The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-08
DEATHS ELECTRIC CHAIR
THE FOUR MURDERERs ELECTRO
CUTRD AT SING SING.

Death Instantaneous in Every In
stance-The Executions Devoid of
Many of the BunRling Horrors of the
One at Auburn-An Four Carried
Out in Little over an Hour.
SING SING, July THE killing of four
murderers, Slocum, Smiler, Wood and
Jugiro, was done this morning. Slocum
was killed at 4:42H o'clock, Smiler was
put to death at 5:l4 o'clock, Wood met his
doom at ;99 o'clock and Jugiro was killed
at SOC o'clock. The lights in the prison
buildings are usually put out at o'clock
every morning, or few minutes after that
time. This morning the lights went out
half an hour earlier than usual and those
of the curious ones who remained
in front of the prison all night
noticed that something was happening
The watchers outside had grown very
suspicious Of the new warden, Mr.. Brown.
They thought it would be just like him to
execute the men at some unexpected time,
and then say nothing about it for hours after
wards, and SO when at 80 O'Clock the lights
went down it was believed that something
was to be done with the dynamo which
kills, and which has to have all the other
power shut Off when it runs. For over an
hour the dynamo was kept running and its
force was not expended in making lights
either. Then 1t was stopped fora a time.
VIGIL OF THE REPORTERS
The day broke this morning upon a row
of very tired men, who sat upon the stone
wall opposite the prison, outside the dead
line. The guards who patTolled the dead
line had turned very insolent Their long
walk of the night ruffied their tempsrs cou-
sidersbly, and at that early hour this morn
ing they had reached the state where they
would have been glad to use a club on
some one. Beyond a few rihe-laden guards
at that time there was nothing to show that
human beings lived in the prison. Not the
slightest trace of life was visible. The hour
of 5 o'clock came and went and there was
nothing more to show. There was not a
hint from the walls A curious group
lounged on the stone steps and bluff oppo-
site the prison, the only disturbing element
being freight train, which rumbled along
through the two tunnels and sent up in the
open space between them cloud of black,
cinder-laden smoke. 1t rolled on its way
south, and as the re-echo of the wheels
grew fainter, half Of a mans body stuck out
Of the west window of the cupola.
THE DEATH SIGNAL.
The crowd opposite the Jail did not see
him because the cupola was between them,
but had they looked closely they would
have seen the twin halyards moving
as they moved yesterday when the wind
was blowing gale from the northwest. 1t
took the man up there less than half a
minute to make bit of bunting fast to the
ropes, and then there fiuttered gently I'D to
the peak Of the pole small white flag that
was prearranged signal that Socum, the
base ball player, the man who hacked his
wife to death with an ak, had died just five
minutes before. Before the flag was seen
the news was on dozen waiting wires A
close calculation fixes the time of Slocum's
death at 4:4212. The flag hung against
the pole Imply for couple
of minutes, and then it came down
and was pulled inside. There was little
hustle outside when the flag went up, but
as soon as 1t was pulled down everything
became quiet again. Even the guards, who
were supposed to have an inkiog of what
was going on, ceased alkiug and stared up
thai long, slender white pole which was
outlined against the leaden western sky
Ine death-like silence which followed the
hustle caused by the raising of the flag was
oppressive. All this time not q sound had
come from the prison inclosure to indicate
that any one was up, and about rs O'clock
the first rays OF the sun capped the eastern
bluff and Frightened III In spots the ivy of
the prison house. The sun turned vagrant
awhile and went behind mackerel screen.
and then when everything looked gray and
gloomy again the same half man was visi-
bic.
sMILER's TURN.
A pair OF hands fumbled awhile with the
halyards and then square of blue bunting
crawled slowly up the pole. 1t was 5:l9
o'clock, and Smiler, the Salvation Army
boy slayer Of his third wife, had given life
up for life five minutes before. 1t took he
Httendantfive minutes to get to the top of
the prison and hoist the signal. No one
knew exactly who was inside that board
house with carefully screened windows
No one knows just all who were the legal
witnesses to the killing, but this is
is an imperfect list: DR.. Southwick of
Buffalo. DR.. Daniels of Buffalo, DR.. Carlos
OF Mcdonald. of the state board Of lunacy
OF New York; Dr. Alphonze d. Rockwell of
New York. DIR. Samuel B. Ward of AL
6any. DR.. Franklin Townsend of Auburn,
Or. Barker Of the local prison staff, DIR.
haram Barber, Prof. L. II. Londy of New
York, Father Hogan, Rev. John B.
Greeden, Deputy Attorney General Hogan,
n. f, Davis, the electrician, aud Charles
Durston, the warden OF Auburn prison.
All Of the witnesses had remained in the
prison all night 1t was the idea of the
warden to keep them within the walls,
where they could not be interviewed and
where they would have no chance to talk to
any one. In the interval Of waiting
thiS morning there were two things to talk
about. The first was as to what color the
next flag would be, and the other was as to
whether or not Lawyer Haire had succeeded
IN his mission. He came to the prison last
night and showed a paper, said to have
neen signed by Judge Lacombe. No one
kuew what nor how much import it carried.
IL was after midnight when he got an
audience with the warden, and it was said
tnat heated confab followed. Deputy
attorney General Hogan was called down,
ana the three had it out together. Mr.
mare left the prison very early this morn
ing, and went back TO New York, leaving
dark.
SETTLED BY A BLACK FLAG.
There was not much time for specu-
IaOlon as to the result Of Mr.. Haine'S mis-
SION, Tor at 5;44 O'clock black flag went up
tne pole. 1t settled all argument concerns
lug the negro Wood, who killed his COM
Pahlon In the aqueduct during q quarrel
AZ announced, according to previous ar
Iangement, that the negro was dead. The
sun, which at its first rising, gave
promise OF bright day had kept SO secluded
IaaG 1t looked as though the gray dawn
enec' was to be a lasting one. The
siy was gloomy, the mist on the
tiver tr thick, and the waves which
~. olUAe { mournfully on the shore were in per-