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The Double Indemnity Murder: Ruth Snyder, Judd Gray, and New York's Crime of the Century

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Landis MacKellar's new book, The Double Indemnity Murder, explores one of the most sensational murders of the 20th century. When Albert Snyder was killed in his bed by his wife Ruth and her lover, Judd Gray, some eighty years ago in March of 1927, Queens Village, New York City, and much of the United States was captivated by the aftermath of this notorious crime. The slaying became a symbol of the jazz/flapper era and resulted in a Broadway pla and a 1940's noir movie, and has gone down in the annals of crime literature.

Ironically, the murder involved little intrigue. Due to excellent police work and an ineffective cover-up from the co-conspirators, Ruth Snyder and Judd Gray were brought to justice with swiftness unheard of in the 21st century.

MacKellar's research for this book was exceptionally thorough. Broken up into three parts - the crime, trial, and last days, with three appendices, the book provides a psychological profile for both killers and the victim, as well as their unfortunate cast of on-lookers. Because the crime was so transparent, Double Indemnity doesn't quite read like a mystery. However, MacKellar's profiling is enough to allow each reader the background to make their own assessment as to the motivation behind this legendary crime.

Landis Mackellar is to be commended for writing the most readable, and inclusive, account of the 1927 "Double Indemnity" murders yet published. The book is scholarly, but not dry, and I read it all in one sitting. True, the major points have been covered many times before, but Mr. Mackellar provides enough new supporting detail, drawn from the trial transcripts, other archival sources, and the newspapers, that I, who have read everything published on the Snyder case that I have been able to get my hands on, did not think to myself, "oh great, another rehash" and put it aside for later reading. He is also to be commended for NOT using recreated dialogue, an authors' conceit that usually causes me to view a book with distrust if it purports itself to be a "true account." My only complaint, and it is a minor one, is that given the wealth of photos available of every aspect of the case, the book seems under illustrated. But, I'll gladly do without a photo section if a book on a topic with which I am well versed keeps me interested and does not irritate me with recreated dialgue or speculative 'insights' into the minds of people long dead whom the author never met. Good work, Mr. Mackellar!

I have heard of this sensational murder case briefly in reading books on the 1920s, and I thought it was time to add this book to my true crime collection. Ruth Snyder was involved in an unhappy marriage with husband Albert Snyder, and sought happiness with a married man named Judd Gray. The two of them hatched a clumsy plot to murder Albert Snyder while he was sleeping. Infidelity and alcohol make up a deadly combination, and their scheme quickly unraveled when discussing Snyder's death with the police. The book is divided into three parts: 1. The Crime 2. The Trial 3. Last Days The Trial makes up the longest portion of the book, and goes into considerable detail with the trial of the two defendants being held simultaneously. The Last Days involves the transfer to Sing Sing Prison, and the agonizing wait up to the pair's execution in January of 1928. A final section entitled Lingering Questions regarding the case are fielded by the author. The book takes its title from the double indemnity that was to be paid upon the death of the insured husband of Mrs. Ruth Snyder. I found the book to be quite interesting, and a valuable addition to my true crime library.

I was familar with this case. As a kid, I read about it in a True Crime encyclopedia set called "Crime and Punishments" ( not the classic by Dostoevsky). I always found this crime to be particularly ordinary but also strangley, hypnotic. I guess that was why everyone from D.W. Griffith to Ring Lardner to Aimee Macpherson attended the celebrated trial in 1927.

I was totally impressed by Mackeller's work. It was methodically researched and expertly written. One wonders how this man got such in-depth information from the sources that he did (even the present owners of the Snyder home are anonymously mentioned). The trial section was terrific, the details from the murder and subsequent interrogation was riveting. However, the days leading up to Mrs. Snyder and Mr. Gray's final days in Sing Sing before their subsequent electrocutions was mesmirizing. I read this book in three days. The last section stayed with me for quite awhile especially the details of their final hours.

Wow! This certainly packed a wallop!

The cover of this paperback has a composite photograph of Judd Gray and Ruth Snyder. This book lacks many photographs about the people who were involved in this eighty-year old crime. The original records were destroyed decades ago (`Sources'). A copy of the trial records exist in official libraries. MacKellar discusses the various publications about this case. The more reliable sources are less fun to read (p.380). Appendix B has the history of the people and places who were involved in this case. Appendix C lists the dramas based on this case. There was a Broadway play "Machinal". James M. Cain's "Double Indemnity" was made into a hit Hollywood film in 1944. The 1973 remake wasn't a hit. The 1981 film "Body Heat" was a version where a femme fatale duped a gullible man into killing her husband, then planned to eliminate her lover.

Part 1 covers "The Crime" of March 1927. Detectives immediately noticed the problems in this crime (p.8). Missing jewelry was found hidden beneath a mattress (p.9). Albert Snyder's life was insured for a large sum. No sign of forced entry (p.11). Ruth confessed (p.13) and named Judd Gray. An hour later Judd Gray, a ladies' underwear salesman, was arrested in Syracuse. Gray denied the charges. But his hotel wastepaper basket had a train ticket stub from New York (p.18). Anything that Gray said could be used against him (p.19). Chapter 3 tells about the incompatible marriage of the Snyders. The history of Judd Gray is in Chapter 5. Who copied Albert Snyder's signature (p.43)? In less than 2 days of investigation the NY police solved the crime (Chapter 7). Chapter 9 tells of the poisoned whiskey in Gray's possession, and the two attempts by Ruth to gas Albert (p.72).

Part 2 covers "The Trial", which began a month after the murder. It was a joint trial (p.90). Should Ruth have taken a sanity examination (p.92)? Public opinion was against Ruth because of rumors of other affairs (p.93). Gray was repentant (p.98). The Jury was selected in a week (Chapter 11). Ruth and Judd confessed both orally and in writing (p.122). There is testimony about the insurance policy (p.131). Was sleep deprivation used on Ruth (p.135). Gray freely admitted his guilt (p.205). Defense lawyer Millard pointed out that Gray had no motive to kill Albert Snyder (p.224). The judge said the confession was enough to convict (p.235). The jury quickly found both guilty of murder (p.237). They would be executed in June 1927 (p.244). Part 3 covers the "Last Days". ["Armistice Day" was never in May (p.261).] Appeals delayed the executions until January 1928. The last chapters report the executions and funerals, and what happened with the insurance policies.

This book explains why this common murder was a scandal of its day. "Love Slave"? Appendix A has MacKellar's "Lingering Questions". He asks and answers questions about the case, such as Ruth's enlarged thyroid gland (p.347). [If the police want to question you it's a sign you will be arrested (p.350).] Did testifying convict them (p.351)? Was James M. Cain's novel "Double Indemnity" based on this murder? What about "The Postman Always Rings Twice"? They have the same basic plot but "Phyllis" is worse than "Cora". To meet popular tastes? 1927 was the year when many corporations failed, and Federal Highway construction ended due to the coming depression.

I borrowed this book from the library. This is a well-written account of the Ruth Snyder-Judd Gray murder case in 1927. It held my interest as Landis MacKellar made me feel like an eyewitness to all that has happened. Even the events of the couple's separate final moments are riveting. For example, I envisioned seeing a tearful Ruth Snyder entering the death chamber with a prison matron at her side, the warden in the lead, and her priest reading from his prayer book.

In regard to reading about the couple's separate executions, I was at the hairdresser, under the hair dryer. Again, I tried to place myself in that grim situation as the warm/semi-hot air dried my hair; and partially feeling the heat on my covered neck and shoulders! I was preparing for the Easter holiday. Of course, being under a hot hair dryer is absolutely NO comparison to an actual electrocution. I won't reveal further details, but one can use their imagination when reading this account, as I did.

By now, most readers are pretty familiar with the grim 1928 (sneak) photo of Ruth Snyder being electrocuted. The New York Daily News had recently published an article about the case (and, of course, the execution photo). That was enough to arouse my curiosity to find out more about this case since my books on the 1920's ("Only Yesterday", "Ain't We Got Fun", and "The Jazz Age" [Time-Life Books]) don't elaborate much on it.

On a personal note: I hope, one day, the actual Snyder-Gray case be made into a movie. There have been plays and the 1940's movie "Double Indemnity" based on the case. It's time, now, for Ruth Snyder and Judd Gray to be portrayed onscreen as themselves. Landis MacKellar's book should be the basis for the film.

About twenty years ago I read a half dozen true crime books and found much to enjoy, but the form was tedious and I stopped reading them. Apparently the authors could not bear to waste a smidgen of research; worse, we got the research twice, first in the police investigation, then in the identical retelling at the trial.

This book on the Snyder-Gray murder by Mr. MacKellar is something else entirely. The story moves along like a movie, not a book. On almost every page there is a telling detail or two which puts a character into your space, as real as life.

Guess you know the photo of a woman prisoner being electrocuted. Oddly enough, I was about ten when I came across it -- my introduction to considering journalism as a phenomenon.

Double Indemnity Murder: Ruth Snyder, Judd Gray and New York's Crime of the Century is just a rehash of other written books on the subject. It offers no new information about this famous murder case. The author just offers the reader the same information using trial transcripts, newspaper arrticles etc that other writers have used.
For a unique and more realistic version on this real life murder I would recommend Karl Schweizer's Seeds of Evil: The Gray/Snyder Murder Case. Dr. Schweizer incorporates the trial transcripts and newspaper articles as well as reconstructing conversations thus offering a motive to the murder; namely, having to do with the spiritual condition of the murderers. Schweizer's story draws the reader into the inner thoughts of Ruth and Judd and takes the reader through the downward spiral of their actions. His book is much more interesting and engaging than Mackellar's.