioner from 1939 to 1953. Among those he executed were Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
At the time of his resignation in August 1953, The New York Times reported that Francel was dissatisfied with his pay of $150 per execution, and that he was unhappy about threats to his life.