On May 3, 1946, Francis survived an attempt at execution by the electric chair. Witnesses said they heard Francis scream from behind the leather hood, "Take it off! Take it off! Let me breathe goddammit!" as the electricity was being used. The electric chair, known as "Gruesome Gertie," was found to have been set up incorrectly by a drunk prison guard and inmate from the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. The sheriff, E.L. Resweber, later said, "This boy really got a shock when they turned that machine on."