The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-02-12
MIL'ILVAINE EXECUTED
The Youthful Murderer Dies in the
Electric Chair.
SCENES ATTENDING THE TRAGEDY

R0AN1S n LIN b4NQ L.
The First Killing Under the Amend
ed Law Which Allows the News
paper Reporters to Witness the
Operation - McElvaiue's Savage
Crime.
SING SING. Feb. 9.-Charles McIlvaine
was shocked TO death in the prison here
yesterday in the presence of the follow.
ing witnesses, besides the deputies taken
from the prison keepers; DR. S. B.
Ward, of Albany; Prof. l.. IL. Laudy, of
Columbia college; DR.. l.. A. Saxer. of
Syracuse; DIR. T. s. Robertson, of New
York; DIR. Herbert T. Williams, Of
Brooklyn; DIR. j. Marill. of Poughkeep-
sic; DIR, A. F. Carroll, of Brooklyn; DR..
j. HasbrouclS, of Port Even, N. Y; DR..
c.. f. Macdonald. of New York. and a
number of newspaper reporters,
The Death Current.
The first contact with the dynamo was
made at l112 a. M; the duration of
the contact was forty-tive seconds. In
a few seconds after the current was cut
off by order of DR. Macdonald, froth
issued from the mouth. and almost si-
simultaneously there was quick gurghng
eXhalation and rs quick a recovery, like
a person strangling. The carrent was
at once reapplied and continued for
forty-five seconds, when the doctors ex.
amined the wrist and jugular vein for
pulsations There were none, and after
examination by all the doctors present
the subject was declared dead The doe
tors with one exception believe that life
and consciousness We're destroyed at the
same instant
A Change of Operation.
just before McIlvaine was brought in
DIR. Macdonald said: 1T is proposed,
| gentlemen, TO vary the method of con-
tact in this case. The contact will be
made through the hands and at the
frontal process of the head, the hands
being immersed in the cells which have
been placed at the sides OF the chair and
| filled with warm solution of chloride
of sodium. After the execution Of
Kemmler various suggestions looking to
more perfect contact were made by
scientific men and others. Among the
suggestions made was one by Mr. Edi-
son, which has been adopted for use
here, viz: The contact at the hands
which shall establish circuit between
the two water filled jars. The two rub
Der sacks hanging from the ceiling con-
tain warm salt water fed down auto
matically to the sponges of the electrodes
| through the rubber tubes connecting.
/ The electrode for the calf of the leg. as
1 in previous executions, is preserved as n
precaution against disorder or failure of
the connections at the hands"
Assembiyman STEMS Objection.
Assemblyman Stien said that the exc.
cution was cruel and unnatural and
made him sick. II shall try TO have the
law repealed" he said ''as soon rs | get
back to Albany. The law should not be
allowed to remain ON the statute books
another day. | do not know whether
death was instantaneous or not. | only
know that it was horrible and shall Go
all in my power to have the law re
pealed. do NOT want to witness another
execution"
His Terrible Crime.
McIlvaine was not quite 10 years old
when he committed his terrible crime,
and he had just been married to a girl
still younger than than himself They
occupied a couple of rooms in an east
side New York tenement. One night in
August, 1880, he took two companions
to his rooms All three typical east side
"toughs" lay down TO sleep, with orders
to Mrs. McIlvaine that she should
awaken them shortly after midnight. In
the early hours of the morning they
crossed the Brooklyn bridge. bent upon
plundering some house before their re-
turn. Passing through Jay street, an
open window in Grocer Christian Lucas
house attracted McIlvaines attention.
1t was an "easy mark" he thought, and
telling his companions TO wait, he re-
moved his shoes and climbed up and
into the window. While he was search
ing for plumber Mr.. Luca surprised him.
Mcllvaine whipped out knife, and aus
Luca approached plunged it again and
again into the mans body
When Luca dropped dead it was with
fourteen wounds, showing where the
burglars knife had struck. McIlvaine
was captured red handed. He had two
trials, the jury each time finding him
guilty of the first degree. Three times
the week of his death has been fixel.
His case has been carried through all
the state courts and to the supreme
court of the United States, and more
than two years have elapsed since his
awful crime appalled, the people Of
Brooklyn and New York.
Harris Denied a New Trial.
| Nutu VapTY Eoh Go,-l,,fo VIZ IT,.