The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-12-23
ELECTROCUTED.
Fred Mcclure Pays the Penalty
at Sing Sing.
He Was Killed Twelve Seconds Aftel
the Current Was On,
And Was Unconscious From the Instant
the Current Reached His Body-No
Indications of burning or Marks
OF Amy kiad--His Crime.

SING SING, n. v, Dec ao.-Fred Nc
Guire was electrocuted at ii:is Monday
morning.
McGuire ate light breakfast, con-
versed with Rev. %. l. Conkling, of
Middletown, and Chaplain Edgerton, of
the prison. and. as the time approached
for the summons to take his place in
the death chair. seemed TO be fully re-
signed to the fate which awaited him
He confessed his guilt. and assumed full
responsibility for the murder OF Mrs.
Gregory, and went to his doom peni-
tent man.
Back OF the death chair is the closet
in which the man who turns on the IA
tai curr mt is concealed. The chair
stood upon rubber mat which ex-
tended for some distance on each side
for the safety of tho physicians and
electricians Electrician Davis attached
the electrodes to battery OF two in
candescent lamps attached to board
which he placed across the arms OF the
death chair and he turned on the cur
rent, lighting up the lamps to show that
everything WINS in working order. The
voltage was found to be 1900, which Is
800 greater than was used at former
electrocutions.
At 1850 Chief Keeper Connaughton
received the signal to bring in the
doomed man. One minute later Me-
CURE, attended by Chaplain Edgcrton,
of the prison. and Rev. d. L. Conkling,
| of Midtlletown, entered from the cells
| The ministers were repeating the epis-
| copnl service for the dead. McGuirc
walked without ninehinr, and snt down
! in the chair Keepers strapped his
arms and legs. and the electricians, as
sisted by the doctors, attached the
electrodes One of them was placed
upon the temples and held fast by u
head piece. which inclosed the upper
part of the mans head. The other was
strapped to his right leg just below the
knee. Both electrodes were saturated
with salt water.
II took less than one minute 20 Mt
tach the electrodes and make the con-
nection with the wires. Warden Brown
gave the signal at 1l:l0.50. The cur
rent was turned. The subject jumped
and strained against the straps and
|
sound like deep moan. At 1i11:.02
the current was turned Off at a signal
from DR.. Irvine, the prison physician
The muscles relaxed and the body sank
back limp and lifeless in the chair. Al
most instantly the current was turned
on again. The body Strengthened at
the straps again, and was rigid for
three seconds, when the current was
turned off.
The body settled back in the chair
and for two minutes all present
watched for signs of life. There were
none. Drs. Irvine and Abbott at 1920
pronounced the man dead. The other
physicians were invited to examine the
body. No indications of burning or
marks OF any kind were to be discov-
cred. DIR. Abb, who has been present
at two former electrocutions, said that
il was the most successful that has
taken place He said that without
question the man was killed IL seconds
after the current was turned on for the
first contact and that he was uncon-
scious from the instant the current
resched his body.
Ths autopsy was performed by Dr.
Abbott half m hour after the man was
pronounced dead, The result showed
no destruction Of tisshes, and the ex-
ternal burns, which were present in
other cases of death in the chair, were
absent.
The crime for which Mcclure paid
the death penalty was the killing of
Mrs. Amelia Gregory. wife of Noah
Gregory, a farmer and tax collector of
Middletown, Orange county, on Octo-
Der ID, 1891. The crime was committed
for robbery. -
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