St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-06
DOCTORS DISAGREE.
They Differ as to the Proper Hour
for the Killing.

They D1Her as TO the PROPER houf
for the Killing.
AUBURN, N. Y, Aug. Sit is learned
tonight that Electrician E. A. kreiger,
of Corning, will be Mr.. Davis assistant
in the management of the electrical ap-
paratus. lie has been here for two
days. DR.. w. l.. jenkins, OIL
New York; DR.. o. A. Jenkins,
of Buffalo; Trackey Becker. OF
Buffalo; DR.. Louis Balch, of Albany,
and Dr.. Henry Argue, of Corning, ar
rived this afternoon. All of the wit
the exception of Mr.. Mcmillan, who can
not come. At Z o'clock this evening,
the hour announced for the conference
of the witnesses, Warden Durston was
in the lobby of the Osbore house, in con-
yerSation with some friends. He re-
matned there until 1880, when he
went to the prison in company with Elec-
trician Barnes. 1t was nearly 6 o'clock
when those summoned by the warden
assembled In the warden's office. A
curious crowd had gathered without the
walls. Young faces and old were
pressed against the heavy iron bars on
either side of the gateway. Little
groups of newspaper correspondents
were scattered about along the pave
ment. The electric light in front of the
prison. sharpely outlined the bright
green ivy clinging to the dull grey wall.
There was dim light in the execution
room in the prisonpa basement, a
brighter light in the warden's
Office on the first floor, but there
was no appearance Of unusual activity
within the prison walls. Once or twice
two or three of the witnesses came on
the broad landing and sat looking at the
crowd outside, which seemed to afford
them much amusement. Inside the
warden's Office a consultation was be-
ing held about the arrangements for the
autopsy and the most appropriate time
for holding the execution. On the first
point there were few differences of
opinion. Dr.Danfels, of Buffalo. one of
the best-known surgeons In the United
States, has come prepared with all the
instruments necessary for the work.
DR.. Southwick suggested that DR.. Dan
iels should better do the actual work on
the autopsy, and DR.. Spltzka ana Dr.
Mcdonald were chosen as his assistants,
with the understanding that DR.. Spitzka
should make special examination of
the nerve tissues. 1t was suggested
also that DR.. Jenkins, of New York.
be called in as conSultant, and this
doubtless will be done. When the dis
cussion of the second point at issue was
taken up there was wide divergence
of opinion. Some favored holding the
execution during the day, while others
suggested that if this was done it would
be necessary to stop all the machinery
in the building so as to turn the power
on the dynamo. Warden Durston was
asked about this mechanical difficulty,
but without replying to the question.
he said that the doctors would better re-
| tire after the conference, leaving their
| addresses with him, and whenever
he wanted them he would send for
| them. The time of the execution
| When the conference was at an end, the
| warden asked the party to go with him
I to the execution room. The electricians,
! under direction of Mr.. Davis, were al
ready there, putting in place the volt
| meter, which the warden took to New
| York to be repaired last Friday, and
| which Mr.. Davis brought back with him
| this morning. The dynamo was run
| ming in the machinery room, and when
| the volt meter had been adjusted, the
| current was turned on and of
several times, and the double row of
incandescent lamps on the wall was
| thrown in aud out OF circuit to demon
strate the currents strength. Mr.. Davis
| said the meter did not work as salts
factorily as he could have wished. and
| that he would have to make some
| changes in 1t. The doctors left Mr..
| Davis and his assistants at work on the
! meter, and at 9:2O they left the big
building and returned to the hotel. Two
OF the doctors said that while the mat
! ter was in Warden Durston's hands,
their impression was that the execution
would not occur until tomorrow fore
| noon or tomorrow night. The trouble
| with the volt meter cannot delay the
! execution. The currents strength can
| be tested satisfactorily without it.