The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-07-07

SlSG SING, n. V, July G.-lSpociall-
The objective point of interest in this
pace yesterday was the State prison.
Although it was generally understood
that one would be allowed inside the
prison, hundreds of persons visited
Prison Hill and gazed at the blank walls
OF tho building as If they would read
what was transporting inside. Even after
midnight peoplc visited tho spot. but
were ordered oil by armed guards placed
on Al the approaches To the prison.
No one WAS allowed to pass This guard
During the whole night this village was
agitated as to the question whether four
condemned men would suffer the penalty
OF their crime during the hours between
mldnignt and dawn. The most conflict
ing and absurd reports were spread
about. Standing on the hill overlooking
tho prison, It Was seen that there was
much astir i'll prison The building was
Itself ilumined, and the frcoucn. ram.
bic Of wheels announced the arrival of
visitors. Tho cabs continued to arrive
until long after midnight. and tho opin.-
ion was that their occupants werc The
jury and doctors who were to be the Wit
ncsses of the tragedy.
rur,or ,ba. ,ha oI1Jot, :,i Ncu
:nl,n n,oro ,,.Io, ~ noO
Al d.v lon,r i1n,5rods 30 ro,,,,, ,
visited Prison Hill and cxpcctantlv
awaited news OF the execution by cleo
trocution of four condemned murders.
Smiler and $locum, Wood. the coiored
man, and iuglro, tho japanese a
score o. more OF newspaper correspond
ents throngcd the walls and gate ways
leading to the prison. but could cain
little or no information from W,~Snr
Brown ahuut his mans nv ornc;.,I,
when either or nnv of tho n,;sonors
would he kemmlcriZai
Tho chair in which Tho condorrod
men will sutFcr lilo doa,b ,n,,,i.v e
substantial as VOL as n co,nfort ,b,n
looking piece OF woodworlxcr's mochnn.
ism, and, with the connections with tho
dynamo, was designed bv Cant. Uilbnrt
the prison machinist, undcr whose super
vision it was built. If is corstrnctcd +,
Il very worllmanlillo mannor and diff
very materially from the chair used in
the execution of Kcmmler Mt Auburn
prison. This article of fnruiturc which
is an object Of terror to tho four mon. is
very solid. The seat and tho back. on
which q heavy head rest is constructed.
has slight curve.
Above tho rest. and Fastened RI thu
back by long strip, is a figure $50
which is intended to rest on the head OF
the occupant. 1t is through tho wire.
in this the current passes. Besides tbis
there are number of straps used TO So
cure the prisoner in position after bn
has taken his seat in the chair. The
chair faces TO the east. and directly no.
hind it is d low cabinet for tho use of
the man who turns on tho current. who
is thus our of siuht of ovrrvhodv Its
sides, however, do not reach Tho cniIinr
SO the generator hovc nlcn,yof ,nn,G;,
lation. Directly back OF this. AGAINST
which the cabinet stands. is n door load
ing to the dynamo room.
On the side of the cabinet is n slidinr
door, which on being opencd reveals
the switch board, by which sirnals arc
given to the operator, who stands in the,
cabinet and turns on the fatal cnrrart
The first object which meots the evo is
a card Of printed directions which is
framed and read as follows. "Fivo
bells, get ready: ono hell t,,, an NV.
rent; TWO bells, turn on moro current.
three bells, less current: ono he'll shut
OFF current; six bells. all thronrh ),
Captain Hilbert. tho desirnnr NJ tho
chair is proud of its completeness nnS
especially the code of signals. rho
failure in the Kemmler case was ono Of
the things that made deterioration tben
such horrible affair. Tho captain in
speaking OF his device asserts that IT is
able TO kill twenty-five men an hour.
He has made an Improvement OF the ar
rangcmcnt OF the electrodes which
differs materially from that OF the
kemmlcr case. In tho lot.nr ti,o NV
t"H@co u..ectly through tho