On March 19, 1927, magazine editor Albert Snyder was murdered in Long Island, New York, by his wife Ruth "Momsie" Snyder and her lover Judd Gray. The murder weapon was a window-sash weight. The story was irresistable for many reasons. For one thing, the incredible clumsiness of the killers almost made the whole thing a joke. Judd Gray seemed to go out of his way to be seen by as many witnesses as possible near the crime scene right after the deed was done. Obvious clues were left everywhere. A double-indemnity insurance policy had been taken out before the murder, too. The relationship between the supposedly domineering Mrs. Snyder and the milquetoasty Gray had the public choosing up sides. The whole thing was a sensational display of histrionics, sexual innuendo and dramatic, conflicting testimony. The Jan. 12, 1928 execution of Ruth Snyder, in the electric chair at Sing Sing prison, was the subject of one of the most famous news photos in history. It was taken by a reporter for the New York Daily News, with a hidden camera.
Information from the University of Louisville.At the southeast corner of 222nd Street and 93rd Road (93-27 222nd St.), Queens Village Al Snyder was murdered by his wife Ruth Snyder and her lover Henry Judd Gray, for insurance money, on March 20, 1927. The fake robbery alibi was destroyed by police from the Jamaica precinct and the couple were put on trial in Long Island City Supreme Court. Queens District Attorney Richard Saville Newcombe personally prosecuted the case bringing forth 58 witnesses in four days. The trial drew nationwide attention as reporters from 132 newspapers used the 50 extra phones installed in the court house to send news to their editors.
Information from the Queens Tribune
Douglas McElrath, Curator, University of Maryland, writes, "As you can see from the inscription on our copy of "Postman," Cain himself considered the Snyder Gray case as the inspiration for his masterpiece. This appears to be confirmed in Roy Hoopes' authorized biography of Cain. Hoopes notes, however, that the plot of the "Double Indemnity" story which Cain wrote as a shorter magazine piece, follows the same basic tack as "Postman." Cain seemed fascinated with the contending themes of sexual attraction and a falling out between partners in crime, so it is no surprise that he returned to it in several of his books. (February 2002)
