Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-10-02
ELECTROTHANASIA.
Complete Report of the Sing
Sing Executions.
THE DEATEs DESCRIBED IN DETAIL.

less Than q Minute of the Current
Brought the End in Each Czse-Un-
consciousness instantaneous and Com
tinuous from Firss to Last-Each Man
Made the Subject of Different Peri
cd OF Contact, but the same Ultimate
Result in All.
ALBANY, Oct DIR Carlos F. Nc
Donald, who superintended the execu-
tions at Sing Sing, yesterday made the
following statement: The following is g
supplementary report of the details of
the executions which took place at
Sing Sing prison on the morning of
July {. 1891. In all these cases, one cleo
trode was so applied as to cover the fore
head and temples, and the other-a larger
one-the calf of the right leg, except in
the case of Joseph Wood, in which it was
applied TO the left leg, in consequence Of
an ulcer on the right one The electrodes
were thoroughly wet with solution Of
salt water before the current was turned
on, and were moistened at intervals when
the current was interrupted with the
same solution thrown on them with a
syringe.
Catelectrism of Slocum.
James J. Slocum entered the execution
room st 4:A3 a. m, and passed at once to
the chair, accompanied by his priest and
occupied with his devotions, The restrain
ing straps and electrodes were adjusted
expeditiously and without resistance, and
the electric circuit was completed, first
time at 4:S5:40 The first contact lasted
twenty-seven seconds, at the end OF which
time it was broken, but the pulse was still
found to be beating strongly. and between
one or two minutes later noisy respira-
tion became established with considerable
regularity. The current was Immediately
reapplied and continued for 26l4 seconds,
and was finally broken at 4:39 Respira-
tion had then ceased entirely and perma-
nently, and auscultation showed that the
heart beats had also ceased. The body was
removed to the dead house at a. N.
Held a Consultation.
Four minuter later rigor mortis was
found to be markedly developed in the
right leg and rapidly extended TO all the
muscles of the neck and trunk, appearing
last in the arms. Professor L, H. Laudy
reports that the pressure in this case
amounted to 1,45s volts After the re-
moval Of Slocum's body consultation
among the medical gentlemen present
seemed 10 point 10 the unanimous feeling
that it was quite possible that the long
continuance of the current was not so i'm
portant factor in producing rapid cessa-
ton of the heart beats, as the sudden i'm
pact Of making and breaking the contact,
and for that reason the next execution
was conducted a little differently.
Observations in Smiler's Case.
Harris A Smiler entered the room at
5:06:30 a. u. The first contact was made
at 5:0s:30 a. N. and continued ten seconds;
was then interrupted to allow of wetting
the sponges; was again made for ten sec
onds and again the sponges were wet, and
third contact was made for ten seconds
Three contacts of ten seconds each were
thus made, at the end of which time there
was no effort at respiration, but the pulse
was beating so firmly and regularly that
il was thought expedient TO again close
the circuit for nineteen seconds, at the
end of which time auscultation showed
that the heart had permanently ceased
beating. This observation was confirmed.
The body was removed from the execu-
ton room at 5:23 a. n. At 5:25 rigor morris
was well marked in the right leg and pro-
ceeded 10 extend as in the previous case.
Professor Laudy reported in this case
pressure of ]. ass volts