Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-05-27

-sent arranged, Will be as f0ll0W6: |
=. whatever morning shall be decided up |
on in the week of the execution the prison
er will be notified, and whatever opportu-
nifty he desires for religious consultation |
and farewell words will be given him. |
These over. Just before the hour fixed upon |
for the execution, the officers will enter
his cell and the death warrant will be |
read.
His shoes will then be removed and |
pair resembling regular army brogaus will |
be substituted. In the sole Of these there
will have been inserted q metal plate,
covering the whole sole, and connecting
with wires passing out through the heels
While one officer is making this change of
shoes another will
FAsTEN THE PRISONERS HANDS
together in front and will place around his
body, just beneath his arm pits, stout
leather strap with a buckle, fastening it in
front, and snap hooks, projecting from
each side, at the back. Another officer will
place upon the back Of the prisoners head
peculiar close fitting cap, apparently of
black rubber, made around a small metal
piece in the center twill look somewhat
as if made by taking a rubber football,
with metal cap at the hole for a center,
cutting off the end of the ball into sort
of hood.
The cap will fit over almost the whole
of the head, from the base of the brain to
well toward the forehead. Inside OF it, in
the center, about the metal piece, will be
a spiral arrangement of copper wire about
five inches in diameter, made to fit over
the part of the head that it will cover.
The wires, just before the cap is placed on
the prisoners head, will be covered with
sponge saturated with salt water.
TESTING HIS RESISTANCE.
While these arrangements are being put
on the prisoner will be sitting on chair
in his cell. This chair, not differing ap-
parently from an ordinary one, but which
is being made especially for the purpose,
will be connected with wires leading to an
other room, and the prisoner, sitting in the
chair, will, without knowing it, be sub
Ijected to a current of electricity too light
to be felt, but heavy enough to give an ex-
pert electrician in the other room an exact
measurement by the use of what is known
as the WheatstOne bridge, of the electrical
resistance Of the man.
From the cell the procession will be
much the same as now to the execution
room, where the deputies and other persons
permitted by law to witness the execution
will be waiting. Near the center of the
room, raised upon a small platform about
eight inches above the floor, will be large
reclining chair. The long, straight frame
that forms the slanting back will be Of
hard wood pieces, three inches square, and
will be long enough so that if a seven-foot
man should lie in the chair his head would
rest upon the back. The seat and arms
will be OF plain wood and without any pc
culiaritfes.
THE FATAL CHAIR.
The upper part of the back frame on
each side will be fitted with a slot, in
which will slide back and forth small ar
rangement with a ring at the top and
thumb screw beneath. The rings are to
receive the hooks in the back of the belt
about the mans body, and the screws are
to fasten the arrangement in place at the
spot where the rings will meet the hooks,
which will vary according to the height of
the prisoner. In front of the chair will be a
foot rest, something like those in q barber's |
shop, except that the top proportion, in
stead Of being fixed, will be balanced upon |
pivot to permit it to dip front or back, so
that the feet will lay firmly upon it. This
whole foot rest will be arranged to slide
backward and forward and to be secured
with screw at the point where the pris-
er's feet will rest upon it.
From the ceiling over the back of the
chair and over the front rest will dangle |
two flexible wires like those from which |
small electric lights swing. On the wall
at one side will be small round dial,
attached to brass instrument. A hand
upon the dial will indicate the
INTENSITY OF THE CURRENT
that will pass over the wires. Near it on
the wall will be a small double.pOle
switch. This is brass lust ument, sim
liar to the familiar switches used to shut
off or let on the current whenever cleo
tricity is used, but designed especially
to show at a glance whether the cur
rent is off or on, in order to pre-
vent accidents which cRrelessness in
handling the apparatus might bring about.
L ulo Will NC oil vi NuC apparatus oPPoAShh
in the room. The prisoner, Immediately
upon entering the room, will be led to the
chair, and in a moment will be pushed
back into it, the hooks in the belt about
his body slipped into the rings in the chair
and there fastened in place by the turn of
the screws. At the same moment his feet
will be raised, the foot rest slipped under
them and fastened by turn of the screw,
and q strap on top of the rest will be
buckled tightly over his ankles.
In another moment the dangling wires
will be fastened, one to the metal at the
center of the back ofthe cap, and the other
to the metal connection on the heel Of each
shoe. A black cloth will be pulled over
the face of the prisoner, the officers will
stand we'll back from the chair, and at
signal the executioner at the switch will
turn on the current, the volume Of which
has previously been adjusted to suit the
resistance of the prisoner, shown by the
test in the cell. The intention is to use
current of ], 900 volts-the same, it is said,
as that used in the Westinghouse street
lighting system.
Decoration Day.
All organizations, societies and lodges