New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-08
TALKS WITH THE EYE-wITNEssEs.
THE NODE OF INFMoTING DEATH COMMENDED
BY ALL.


BY ALL.
Sing Sing July (spcciaD- Shortly after the excel
t,ons several OF those who had been present came from
tbe prison Office They entered the carriages literally
nnder cover OF the Winchester rifles in the hands OF tile
guards and were soon driving furously down the ROAD
They were followed by hacks which the newspaper men
had in waiting and mad race followed over the ROCKY
and hiIly roads leading 10 the railroad staton' Inc
newspaper closed the spectators OF the exc
cution at the railway station and overwheimeo UeIh
with questions. They ell refused positively 10 say
anything about what they had seen. They had 0ouno
themselves positively by written agreement heo l"
divulge anything that had occurred.
The Rev. DR.. Law, chaplain Of the Tomos' woun
not tell about the details OF the putting to death but
aid say forcbly that the great success OF the execu
tons had surprised him most agreeably. He went 10
Sing Sing feeling unfavorably disposed toward Nhe
by electricity but he considered 1t the most per
feet mode of carrying out the death sentence Dr
Alphonse D. Rockwell said: According to the agree
ment with my colleagues and in consequence Of the
injunction laid upon me- cannot describe the details
OF the executions. But they were all highly
successful. There was no pain, nor was any stIne-
Cling apparent In any OF the cases beyond tho sune-
Ing which came with the application OF the current
The dynamo worked perfectly this morning ana ule
current not weakened by switching to the electric
lights The effect Of the current came up to our
expectations, and in none of the hangngs have
witnessed was death so painless and instantaneous
as in every one of the four cases this morning"
Dr. L. p Cortelyou, of Brooklyn, said. When was
asked TO come here and was requested to sign the
paper agreeing not give any information regarding
the execution made a mental reservation that II
there was anything at all cruel or repulsve IN the
execution, / would not be quiet There was nothing
G5s Of Stue eah Two Shocks given the
men but the second one merely precautionary
measure The first shock killed the men"
Dr. Samuel B. Ward, Of Albany, said that each
was dead inside OF forty seconds after te current s
been SGn tr 5e6 on The voltage he a00oo'
A0I DR.. Macdonald said: "The executions were con.
Quoted in a dignihed manner. The men went TO the
chair calmly and in each death was instantaneous
DR.. Franklin Townsend, of Albany, said Every
DE- southwick Of Buffalo, said: al am perfectly
satisfied with the results. am sorry that cannot
tell you more about II"
THE CRIMES FOR WHICH THE MEN DIED.
Harris A. smiler a salvation Army oicer before
be committed the crime for which he put to death
His wife Maggie refused TO live with him any longer
On account of his brutality He became furious, and
on April g. 1885, at No 254 seventhave., he shot her
twice and killed her. His attorney, Ambrose H.
Purdy, succeeded In having the execution postponed
from August 4, $780, which was the day set in the
sentence, until yesterday.
James j. slocum was a baseball player and on
New Years Eve, 1880, he killed his wife with axe
al No. Cherry-st. He was sentenced by Judge Mar
tine in March $780, to die in the week beginning May
8, 1890 but stays were granted several times.
Joseph Wood Is a negro. lie kliItd an ltdHan,
named Carlo RufIi who a fellow-laborer with him
on the new CrOtOn Aqueduct The murder occurred
in May 1850, and in March. 1880, Recorder smyth
sentenced Wood to die in the week beginning May H.
1900 Robert ]. Hare. his lawyer, managed to
secure delays on varOus grounds, and up TO the last
minute worked hard for another stay.
Tho Japanese. ShihiOk JugtTO, stabbed another
Japanese Mura COmmi with whom he had had o
dispute on the voyage TO this country. The murder
occurred In a japanese boarding house in Jam ST.
and Jugiro was sentenced IN December to die IN the
week Beginning February 3. In his case, alsO
stay was secured. ,-, ,,.a
here at :O5 O'Clock this evening brought the Albany
witnesses of the execution. DR.. Carlos F. Mac
Donald was driven with DR.. Ward TO his residence
where he viii spend the night He was seen later by
Tribune reporter. TO whom he said that although
he-was like the Others pledged 70 secrecy he could
say without violating his obligation that the execution
passed OF successfully and without the least excite
ment No scene of any kind was enacted
and everything was done IN quiet ,delibeTaat;
execution room one at time and each took the char
quietly. None was tied had his arms pinioned
and each walked freely in the custody OF single
officer There remOnstrance from any OF the
four. The contact quick and positive, and death
In each was instantaneous. -Four post moTteIn'
were made Immediately. Rough notes were taken.
which will not be fully written out for two or three
days Then the result will be made known.
Dr. Ward said u reiterate what Dr. Macdonald
before l am thoroughly convinced that an execution
by electricity IT conducted al sing sing Prison
sOday results in an instantaneous and painless
DEATH