Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-08
ELECTRICITY
Finds Another Victim in LOppy, the
New York Wife Murderer.
THE STRICTLY PRIVATE AFFAIR
Took Place Few Minutes After Noon Yesterday In
the Sing Sing Penitenhary-The Warden Says
Il Twas a Success ThrOughOut-The Re
mains Inferred in the Prison Yard.

SING SING, n. V, December Mar
tin Loppy, the wife murderer, has PAID
the penalty of his crime in the death
chair. The signal, black flag, indl-
eating that he had been put to death,
was hoisted on the flag staff over war
den Browns house at 12:0s.
According to Warden Brown the ex-
ecution was carried out the same as al
the time of the killing OF the four men
in the same chair in July last. The
Warden refused TO give any information
except TO say that the law had been car
ried out and that the execution OF Lop-
py was success. Loppy was attended
in his last moments by Chaplain Low, OF
the Tombs prison, and Chaplain Edger-
ton, of Sing Sing prison.
The little procession started FOR the
death chamber. Warden Brown and
Keeper Connaughton led the way, di-
rectly ahead OF Lopp, who had to be led
by the keepers through the dark pass
age-way, on account OF his partlai
blindness.
As soon as Loppy arrived in the exc
cution room, he was promptly placed
in the chair and strapped so that he
could not move head, hand nor foot.
While this was being done the expert
physicians and other persons present
were grouped about the room In a SEMI
circle.
The electrodes were then applied to the
condemned man, one covering the fore
head and temples and the other the calf
OF the right leg. The electrodes were
mostened with solution OF salt water
before the current was turned on ana at
intervals afterwards.
Captain Hilbret, who was In charge OF
the death machinery had the dynamo
running andeverything was ready Tor
turning on the current. As the signal
was given TO the man at the switch
board to turn on the currents, Doctors
McLandy, Landy. and Rockwell stood
near the chair with watches In their
hands to time the respiration and the
beating OF the heart.
None OF the witnesses would reveal
how Loppy died. 1t is understood that
LASS volts were used, the same as at
the July execution, and that a current
OF that voltage was continued from
fifty TO sixty seconds. As soon as
Loppy was pronounced dead, the straps
which bound his body were removed,
and the body OF the dead murderer was
carried into the apartment directly of
the execution room, where an autopsy
was held under the direction OF Drs.
Mcdonald and Landy, after which
Loppys remains were placed in a rough
pine coffin and some time after sun.
down this evening the coffin was borne
on the shoulders OF four cOnvlcts to the
little cemetery on the hill within the
prison grounds and placed In grave
filled with quick lime, alongside OF the
graves of Wood, Slocum and Jugiro,
who were executed last summer.
DR.. Ward, of Albany, who was one OF
the witnesses, was seen by o reporter.
He said: 81, as we'll as the other wit
nesses, am pledged to maintain the
strictest secresy in regard TO the execn-
ton. | will say. however, that In my
opinion it was a success.
sI eo not believe that Loppy felt any
pain. He was calm and composed when
he was being led to the execution room
and when strapped in the death chair.
I believe that electrocution is the most
successful capital punishment. 1t IS
far preferable to hanging"
The crime for which Loppy was exc
cuted was the murder of a woman who
was known as Hattie Loppy, and was
imposed to have been the wife OF the
murderer. The crime was commit
ted on July 4, 1890, in Chrystle
street, where the couple lived.
He stabbed the victim to the heart with
q sharp-pointed pair OF scissors.
Loppy was ffty-one years old and a
complete physical wreck, having been
a hard drinker for a number OF years
before the crime. He was very deaf and
was blind I'm one eye.