Morning journal and courier., 1891-07-16
DEATHwAsPAINLEss

The Certificate of the Recent Execu-
lions at Sing Sing Prison-The Post
| Mortem Statement Of Drs. macDon-
old and Ward Certify That Death
was Almost Instantaneous and
without Pain.
NEW YORK, July 15.-Warden Brown
of Sing Sing to-day sent to County Clerk
| Gelger the certificate of the executions
which took place under his directions on
the 7th inst. Accompanying the oertif-
| cate is the post-mortem statement of Drs
Carlos F. Macdonald and Samuel B. Ward,
and the warrants under which the men
were put to death. The post-mortem
statement is as follows:
SING SING, July z, 1S91.-To Hon. w.
R. Brown, agent and warden of Sing Sing
prison:
Sir-The undersigned have served as
physicians at the executions by electricity
this morning of James ]. Slocun, Harris
A. Smiler, Joseph Wood, Shihok Jugiro
at the prison under your charge hereby
submit at your request the following re-
pot of their observations:
First-An of the condemned walked into
the execution room unrestrained, with
hrmness and without assistance, seated
without the slightest protest or resistance
and quietly submitted to the adjustment
of the restraining straps and electrodes.
Second-In each case Inconsistencies
was produced instantaneously by the
closure of the circuit and was complete
and persisted without interruption until
the hearts action had entirely ceased and
death certainly occurred. In each case
death was manifestly painless.
Third-In compliance with the statute
an autopsy was made in each case as soon
as possible, by DR.. Ira. T. Van Gelsen of
New York, in our presence and under our
supervision, with the result of revealing
the same gross changes in the blood and
tissues previously observed in cases of
death by the action Of strong electric cur
rents. Specimens, especially of the blood
and of the nervous system, were taken by
DR.. Van Gelsen for the purpose of careful
microscopical examination, and the results
will be forwarded to you as soon as such
examinations are completed.
In concluding allow us to congratulate
you on the completeness, in all their de-
tails, of all your preliminary arrange
ments on the uniform good order and de-
corum which prevailed during the trying
ordeal on the result demonstration of the
rapidity and painlessness of this method
of inficting the death penalty The sx-
perience of to-day has proved to our salts
faction that this method is superior to any
other yet devised.
This is signed by Drs. Carlos F. McDon-
aid and Samuel B. Ward.
The witnesses at the execution of Jugiro
and Smiler were: A. A. Rockwell, M. D.,
Rev. Silas w. Edgerton, Rev. Sidney G.
Law, Fl. E. Allison, NJ. D., Franklin
Townsend, jr., NJ. D., O. P. Southwark,
M. D., S. G. N. Daniels, NJ. D., Henry
Wilson, NJ. D., Louis Il. Landy, Phi D.,
George Edgar Oliver, 81. B. Beekman, E.
E., L. V. Cortelyon, N. D., Charles F.
Durston, Martins T. Mullins, William j.
Ford. S. G. Mclean, George K. French, E.
F. Davis. E. E., Samuel B. Ward, NJ. D.,
Charles F. Macdonald, NJ. D.
The witnesses at Slocum's execution
were Rev. Fathers John B. Creedon and
John F. Lynch and all of the other wit
nesses, except Revs. Edgarton and Law.
Woods death was witnessed by all four
clergymen and all of the witnesses named
above.