Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-07
A Device that Its Inventor
Is Proud OF.
TWENTY-FIVE AN HOUR.
That Is the Number of Men 1t
viii Kill.
MIDNIGHT SCENES.
feii-Taie Activity In and About the
Prison-Thc Newspaper Watch-Tho
Fstcfui Hour-When?

koint Of interest in this place yesterday
las the State prison. Although 1t was
kncrally understood that no one would
u allowed inside the prison hundreds of
krsons visited Prison Hill and gazed at
BE- blank walls of the building rs if they
tould read what was transpiring inside.
yen after midnight people visited tho
bot. but were ordered off by armed
uards placed on all approaches TO the
uison. No one was allowed 10 pass this
hard. Daring the whole night the village
as agitatcd as 10 the question whether
be four condemned men would suffer the
enalty of their crime during tho hours
5eiween midnight and dawn. The most
bnhicting and absurd reports were spread
Bout.
TELI~TALE ACTIVITY.
Standing on the hIll overlooking the pri-
bn. IL was seen that there was much ac-
vity in the prison. The building itself
as illuminated, and the frequent rumble
wheels announced the arrival of vis-
brs. Cabs continued TO arrive until long
Hter midnight, and tho opinion was that
De- occupants were the jury and the doc
brs. who were to be witnesses of the tra-
edy.
OPP FOR THE DAY.
SfNG SING, n. Y, July 6.-There is pret-
generally believed rumor that the cleo
tocution will not take place to-day.
no ADMIITASCE.
Il SrSG SrNG, n. Y. July 6.-That Warden
brown is determined to obey the law
khich says that nothing but simple no.
&c that an execution has taken place shall
be published can be seen from the precau-
kons which he has taken to keep all out
Bdcrs nj n distance. One of these WAS the
Establishment of "A guard about the prison.
That guard formed dead line, not IN
3ame cnly but in reality. 1t would have
&fcn certain death TO have crossed the line
|6fter the guard had called halt.
81 4 he Warden and his deputies are close
hOuthed and nothing can be learned from
hem The Warden, however, promised
'1hat If any legal stay OF execution occurred
'ne would promptly notify the newspaper
mems camp by the roadside. Beyond this
Nothing was promised.
81 THE DEATH CHAIR.
81 The chair in which the condemned men
ill suffer the Heath penalty is a substan-
Mechanism. and. with the connections with
BE- dynamo. was designed by Captain
hilbert the prison machinist, under whose
hpervision 1t was built. 1t is constructed
very workmanllke manner, and differs
1ery materially from the chair used IN the
kecutiOn of hemmler at Auburn prison.
X1he char IS located IN room Just south
~ that occupied 10y the cells OF the con-
Demned men which is entered by door
font Of their cells The room Is 80 feet
|Icng by 2s feet wide and Is perfectly bare.
The addition in which the death-chamber
- located is the last one built and is one
|1fOry frame structure.
III THE DEATH APPARATUS.
81 As the visitor enters the room of execu-
bon no faces the chair, which is placed at
H. opposite end. The seat is board. and
D. back, on which "A heavy head-rest Is
fonstructed, has slight curve: Above
|le rest and fastened to tho back by n long
Stnp ~ q figure l." which is intended to
test on the head of the occupant. II Is
thr0ugh tine wire in tins that the current
kasees. Besides this there are number
n straps used 10 secure the prisoner IN
6osition after he has taken his seat III tho
chair.
4 The chair faces the east. and directly be-
hind II Is low cabinet for the use OF the
b. of sight of everybody. Directly back
n the cabinet against which the char
&iands, Is "a door leading directly to the
RvuAm0-rOom. On the side of the cabinet
y a sliding door. which on being opened
&eyeals the switchboard by which tho
Signals are given 10 the operator, who
tiands in the cabinet and turns OF the fatal
turrent.
The first object which meets the eve is a
3
d med and read as follows: Five bells,
3 81 ready: one bell, turn on current: two
bells. turn on more current; three bells,
e-s current: one bell, shut of current;
kix bells. all through. Underneath the
b rections is little electrlc-bell button,
h. nich Is pressed to give signals to the ope-
Pator.
THE TEsT SWITCH.
Next 10 the placard is the test-switch'
H his switch turns on the current INTO
Fiozen or more incandescent lights at the
h op OF the switchboard and also into the
hmmeter and yoltmeter. which are IN the
de with the resistance-box. All these
bre arranged TO test the strength OF the
uuent before II is put in operation on the
tOndomned man. There Is another switch
j. which the current can be directly con
blected with the wires leading TO the chair.
q he man at the switchboard. however.
Iaunot turn the current through the oc-
kupant of the chair. this being entirely the
province of the man who stands behind
the cabinet.
PROUD OF THE DEVICE.
Captain Hilbert. the designer of the
thair. Il proud of IT. completeness, and
pociallv Of the code Of signals. The
tailurc Of these in the Kemmler case was
buc OF the things that made that electrocu-
b.. l.l
kroaking of his device asserts that II Is
I Die TO kill twenty-five men an hour. He
las mace an Improvement on the ar
faugcment of the electrodes. which differs
Materially from that of the kemmler case.
L the latter the current was passed direct
)y through the body and heart. The in
seuter Of the Sing Sing chair has a new
plan Tor applying the electricity to the
MISS or 10 one wrist and al ankle.
MOI UNTIL THIS MORNING.
SING SNo. n. v, July G.-Electrician
Davis arrived at the prison to-day and had
, consultation with Warden Brown and
!. hen went direct TO the execution-room.
Professor Lsndy and DR.. Rockwell, both
experts. are at the prison. The impression
prevails that the delay IN carrying out the
sentence Is due 10 the fact that there Is
some impeIfection IN the apparatus, which
Was only discovered this morning. ID IL
sad, by the Warden. The latest rumor
circulated in the headquarters Of the news
Is that the execution will not
occur until morning.
AT MIDNIGHT.
At ~ o'clock the Warden said: "The
men are sll awake. was lust down to see
Ihsm. They are very quiet. but they evil
iently know that something IS coming"
Mr.. Brown said that no papers had been
served on HIM ia the Wood case. He said
be had the opinion Of the Attorney-General
On the appeal put forward by Woods law
yer rs claim FOR stay of execution. He
would not say what II was, but he said
II no other papers are served on me be-
Tore the hour set for the execution. you
can say that all four men will be executed"
Fathers Creeden and Lynch were in the
prison at midnight. as was Mr.. Edgerton,
The prison chaplain. They will join tho
at an early hour some time be
Tore the hour set for the execution. II is
not improbable that I o'clock will be the
aour, though the general expectation IL
nat u VIII be nearer sunrise.
PAPERS IN WOODS CASE.
=, II. j. Hair. attorney for Wood, and /
jeorge a. Hooper, attorney for 6locum,
Arylvod 10 Sing Sing af IA O'Clock and L