Gerald Chapman's nicknames came from his ability to pose as a member of the wealthy elite, which allowed him to fool potential victims and avoid scrutiny from investigators.
11 Facts About Gerald Chapman
1.
2.
Gerald Chapman was born George Chartres in August 1887 to parents of Irish heritage.
3.
Gerald Chapman made headlines when he briefly got away from his interrogators at police headquarters, but he was caught before he could leave the building.
4.
Gerald Chapman escaped from the prison on March 27,1923, knocking out the facility's power in the process.
5.
Gerald Chapman was wounded and captured a couple of days later in eastern Georgia, but within a week escaped the hospital, adding to his national notoriety.
6.
On October 12,1924, while on a crime spree in Connecticut, Gerald Chapman murdered Officer James Skelly of the New Britain Police Department.
7.
The officer was killed in a gunfight with Gerald Chapman after interrupting a theft at a store.
8.
Gerald Chapman was recaptured on January 18,1925, in Muncie, Indiana, based on authorities being tipped off by informant Ben Hance.
9.
The jury deliberated for 11 hours, after which Gerald Chapman was found guilty and eventually sentenced to hang by presiding judge Newell Jennings.
10.
Gerald Chapman proclaimed his innocence to the end, asking in his final appeal for "justice, not mercy".
11.
Gerald Chapman was executed by the upright jerker on April 6,1926.