Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-07-09
DEATH IN SING SING.
Electrocution of Four Murderers a
Success.
EVERY THING PASSES OFF SMOOTHLY.
The Deaths Instantaneous-NO Evidence of
SufTering-An Autopsy Held-The
Findings Not Pub
lished.


morning.
Slocum was killed at 4:4215 o'clock;
Smiler was put to death at 5:14; Wood
met his doom at $50; Jugiro was killed
at GOO.
At o'clock Slocum walked into the
death room, accompanied by Father
Creeden. He seemed to be making a
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.
Smiler came next Rev. Mr.. Edger-
ton cheered him up. Before Smiler had
time to think he was strapped IN the
chair and an 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 to a state of
religious enthusiasm and it was while
in this frame of mind that he was fast
ened into the chair and killed by the
fatal shock.
Jugiro was stubborn to the last
There was the usual ferocious, ugly
look on his face. He was closely guard
ed and short work was made of him.
There was no apparent hitch in the
four executions and they were pro-
nounced a success. The death of the
four men appeared to the observer to be
painless. Death came like flash. 1t
was one awful shock and then OBJ
livion.
The doctors took charge of the four
bodies Immediately after death and be-
gan an autopsy to discover as far as
possible how rapid had been the killing
and the precise effect produced.
The witnesses were besieged by re-
porters as soon as they made their ap-
pearance from the prison. All of them
refused to say anything, except that
the execution passed off without hitch
and had been a success Warden Brown
had laid strict Injunction of secrecy
upon them all 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 plainlyvisible
on their faces.
Slocum was awakened at $50 a m.
and as he sprang from his cot, rubbing
his eyes, he asked: SIS it time?''
Not quite yet" Principal Keeper
Connaughton replied; "but it will soon
be now, my boy"
Slocum gave a sort of gasp as he re-
allied that his last hour had come.
Nevertheless, he steadied himself and,
after n tremulous minute or two, he
said: "All right, I will be ready"
He bathed his face and hands and
made quick preparations for his break
fast
While he was waiting for his last
meal on earth, his spiritual advisers
came into his cell and passed about ff-
teen minutes with him. He received
holy communion.
His breakfast was ready. He ate
sparingly of boiled eggs and coffee, and
at 3:15 he signifed that he was ready
FOR the supreme trial
The ;;~vited witnesses who were
anxiously waiting to- 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 to the awful
room. His arms were tied behind his
back and a strap on his legs allowed
him to step about twelve inches at a
pace.
No time was lost When the death
chamber was reached, Slocum walked
to the fatal chair and sat down. His
feet were tied and his arms and head
firmly fixed to the proper places. He
was ready in a moment
A moment later Warden Brown
touched the bell and the current was
applied Slocnm 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. Edgerton. Exactly thirty-one
minutes after Slocum's dead body had
been removed from the chair to the au-
topsy room, Smiler was placed in the seat
of death In the fraction of a second
after the straps were secured the fatal
spark was applied and Smiler was dead
One of the jury tainted, but Keeper
Connaughton's presence of mind quelled
any consequent disturbance.
The electrocution of Wood and Jugiro
then followed quickly.
Slocum and Smiler were wife muir
derers. Wood and Jugiro had killed
their men in brawls.
The electrodes were not applied, as
in the Kemmler case, to the top of the
head and the base of the skull, but were
bound to the foreheads of the con-
demned men and then the calves of the
legs. The current was turned on in
each case for twenty seconds The
voltage was between 800 and 600.
In each case there were apparent evil
dences of revival, as in the Kemmler
case, and in each of these four cases
the current was turned on Sec
ond time. In spite of the fact
that the sponges were kept con-
stantly wet all four men were burned
by the current, especially about the
calves of the legs The medical men
present agree that death came on the
first contact, and that the seeming re-
vival was merely reflex muscular ac-
ton. None of the witnesses were over
come by fright, and all of them who
have spoken have made the statement
that the electrodes were successful and
that death in all cases vas instan-
taneons and painless.
Tie aUtopsies were performed al
o'clock in the afternoon and the corps
r .L.s-;os,-,- 1of+ fI,a danof a short