Prisoner No. 13515: Fatal Attraction, 1930
Note: Today’s edition of “Numb3r5 Up” tells the story of Vincent Pablo Leonor, a convicted murderer who meets his fate in New Jersey’s infamous electric chair.
Alaska, 1915: The process of immigrating into Alaska from the Philippines fills 23-year-old Vincent Pablo Leonor’s mind with thoughts of hope and promise. The first item on the young man’s agenda is to jump-start a lucrative career in the salmon industry; but he quickly discovers the work to be both exhausting and dangerously laborious. Discouraged by not achieving the instant results he expects, Leonor decides that placing his efforts into generating an entrylevel paycheck just doesn’t suit his fancy.
Now out of work and with limited options, he embarks on a nearly two-decade long career in petty crime under the alias “Leonardo.” Yet, instead of reaping fortune Leonor’s change of profession provides a revolving door that leads him in and out of Alaskan prisons. Growing bored with his life in crime, the 110 lb., tattooed vagabond ultimately decides to move east and settles down in New York City.
Leonor finds steady and honest employment with his cousin as a cook at the Sun Rise Restaurant on Sands Street in Brooklyn; however he still can’t shake the feeling that something else is missing from his life.
It isn’t until he winds up in the arms of a Newark dance hall girl in early1930 that Leonor discovers what’s long been absent from his lonely existence. Unfortunately the beautiful dance instructor does not reciprocate Leonor’s strong romantic attraction, and reminds him over and over again that their relationship is limited to her teaching him the latest dance steps.
Helen Leo is a pretty, 24-yearold bride of only a few months. She repeatedly rebuffs Leonor’s advances, telling him she is a married woman and committed to her handicapped husband; a deaf mute who can neither speak nor hear.
Leonor ignores her rationale, and continues to relentlessly pursue the lovely Mrs. Leo. His affections now borderline on the obsessive and the young dance hall instructor begins to fear her unwanted suitor.
He starts following her, tracking her every move and then rents a furnished room at the corner of Green and Mulberry Streets in Newark’s Chinatown district, positioning himself conveniently closer to Leo’s place of employment. Leonor calls Helen and asks her to meet him at his rented room which she does; along with several of her husband’s friends.
Intimidation turns into an altercation that moves out onto the street corner below Leonor’s rented room. Mrs. Leo accesses a police box to summon authorities, who inform her that a patrol wagon is on the way. Nervously waiting at the callbox, relief soon arrives for Helen in the form of Patrolman William Maurer and another officer coming up the street. Comfort suddenly turns into confusion as the patrolmen become almost animated; suddenly running towards her, pointing and shouting.
Bewildered, she spins around and finds herself directly in front of Leonor, who’s holding a loaded .38 caliber revolver. Helen Leo’s tormented stalker has just enough time to aim and fire five times before being tackled to the ground and subdued by police.
The young woman is rushed to the hospital with three bullet wounds to her neck and spine and dies shortly thereafter. Her murderer’s first two shots were aimed at authorities.
Leonor suffers minor injuries during his arrest and upon release from City Hospital is arraigned for the murder of his love. His defense is that he shot Helen Leo while attempting to commit suicide on the corner. The gun was knocked from his hand “by police,” and her death was strictly accidental. A Newark jury takes just a few hours to convict him of murder, and mere moments for Judge Dallas Flannagan to sentence the
spurned suitor to death in New Jersey’s electric chair. Assistant Prosecutor Joseph E. Conlon describes Mrs. Leo’s shooting as the “most cold-blooded, heartless killing anyone could ever have committed.”
Vincent Pablo Leonor arrives at Trenton State Prison’s “death house” on November 26, 1930. His execution is originally scheduled for January, 1931 but appeals addressed by the Philippine Consulate at Washington and the Women’s Philippine Club in New York keep him on death row until they are eventually denied. Execution is now re-scheduled for July 26th.
Leonor “quivers like a leaf” that evening as guards usher him from the death house to the electric chair. The condemned man prays fervently for mercy on his soul, and begs Rev. Louis Guzzaardi, prison chaplain to say a final prayer for him seconds before the current is switched on. Guzzaardi grants Leonor’s final wish.
Initial plans for interment are that Leonor’s body will be placed in a grave at the State Prison Cemetery on Cedar Lane in Hamilton. However, once he accepts his fate, the condemned man spends most of his remaining time making desperate yet futile attempts with members of his own nationality to take pity on him and arrange a proper burial.
It is believed that his cousin from Brooklyn, the only person to visit Leonor during his confinement, steps forward and claims the remains.
#13515 – Vincent Pablo Leonor: July 26, 1931 – Numb3r5 Up!