The historic times. [volume] (Lawrence, Kansas) 1891-1891, 1891-07-11
ELEcTRocuTEp.

Execution or Four MurdererA By Flee
triclty nc Sing Sing. n. Y.-Everythlng
| Worked welI-Death instantaneous.
STse SISG, n Y. July s--The killing
of the four murdercrs, James A. Slo-
cum. Harris Smilcr, James Wood and
Shibinja Jugiro. was done yesterday
morning.
Slocum was killed at 4:4asS o'clock:
Smiler was put to death at STA; Wood
met his doom ut $50: Jugiro was killed
ut 6:O0
At 4 o'clock Slocum walked into the
death room, accompanied by Father
Creeden. He seemed to be making .
tremendous effort to keep his COM
posure. He had received Father Cree
denis last offices and had declared him-
self ready to die.
He was firmly strapped into the chair
| and the death current was applied
Death was instantaneous There was
a sudden contraction of the nerves and
| all was over.
| Smilcr came next Rev. Mr.. Edgers
ton cheered him up. Before Smiler had
time to think he was strapped In tho
chair and nm instant later the current
Of electricity was flashed through him
that sent him into eternity.
Next to follow was Wood, the negro
He had been worked up 70 state OF
religious enthusiasm and II was while
in this frame of mind that he was fast
ened into the chair and killed by tho
fatal shock.
Jugiro was stubborn to the last
There was no apparent hitch In tho
four executions and they were proc
nounced a success The death Of the
four men appeared to the observer to b
painless. Death came like fash Ik
was one awful shock and then OBJ
liyion.
The doctors took charge OF the four
bodies Immediately after death and boz
gan an autopsy to discover rs far a.
possible how rapid had been the killing
and the precise effect produced.
The witnesses were besieged BY re.
porters as soon rs they made their APP
pearance from the prison All Of them
refused to say anything. except that
the execution passed of without hitch
and had been a success Warden brown
had laid q strict injunction Of secrecy
upon them Ill and had evidently made
such an impression upon their minds
that they were 10th to talk. All looked
thoroughly used up and exhausted.
They had been through terrible or
deal and the effects were plainly visible
on their faces.
Slocum was awakened at $3.50 o m.
and as he sprang from his cot. Rubbing
his eyes, he asked: rs 1t time?'
mot quite yet" Principal Keeper
Connaughton replied; but IL will soon
be now, my boy"
Slocum gave sort of gasp As he ro-
allied that his last hour had come
Nevertheless, he steadicd himself and
after . trenrulous minute - awc Z
said: ''All right, will be r@ady.
While he was waiting fnx his last
meal on earth, his spiritua1 advisers
came into his cell and passed about AZ
teen minutes with him. lie received
holy communion.
Ills breakfast was ready. lie ate
sparingly of boiled eggs and coffee, and
at 3:15 he signified that he was ready
for the supreme trial
The invited witnesses who *ero
anxiously waiting for the death scene.
took up their positions There was not
as much formal order about the march
as there used to be In the Tombs.
Slocum walked steadily 10 the awful
room. His arms were tied behind his
back and strap on his legs allowed
him to step about twelve inches It .
pace
No time was lost When the death
chamber was reached, Slocum walked
to the fatal chair and sat down HIa
feet were tied and his arms and head
firmly axed to the proper places. 10
was ready In a moment
A moment later Warden Brown
touched the bell and the current was
applied. Slocum died instantly.
Half an hour after Slocum was
awakened Smiler had been aroused.
and while Slocum ate his breakfast
smiler was being prepared for his crisis
by Rev. Edgcrton. Exactly thlrty-on0
minutes after 6locum's dead body had
been removed from the chair 70 the au-
topsy room, Smiler was placed In the scat
Of death. In the fraction Of second
after the straps were secured tho fatal
spark was applied and smiler YVES dead
One Of the jury tainted, but Keeper
Connanghton's presence Of mind queilcd
any consequent disturbance
The electrocntion Of Wood aud Jugir0
then followed quickly.
Slocum and Smiler were wife muir
derers- Wood and Jugiro had killed
their men In brawlA
The electrodes were not applied, -
in the Kemmler case, 10 the top Of tho
head and the base Of the skull, but were
bound TO the foreheads Of the con-
demned men and then the calves Of thu
legs. The current was turned on In
each case for twenty seconds Tho
voltage was between 800 and Loo.
In each case there were apparent evi-
dences Of revival. ~ in the Kemxnlsr
case, and in each Of these four cases
the current was turned On See
ond time. In spite Of the fret
that the SpongeA were kept con-
stantly wet. al four men were burned
by the current especially about the
calves Of the legs The medical men
present agree that death came On the