Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-10
THE ELECTRIC CHAIR.
Or. Ryder Corrects Statements About
LOppy's Execution.
MORE ACTIVITY IN THE CORN MARKEf.
Dom Pedro's Remains Being Borne
Through Spain.
LATE TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
MORE ACTIVITY IN THE CORN MARKEf.
LATE TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
Dr. wheeiock Ryder OF Rochester Releases
His Experience as . witnees.

DIR. whesiock Ryder of Rochester Reiss~s
His Experience . Witness
ROCHESTER, n. Y, Dec. l0.-Dr. wheel0ck
Ryder. the eminent eve specialist Of this city,
was one Of the witnesses OF the Loppy excu-
ton at Sing Sing prison last Monday. although
his name did not appear in the press reports
To a reporter the doctor said yesterday;
Yes, was present at the execution. received
an invitation from Warden Brown and went %
account Of my own curiosity"
Are you sworn TO secrecy go that you cannot
tlon7"
The witnesses were required TO take an osfh
not to d'yulge the details of the execution. SD
Dr. Ryder.
full
Most decidedly I do. And ID Is certainly
the most humane way of executing criminals, n
We are gong to execute them at all. These
was nothing sickening, nothing terrible sbOnt
the manner In which loppy met his death. noe
withstanding sensational newspaper reports 20
the contrary. There was no odor OF 6urning
hesh, OF which SO much has been said, Mar
irlghtful contortons"
Was death instantaneous"
"les. II was quicker than that Death did
not occur after the current was turned on bat
the instant IL was applied. Loppy did not suf-
Ter. suffering was impossible. Death occurred
IN one thousandth part Of a second. and pain.
II such lt may be termed, which does not Last
longer than that cannot cause suffering. Any
PAIN which Loppy. suffered would be willisg
to endure all day."
Was there any evidence Of respiration aftsr
the current was first apphedY'
No; there was not, nor there a single
evidence OF life from the moment Loppy re-
ceiyed the first shock. Ii was Just as thoueh
he had been struck on the head by lightning
while standing on ground that was damp. Tie
whole thing was perfect"
Was there more than one contactY'
'les, there were several. You know there 10
more force an a broken current than there 70
in a steady one.'
How long were the currents applied?"
About nifty seconds"
III death was instantaneous why was ID
necessary 10 turn the current off and on again.
in the case OF hanging, replied Dr. Ryder,
death occurs when the neck ~ broken, hut q
body Is not cut down Tor several minutes aftes-
ward 1t as simply to avoid any possibility sf
failure to produce death"
When asked respecting the contractions q
the muscles Dr. kyder said: Muscular con-
traction was noticeable, of course" You ar
ply an electric current to the leg of frug
hours after the member is severed from the
rest OF the body and there will be a
contraction OF the muscles Apply on
electric current TO a quarter of beef after it
has been hung up IN the butcher shop and II
II has not been too long since the animal wss
killed Contraction of the muscular tissues may
be seen. Any movement which was noticeabls
OF Loppys body was entirely due TO muscular
contraction"
What as your opinion about publication II
the electrocutionsl'
Il believe IL would be better 10 have repre-
sentatlEes OF the press associations admitted 90
the executions There is nothing connected
with 1t which could not properly be published ="