The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1891-12-12
HOW LOPPY WAS KILLED.
Dr. Ryder of Rochester, Relates His
Experience as Witness.
By United Press.

IL oC', Tue eminent eve
specialist of this city, was one of the
witnesses of the Loppy execution at
Sing Sing prison last Monday, al
though his name did not appear in the
press reports.
1o a reporter the Doctor said yes
tercsy: Yes, was present at the ex-
ecuuon. | received an invitation
from Warden Brown, and went on
account of my own curiosity.'
care you sworn to secrecy 80 that
you cannot give any information re-
garding the execution ?"
''The witnesses were required to
take an oath not to divulge the de-
tails OF the execution" said DR..
Ryder.
"Do you regard the electrocution
as successful 2"
"Most decidedly l DO. And it is
certainly the most humane way of ex-
ecuting criminals, if we are going to
execute them at all. There was
nothing sickening, nothing terrible
about the manner in which Lobby
met his death, notwithstanding sen.
sational newspaper reports to the con-
trary. There was no odor of burning
flesh, of which SO much has been said.
nor frightful contortions."
"Was death instantaneous ?"
eyes, 1t was quicker than that.
Death did not occur after the cur
rent was turned on, but the instant
it was applied. Loppy did not suf-
fer. Suffering was impossible.
DEAN occurred in one thousandth
part of a second, and pain, if such
it may be termed, which does not
last longer than that cannot cause
suffering. And pain which Loppy
suffered | would be willing to en-
dure all day"
"Was- there any evidence of res
piration after the current was first
applied?''
"No; there was not, nor was
there a single evidence of life from
the moment Loppy received the first
shock. 1t was just as though he
had been struck on the head by
lightning while standing on ground
that was damp. The whole thing
was perfect
""as there more than one con.
tact %
"Yes, there were several. You
know there is more force in bro.
ken current than there is in steady
one"
| GLOW long were the currents ap.
piled ?"
about fifty seconds"
''lf death was instantaneous, why
was it necessary to turn the current
off and on again7"
''ln the case Of hanging" replied
Dr. Ryder, 'death occurs when the
neck Is broken, but body is not GU
down for several minutes afterward
1t is simply to avoid any possibility
of failure to produce death"
When asked respecting the con
fractions of the muscles DR.. Ryder
said: Muscular contraction was no
ticeable of course. You apply al
'lectrlc current to the leg of a froe
hours after the member is severed from
the rest of the body and there will bt
a contraction of the muscles. Apply
az electric current to quarter of bee
after it has been hung up in tht
butcher-shop, and if it has not beer
too long since the animal was killed
consraction Of the muscular tissue.
may be seen. Any movement which
was noticeable of Loppy's body wa
entirely due TO muscular contraction
/ ''W nat is your opinion about publ
cation Of the electrocutions?"
81 believe it would be better Il
have representatives of the press as
sociations admitted to the executions
There is nothing connected with i
which could not properly be pub
lished.''