The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-19
TICE'S DEATH WAS PEACEFUL
TIE NINTH VICTIM OF THE DEATH
CHAIR DIED As THOUGH SHOT

rour shocks Were Givca without Aay
sign or Contraction OF Muscles In the
IutervaIs-No Noise OF Escapine Air and
No Indication OF sunerinE-The CLOSING
Of the Hand stopped By the Csrrent.
AununN, May 1a-Joseph L. Tice died In the
death chair this morning. bravely and without
hrayado. He was the second mnn to be exc
ecutcd by electricity In Auburn. and the ninth
in tho State. Ho died instantly and without
main. The execution. from beginning to end.
jasted two and one-half minutes. and the
quickest ropc execution in this State is said to
have been twenty-six minutes.
At midnight Guard McNaughton awoke the
prisoner and he arose and dressed. He was
shaved and then lay down in his clothes. At 8
o'clock Chaplain Yates and the Rev. Mr.. Penny
visited the prisoner. To Mr.. Penny he said:
"My back pains mo. but soon shall know no
pain" At $3.50 o'clock the witnesses filed to
their places In the execution room. There was
q largely increased voltage over the Kemmler
execution. and some OF the straps to be affixed
to the face had been CHANGED. Among those
who stood about the chair wore: Electrician
Davis OF New York. Drs McCort and Reming-
ton Of Rochester. Under Sheriff Bailey OF Mon
roe county. DR.. Erving OF Sing Sing. Warden
Brown Of Sing Sing DR.. Sawyer OF Auburn. Dr.
Daniels Of Buffalo. DR.. Smith OF Auburn. tho
Rey. +. D. Penny. Chaplain lntes OF Auburn.
Dr. Arthur G. Root OF Albany. DR.. j. T. Run OF
Clyde. DR.. G. c. Fell OF Buffalo. Dr. c. o. Banker
Of Auburn. and Dr.. II. D. Peck OF Auburn.
Electrician Davis pressed tho signal button
i've times, and the row OF sixteen electric
lights In the closet gowed brightly. He
pressed It twice again for moro current and
then quickly switched 1t into the row OF test
lamps on the chair. The response was instan-
taueous and satisfactory. Warden Durston
then stepped to the door OF the corridor to
Tees cell and said:
"All right: bring him In"
The guard said. Come. Joseph" and Chap
lain Yates assisted him to rise. His face was
pale, and every bit OF color had loft his lirs.
He took his cane and without assistance walk
cd into the execution chamber. He kept his
Mss.n in sGn s hn as% c Sshes
chapluin nor prisoner sai'l word. he guards
hastily tea with msaa
other electrode was affixed to the cali OF the
it was exactly $3.50 o'clock. one minute after
III had seated taS or Sns
t a'ST n spo r Gsetrleian HaSs ~
the straps as /. 40 volts We're driven throughit:
For fifteen seconds DR.. Daniels kent his hand
the Current remained or. and during that time
there no NJ" OF @ aran
switched swift OF ier i've seconds. Again tie body
contact there wa an interval Of five seconds
and then ten more Of contact. -, =,
Drs. Eryin., and Banker will examine the
pulse" said the Warden: The victim had
onds. They pronounced the man dead. Tho
only visible effect OF the current had been
f9% ase m the he
rent lice had closed his left hand: AS the
current struck him he was closing the right
fers remained in natural position. The
head dd not End shets was s Sntras
found to Ue exactly the same in appearance. as
when the old man had sat down. The lips
rally. and except. for Il slight blister on tho
right side. caused by the hot salt water. the
'A St. VA Daniels Of Bufiao Said that he used the
fns sbee an nc aae
den Brown .! Sing Sing SAID, twas the
most SUCCESSFUL execution yet held" T., After
cred with an American flag as he bad had re:
were t" thank Warden and Mrs. Durston for
their kindne- to him..
the war oil the rebellion. -Four years ago he
began drinking because OF MS fernnd Ttic ,
ss a her IN p"chcster and demanded tnat
she SHOULD live with him. She refused: and he
drew knife and stabbed her to death; HIS
The autopsy was performed By Dr.. Daniels 81
cate tho cnuse OF death. The vital organs
were in u normal condition. and there was alb
Of eIectricity had passed through tho body
Specimens OF blood and Issue were taken BY
Or. Daniels for microscopic study.