The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-10-13
ON ELECTR0CUrIO
Or. M'DONALD'S STATEMENT ON
THOSE AT SING SING.
1t Fully ConGrns tho Accounts Given by
tho UnItnd Pcoss S.v!n, -t,,snsibuitv

tho Unitnd Pross S:v!o, --ia,snsibiltty
instantaneous and Death speedy.
ALBANY, \. y. Oct l.-Dr. Carlos +.
Macdonald who superintended the
electrocutlolS at Sing Sing, to-day made
the following statement which in each
particular rerrilieS the report of the
United breSS sent out OH the day of the
electrocutlon. In this supplementary
report OF the details of the executions
which took place at Sing Sing prison
last July 1T is stated that in all these
cases. one electrode was 80 applied as
to cover the forehead and temples and
the other-a large one--the calf of the
right leg, except in the case of Joseph
Wood. In which 1t was applied to the
left leg, in consequence OF the eSfstence-
OF AN ulcer on the right one. r. @ cleo
trOdtS were thoroughly wee with a
solution of salt and water before the
current was turned on and were mois-
tened at intervals when the current
was interrupted, with the same solution
thrown on them with aSyringe. Slocum
entered the execution room at 4 :33 a. m,
and passed at once to the chair. The
restraining straps and electrodes were
adjusted eXpeditlouSly and without re-
SlStance, aud the electric circuit was
completed for the first time at 4:35.
The first contact lasted twenty seven
seconds at the end OF which time it was
broken but the pulse was still found To
be heating strongly, and between one,
ana twelve minutes later Il noisy re.
Splration became established with con-
siderable regularity. The current was
immedl Ately rcapplied aud continued
for 26la seconds. Respiration had then
ceased entirely and permanently and
the heart beats had also ceased. After
Siocum'S body had been removed con-
suitatlon among the med cal geuJlemeu
present seemed TO puinJ u the ununl-
nous feeling that it was quite possible
That the long continudncr of the current
was not so significant Il factor IN pro-
uuclng rapid ceSSa!i III of the heart
beat, as the sudden Impact OF making
and breaking the contact and for that
reason the next execution was conduct
eel little differently.
Harris a. Smlicr entered the room at
C6 a. m. The !irSt contact was Made
at y Us Il. m, and continued ten seconds;
was thtn interrupted 10 allow of wet
tlng Sp0ngeS; was again made Tor ten
seconds and again the Sponges were
wet, and third contact was made for
ten seconds. Three contacts OF ten Sec
OndS 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 1T was
deemed cXpedicnJ TO again close the
circuit for ninetc"n seconds, at tho end
of which time the heart had prrman-
emily ceaSei beating.
1t VIII he noticed hat in the first
case the pressure was applied for fifty.
three Seconts III all. Atlrc uud of that
time respiration and the heart beats
h1u Ct4lSRu lJtTnlnI,.niiv n hn
ond case at the end Of three contacts OF
ten seconds eac'l the heart beat was
sui strong and at the end of the fourth
ippllcallOn oil Tillielern seconds that
nad entirely ceased 1t VIII appear
from this tEat the duration OF the cur
rent was quite as important an item as
the making and breaking Of il contact.
IL was therefore determined TO make
Chc contact IN the next case Il little
longer, interruptions being necessary to
permit or moiStching the &pUngeS.
JOStph Wood catered at 0.32 and the
electric current WAS completed at 5.34.
Three contacts OF twenty seconds each
were mad" at the cnu Of which time
respiration had ceased permanently; no
pulse could be felt at the riSt and no
heart beat WAS heard OH examination.
Juglro entered the room at a. IN.
AZ O.O2 q. III. the current was closed for
the first time, ana three contacts of lf-
teen seconds each followed, with two iu-
iermlSSlonS of twenty seconds each.
When the current WAS finally broken Il
very slight !lu;t"ring was Ielt at the
Wis. In tins case extreme heat was
noticed In the region of the knee above
the point where the lower eiectrode had
been applied and Il thcrmomet,.r held
against tne Skin for ouly litteen sec
ohds ran up 1l3 degrees, the highest
point it registered. AtGl7 the chest
was barred and cessation Of the heart
was confirmed.
From the experience had in these
cases, the report says we are inclined to
The Ocief That, while unconsclousness
Was instantaneous and cOntinu0uS us from
the INST mUmenr Of contact III each
Case, yet IN order to insure that death
supervene as rapidly as possible it was
necessary io continue the voltage en-
ploycd Il! these cases for from fifty to
sixty seconds. In each case the tenn
peraturc OF the water ne T. to and at
the edges Of the electrodes was raised
nenily.if MT quite. TO the boiling point,
50 us to blister the skin more or less tx-
tenSlvely. There was absolutely no.
Whe;t any smoking, charring or burn
iDu