The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-07-09
BURIED BY COMRADES IN SIM
Remains Of The EleCtrOCuted MurdererS
Borne Away by COnViCtS.
REPORT THAT THE BODIES WERE BURNED
DIR. Mcdonald Refuses to Disclose the Re-
suit OF the Autopsy-The Execution
Pronounced Success.

| Slocum. Wood and JuglgO, were buried IN the
prison cemetery at o'clock this afternoon.
Nine convicts lowered the coffins. one after
another. into the graves, which were quickly
filled There was no ceremony. religious or
otherwise. at the graves. Warden Brown was
seen at the prison this evening and asked as
TO the reported burning of Smiler's body. He
SAID that he still adhered 10 his determination
to make no statement whatever, and that he
would neither deny nor confirm the report.
The Rev. Father Creeden who was present
at the executions in his clerical capacity ~
| quoted as saying that when the whole story
came out it would be disclosed that all the
men were burned by the electrodes, but they
had been so mutilated by the surgeon knives
that it would be difficult of proof
DR. M'DoNALD DECLINES TO Talk.
DR.. c. F. Mcdonald, who conducted the au-
torsy on the four men executed at Sing sing
yesterday, arrived here last night. lie de-
clined TO publish the details Of the autOpsies.
! When asked If he had read the report sent out
| by the United Press. he said. II have, and 1t
| is q good one ] have no criticism whatever
to make upon it," How about the story
that the men were burned 10y the Sc
! cOnd contact was asked. Il refuse 70
/ be interviewed upon that question. Even
witnesses may differ on such points. l believe
the affair was a success and that We have
found the proper mode Of capital punishment.
/ should like 10 tell you more, but my ale
glance 10 the warden forbids | can say that
| believed death was instantaneous. Dr.
Samuel Ward who also witnessed the execu-
ton declined to be interviewed at all, but
admitted that the United Press account was
correct
EVERYTHING WORKED SMOOTHLY"
NEwBERG. n. Y. July s.-Horace B. Beck
man, president of the Edison Electric Light
COMPANY of this city. was present at the
eectrOcution at Sing sing yesterday as an
expert. He was seen 10y a United Press rep
resentative at his Office to-day. lie said while
all were pledged 10 secrecy. still enough had
been given out piecemeal by the witnesses TO
tell the story complete There was nothing
else t. tell and the United Press account
published in the papers last evening was es
sentaly correct His opinion as an eleetri-
cal expert being asked. Nr. Beekman said: 1T
was great success Everything worked
smoothly. There was no hitch or botch at
any point. A lady could have witnessed the
entire electrOcutiOn. by that | mean there
we're no revolving scenes or struggles. 1t was
one moment living man and an instant
later q lieless corpse, without murmer or
struggle. AS to Improvements that suggest
themselves 10 an expert, prefer 10 nave
nothing 10 say on the subject ut the present
time There were three electrical experts
present. III course IutIt are AWAY . III llONc-
meuts TO be made in everything OF new
character and electricity and electrical appl-
ances are yet in their infancy, and time WI
work great changes. Ou may say though,
that while the appliances may DO greatly I'M
proved upon, there will probably never he
more successful electrocutlon than that Of
yesterday, viewed from scientific standpoint
at least"
WHAT REPORTER SAW.
T,,l.y Q Tlo N[or11
this afternoon says. The body of Murderer
Harris Smiler was brought to this city
this afternoon by Undertaken Hulberg
on the train which left Sing Sing at 1886
o'clock. The body had been claimed by
Smilers widow, the woman he married and
deserted for the woman he afterwards mur-
dered. The body was taken from the train
TO the undertaking establishment at No 30
west One Hundred and Twenty-fifth street
Three or four hundred people were gathered
TO witness the arrival of the body. BY pre-
yiOus arrangement with the undertake. an
Evening World reporter was in waiting AT the
rooms TO see the body OF the executed muir
derer. The coffin was taken to the basement
by the undertaker's assistant, and the lid was
quickly taken oil, exposing the dead mans
face. The reporter stood close by. and was
horrited at the sight that met his gaze.
HIS FACE BURNED BLACK.
Smiler's face had been burned by the cleo I
trio fluid until it presented the appearance cI
having been broiled. The hair on the front
of the head, the mOustache and eyebrows
had been singed and burned of. The face
was furrowed and SCARED as though with a
hot iron. These marks were not those of a
dissecting knife or scalpel. They were burns.
Pressing closer to see the dead mans face |
palmer the reporter attracted the atten-
tiOn of the undertakers assistant, and |
they seized him bv the shoulder and compelled !
him ~ laova the f,fara hpfera other
tiOn of the body was exposed To repeated |
requests to be allowed 10 see the body the re-
porter was informed that no one but the |
undertaken and his assistants would be per
mitted 10 see it until it had been fully pre-
pared for burial. Ii was learned through one |
of the undertakers assistants. that Smlers |
left leg was burned to the bone through the |
calf The eyes were burned badly, though |
the eyeball was not destroyed.
DIR. WARDS OPINION.
DR.. S. B. Ward, one of the witnesses of the I
electrOcutlOn, was shown the report of the |
burning of Smiler. He was asked if he could |
corroborate the report. The Doctor looked |
perplexed. and walked up and down for some |
moments in deep thought, and then said. Il
am considering Just how much or how little
ought to say. am not bound by oath but
by honor, which to me is the same thing, not
TO divulge anything connected in any way
with the details of the execution. Therefore
/ cannot answer the question. Will not say
that Smier was burned" viii you say he
was;" quered the reporter for the United
Press. DR.. Ward, with the utmost
courtesy. replied Il will say
nothing about it," Finally the doctor broke
o minutes silence by saying: II will say that
not one of the executed showed anything
like the designation incidental TO death by
hanging. There was not one-half the horror
In witnessing their execution that would have
been if they had been hanged The heart
beats were over fifteen times as quick"
THE EXECUTION SUCCESSFUL"
After a brief silence Dr. Ward resumed:
Electricity isfrequently employed therapeutic
,ally by physicians and IL is very common for
.hepatient 10 be hlistered at the point OF con-
tact. Although have no personal knowledge.
4 is affirmed that electricity baths
often blister the bather. Now for sake
Of argument let US suppose that Smiler was
olstered, and understand do not for mo-
nent say he was, what Of il? He was dead at
he moment of the fret contact. and conse-
luently felt nothing. You have read in print
hat none of them were marked" do you
,all blister burp?' Certainly not" was
ais reply. "A burn would tear the flesh"
Again he was interrogated as to the
urning on of the current once or twice
.fter the first had been shut of.
% which he replied; Il will not