Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-12-02
1T KILLED \ HORSE.

all druggists
1T KILLED \ HORSE.
Why shouldn't 1t do the Same to Man:
Electrical Execution.
| Nelr York 7sieqrafA 10 Cincinnati Iimfs-S'dr
A horse has been killed al Sing Sing
/ by electricity generated by the same
dynamo that will be set in motion some
day next week for the purpose of de-
priving Wood of mis- life. The killing
| took place late Wednesday afternoon.
| The horse was led into the room where
Wood will sit when he receives the fatal
shock. Electrodes were attached TO
the wires which had already been pre-
pared and then they were applied 10 the
horse The dynamo was run until the
/ indicator showed that the current had
reached a strength of !, 800 volts and at
this point was turned into the wire. Ac-
cOrding TO all accounts the horse closed
its eyes thd fell over dead. On the
strength of this experiment the prison
/ officials base the assertion that murder
er Wood is going to die quietly and
painleSSly. Dr. AlphonSo ID. Rockwell,
of this city, thus describes the killing
of the horse:
The animal was brought into the
death chamber shortly after 3 o'clock.
/ He was big, healthy and strong. Some
| little time was consumed in arranging
/ the electrodes, and the horse got rath-
er restless, and acted as if he knew his
time had come. One of the electrodes
was fastened to one of the horses hind
legs Just below the gambrel joint, the
other was capped upon the forehead.
When all was in readiness the current of
/ 800 volts was turned on and the animal
/ instantly dropped. A series OF cOnvul-
/ SionS shook the horses body. The horse
| died instantly and death was painless,
| i'm my opinion. The electrodes left no
marks upon the animal, not so much as 4
i hair being ScOrched. see no reason
why Wood will no die just as easily. Al
though it has not been officially settled,
| il is probable that the electrodes will be
attached To Woods leg and hand. and
that the same number of volts used
upon the horse will be turned upon him.
The result will prove as satisfactory |
think. and death will be instantaneous.
The prison officials will not admit
that the horse experiment was made.
but it unqueStionably was. There Will
be no further experiments made with
the machine, it is said. II is not GER
tain that electricity is going 10 be APP
piled to Wood in the same way IN which
it was applied to kemmler. Electricians
saw that the kcmmler experiment
proved that the spinal column is not Il
first class conductor and that the cur
H. cd a
part of the body other than the small OF
the back. The electricians who
will have charge of the eXccu-
ton are disposed to attack uniaYoraOle
weight to the argument of Wizard Ed
son that TO make death certain and IN
Simultaneous the current must be APP
plicd to the condemned mans hands.
1t is possible that four instead OF two
electrodes may be uScd-one on each
hand. one on the calf of his leg and
the fourth on the head. Wood is re-
signed To his fate. He has no hope left.
Yesterday morning he said as much TO
the deputy keeper of the prison.
and at the same time he asked that
Rev. Father Creeden, the village
priest. who had been miniStering
to him since he has been in
prison, should be with him at the exc
cution. He wanted no other minister,
he said. His wish will be granted. and,
as the law permits two ministers to be
present. this will reduce the number OF
witnesses to twenty-SiX. Wood had no
visitors yesterday. He did not want
any, he said He asked in the morning
if the warden would instruct the guards
who form the death watch not to watch
him while he was at prayer. The law
was read to him. and then he said he
was satisfied. He had Il big dinner yes
terday, and spent the rest of the day
smoking cigars and praying. lie had
nothing at all TO say TO his guards.
Woods counsel has prepared the APP
plication for writ of habeaS corpus on
the ground that colored meu were eXclu-
ded from the iurieS that indicted and
convicted Wood, and he will present it
10 a Supreme Court Justice to-day. 1t
/ is almost certain that it will be denied,
but there is bare hope that the Jus
tice will reserve his decision, and II he
does for any length of time, 1t Will act
as a stay and Wood may have to be re-
sentenced. In that case the execution
cannot take place for month. Inc
prison officials do not believe that this
is within the limit of possibility and
they will 80 ahead with the details that
are vet to be attended to. There are not
many. Nearly everything except the
death chair is in place. i,
The question about the location OF
the switchboard has been settled. III
will he in the room where the execution
takes place. Warden Brush Will PROB
ably begin to-day or tomorrow to invite
the persons who are to witness the exc
cution. He will not do it by letter, put
will see the men himself or send mes
sage. The prison will be closed on sat
urday night and no one except OF,
fcials and the twenty-siX witnesses VIII
be admitted until after the execution
has taken place. No passes will De re-
cognized. No visitors will be admitted
unless armed with a permit signed oy
either Gov. Hill or State Prison super
intendent Lathrop. Extraordinary pre-
cautions are being taken to prevent
any news about the execution leaking
ont