EDITOR'S NOTE: This is part 2 of a 3-part series

At the beginning of the 20th century, 16 “lifers” were behind prison bars in Cranston, each charged with murder. Eleven of them would grow old or ill within the walls of a cell while five would be freed of their punishments after serving only 8 to 26 years of their “life” sentence.

James Lynn, a peddler, was found guilty of killing his wife Ann in Pawtucket on Aug 19, 1891. Three months earlier, she had gone to police covered in bruises to report that her husband had beat her. The couple began living separately. Ann ran a small fish market and variety store and, on the night of the murder, he drunkenly entered it and pushed her out to the sidewalk. She was holding her sister’s two-year-old child in her arms as James fired three shots at her. He then went to the police and turned himself in. He initially pleaded not guilty than changed his plea to nolo, stating that he had no defense to make as he believed he was temporarily insane when he committed the crime. He was sentenced to life in prison, at hard labor, on Oct. 29, 1891. He was pale and haggard-looking during his sentencing and his sister was so distraught, she became hysterical and had to be carried from the courtroom. The judge told Lynn that if there was any clemency to be shown in the crime he had committed, it would have to come from a higher authority than the court. During a holiday minstrel show the prison put on that Dec., James played an instrument as part of the entertainment. In March 1909, he petitioned for a pardon and parole, which he received in Jan. 1916.   

Daniel Sullivan, of Newport, was found guilty of murdering Anthony Haswell on the night of July 19, 1892 at “Tintops” in Providence. Known as “Yankee Dan”, he claimed he was innocent and that he had been in the company of Martin Dalton that night. Prior to his arrest, he had been keeper of the Newport Polo Grounds and had operated a dancing academy. During the autumn of 1903, he became ill with consumption and his friends on the outside started a movement toward him being granted a pardon so that he could experience some freedom before he died. In April 1905, the governor finally consented to granting a pardon. He lived for five more years, dying at Hillsgrove Tent Camp for Consumptives in July 1910. 

Martin Dalton of Fall River had been accused by Daniel Sullivan of killing Anthony Haswell on July 19, 1892. After going on the run, Dalton was located in Atlanta, Georgia on Nov. 29, 1892. It was believed that 26-year-old Dalton and Sullivan had lured Haswell away from home with promises of a business deal. Described as standing at 5’8, weighing 155 pounds and having blonde hair and blue eyes, he was sentenced to life in prison on June 7, 1895 for participating in the robbery and murder.

Timothy Dailey, a 45-year-old machinist, was found guilty of fatally injuring his wife, who died on Feb. 29, 1892. That day, she had arrived at the door of a neighbor, holding a child and covered with blood. She had a serious wound on the side of her head, due to Timothy hitting her with a flat iron, and she appealed for help. When police arrived at her home, he was lying on the floor with his throat slit and a razor nearby. Timothy recovered and stated that he had gone into some sort of shock and did not have any recollection of what had happened. His relatives testified that he had a history of hallucinating and talking to himself. He was sentenced to life in prison.      

Gilbert Potter, a 36-year-old quahog peddler from Rice City in Coventry, was found guilty of shooting his wife Susan while she slept on Sept. 3, 1894, killing her instantly. Potter was out in West Greenwich Bay digging quahogs to furnish a picnic party when his wife was found dead in her bed that morning. At about 9:00 on the evening of Sept. 4, Potter walked up to some Warwick police officers and told them, “I killed my wife and I want to give myself up. I might just as well tell the truth now as at any time. I did it and I'm ready to own up." He later told police, “I have shot my wife because for five years she has been my torment. There is no need of anymore trouble about finding who fired that bullet into my wife’s head.” He pleaded guilty to murder, explaining that he had reason to believe Susan had been unfaithful to him and he was jealous. He died in prison of tuberculosis on April 30, 1905 at the age of 47.

Kelly Sullivan is a Rhode Island columnist, lecturer and author.