The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-02
HOWTHEYDIE ATSING SING
orrrcraI REPORT OF THE FOUR KLEc-
TRTCAL EXECUTIONS.

nUW luE1 OiLb "a oA@'N cAA'N
orrrcraI REPORT OF THE -FOUR ELEc-
TRIC.AL EXECUTIONS.
r~o shocks 20 KIN sslocun. Three Each nbr
weos ana the Jsp-smiler's Psise Neat
strone,y Amer the Thira, but He Died
U.ser the Fourth Tho Autopsies.
ALBANY. Oct. 1,-Austin Lathrop. superin-
<endent OF State Prisons. gave to tho news
papers to-day tho following report OF the exc
sntlon Of tho four murderers ut Sing Sing on
thc morning of July Lost, Tho report was
eret nresented to Warden Brown OF Sing Sing
nrison and TO DR.. Carlos T. Macdonald Of New
york and Samuel D. Ward OF Albany. who were
ehe official physicians in charge Of tho execu-
ions: ~ ,., On So,,
M Hon. IT. n Brorn Asesi anil Harden sia0 Sis6 NJ 4.
DrAa SIN: Tho following 10 o supplementary
vsport OF tho details OF the executions which
eook place in Sing Sing prison on the morning
Of July z. 1891:
In all these cases one electrodo was 90 mp
,ued as to cover tho forehead and temples,
and the othor-a larger one-tho calf Of tho
naht leg. except In the cnso Of Joseph Wood.
IA which IL was applied to tho loft leg In conse-
euenco OF tho existence Of an ulcer on tho
risbt one. Tho electrodes were thoroughly
vet with solution OF salt and water before
thecurrent wns turned on. and were noistened
A intervals, when tho current was interrupted,
With the same solution. thrown on them from
ssyinge.
James J. slocum entered the execution room
A4:33 A. A.. and passed at onco to the chair.
He was accompanied by his priest. and occu.
Ned with his davotions. The restraining
straps and electrodes wero adjusted expedi-
vously and without resistance. and tho electric
current WIS completed for tho hrst time ct
t.35:<0 The first contact lasted ~ seconds,
It tho ond Of which time Il was broken. but
he pulse was still found to DO beating strongly.
end between one and two minutes later noisy
respiration was established with considerable
regularity. The current was Immediately re-
applied and continued for 20x seconds, being
finally brokon at 4:30. Respiration had then
eeased entirely and permanently. and nuscul-
tation showed that the heart bouts had also
stopped. The body was removed to the dead
house at 5 A. NJ. Four minutes later rigor
mortis was found to be markedly developed in
the right log and rapidly extended to oil the
muscles Of the neck and trunk. appearing last
In the arms. Proi L. H. Laudy reports that
the pressure In this case amounted to Lass
volts.
After tho removal OF Slocum's body consul
tstion among the medical gentlemen present
seemed to point to tho unanimous feeling that
itwas quite possible that the long continu-
auce Of the current was not 80 important Q
factor In producing rapid cessation Of the
heart beat as the sudden impact Of making
and breaking the contact. and for that reason
isrsntiy.. Harris 4. smilsr. entered tie room
q 300 80. The first contact was made at
eioS;S A. n: and continusd ten seconds 9Ss
sponees. then was again made for ten sec.
onds. when hen. again nnt tae sponges wefs vet
ten ten seconds Three contscts q ten seconds
.Tst there was no effort at Respiration. though
that Il was deemed eIpedient to again close
the circuit for nineteen seconds, At the end Of
s
.d 4 R XIV Ba9Sel Daniels. To%nssnS. a.
removed rom the execution room at SIS 4.
r. the night leg and proceeded 70 extend. as IN
Il VIII Be- NOTICED tSat d ths FIRST case the
: ssS e. s &c IL
Pea case es eaa thrs sse een
!se sH md s1s Sfs sp
cation OF nineteen seconds had permanently
S SesssH I, you'd spPssI from ths that re
contact Il Was. therefore. determined to
lonser: intsrruytiops being necessary to per-
~ josseS %ssa sRssssa sSs sssn a. S;sa .sa
ed e WICK Sssh s
ss Rs
Auscpltaticp, although It was listened for by
nots es bSdy ps VAS sSf
ns 9 Sots Pfssps n tha
tho contacts had been unnecessarily pro-
Seeed wss ID. determined nant to make them
SSssh. 'ufsGo t The eI 5SSR ws st
fifteen seconds each followed. with two inter.
current was tnaliy broHen Very Very slisRss ,at e
nod By br wt %srd f" Rosi
well. Wilson. and Townsend. and by Ward
and o thermometer held against the skin for
highest POINT L Iess ISL =. While s se sae
shs was sSsh q 9
shsi The e eet" was 81 b % and S Ss
cessation Of tho heart beat was confirmed by
ORA Ward. Macdonald Cortelyou. Allison,
wilson, and Barber. The body was removed
r. 5, i Po ths os:s %ss
Prom tho expeyienss had In these four cases
We are inclined 70 The belief that, while nm
CONSEQUENCES was instantaneous and con-
tinuous from the first moment Of contact In
.upsyene as speedily IS possible. & Is nsces.
peysd n shsss ns q ao the ge
seconds. In each case tho temperature OF the
water near To- and at the cdgcs OF the cleo
{rSdes was raised nearly, II not quite. to tho
polling point, 90 AZ 70 blister tho skin moro or
.ess extensively. There was absolutely mo-
whore any smoking or charming or burning.
THE AUToPsIEs.
=, the autopsies ip all those cases wcro made
~ soon AZ could conveniently be done after
tne executions. On account Of his reputation
70 PIP special line. they were lRtrusted to- Pr.
iA y. Van GieRon Of New York. That Of tho
Japanese, Schihlok JnGigO, was made first, at
~ ~ a; n; IN the presence Of Drs. U: H. MacDon-
eM. H. Ward. and others. In. this autopsy
lassdey. JMlV !. 1871. 10 a. M-Present, Dts.
M r. z Van Glesen. g, r. Macdonald, A. r.
noufhwick. c: N. Daniels, II. z. Alllson. Frank
Gsr H spsse ,ssGj n y Gobtely SS Hiram Bar-
sCHIHIok JuGIao.
uhe post-mortem examination IN this case