St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-09
Hill and the Doctors.

in town last night. In reply to repre-
sentative or the United Press regarding
the executions at Sing Sing, the gov
ernor said: This system of electrical
execution has come to stay. l received
an official notice from Warden Brown
merely saying that the executions had
taken place successfully, and L know
nothing more about them than what |
have learned from the newspapers"
Dr. A. ID. Rockwell characterized
electric death as being far more humane
than hanging, and said that in none
of the hangings he had witnessed did
the men suffer as little as the murder
ers who sat in the death chair yeSter-
day. All four died instantly and pain
lessly, only exhibiting the gathering
current. DR.. Rockwell denies that any
burning was apparent. He said all of
the condemned men were docile. sub
hitting without demonstration to their
death.
DIR. Daniels said that but for his
promise not to talk he could tell
startling tale. He admitted that, as in
Reminders case, it was necessary to
shock the victims twice. He said the
doctors carried away portions of the vic
TINS bodies for examination. One ply
stefan, whose name may not be men
toned, said he never saw anything so
neatly done. 1t reminded him of lit
tie family party as they sat IN the room
there.
DR.. L. p. Cortelyou said he attended
the test III the interest of science and
his mind was made up if he saw any
cruelty in the infliction of the death
penalty By electricity to lay complaint
fo]n to- Il
seek to have the law repealed. Death
in every instance was absolutely pain
less and instantaneous, he believed.
Two shocks were administered simply
as matter of precaution. DR.. r. II.
SOuthwick said that the experiments
were highly successful, and he feels
satisfied now that electrical executions
have come to stay. DR.. Franklin Town
send said the executions were perfectly
successful.
MacDOnaI Won't Talk.
ALBANY, n. Y, July S.-Dr. Carlos
F. Macdonald, who conducted the eX-.
ecutlon and the autopses of the four.
murderers at Sing Sing. arrived in the
city last night and, after registering at
the Stanix hotel, was driven to the
house of DR.. Samuel B. Ward. He de-
clined to give out his autopsy notes
to reporter, saying: Il have not
got them in shape and DR.. Ward and l
have yet to make microscopic examina-
tions. The results will be written out
and sent to the warden at Sing Sing,
and he will file them, probably, with the
prison superintendent. The execution
was success, and | believe will be
found the proper mode of capital pun
ishment, as it is to continue in this
state"
Asked about the witnesses, DR.. Nc
Donald said: There were too many.
1t would have been better to have only
a few scientific men present. DR.. Ward
and myself were the official physicians
and will make the death report. The
witness whom nobody knew and who
was supposed to be from Rochester
was the attending physician of Auburn
prison. | should like to tell you more,
but my allegiance to the warden for
bids. L can say that l believe death
was instantaneous"
Newspaper Comment.
New YORK, July S.-The morning
papers of this city In commenting to-day
upon the electrical executions at Sing
Sing yesterday, which they generally
regard as successful, take occasion to
vigorously attack Warden Brown for his
extraordinary and wholly unnecessary
as well as futile pains to prevent the
newspapers from getting Oews of the
executions. The placing of armed guards
outside the prison walls, referred to as
a dead line" Is condemned as au-
thority arbitrarily assumed.
The Sun says: This morning the
Sun and every other real newspaper in
the state openly and deliberately violate
that section of the electrical execution
law which forbids the publication of the
details of an execution. This provision
is disgrace to the civilization OF which
we are proud. 1t is against public
policy, it is impossible to enforce,
and it is defied and will continue
to be defied by every self-reSpecting
newspaper in New York on every such
occasion. The law deties higher law,
| namely, the constitution, which DEGREES
that mo law shall be passed to restrain
or abridge tie liberty of speech or the
press" But the press has another duty
to perform. 1t must bring about the re-
peal of this unconstitutional provision.
| 70 that end it should devote its ut
most energies at the next election.
Without regard to personal or partisan
considerations, it should support for the
| legislature and for responsible execu-
! tive posts only such candidates as are
distinctly committed against this pre-
posterous gag-law. The Sun is ready,
for one, to engage itself to support any
Republican candidate who shall promise
to vote or work next winter for the re-
peal of the law"