Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-02-11
MURDERER M'ELYINE DEAD.
Executed by Electricity in Sing
Sing at li.26 a. m.

He was the 'froughest Man" in Sing Sing
But Became Quieter as His Day of
Doom Drew Near History of His
bloody and Brutal Crime.
SING SING, n. Y, Feb. S.-McElvine,
the murderer, was executed by cleo
tricity here this morning. The flag an
nouncing the event went up at 11.26
o'clock.
PREPARING FOR THE EVENT.
SING SING, n. Y, Feb S.-Charles
McElvine, the murderer of lGroceryman
Lucca, passed his last Sunday on earth
without showing any signs. of lear or
apprehension He was visited by
his unmarried sister and Mrs. Agnes
Neville, another sister, and his wife.
His two sisters showed intense grief,
while his young wife appeared less
affected. McElyine was Indifferent. His
two sisters had to be led away after
they said farewell.
THE TOUGHEST MAN IN SING SING"
The "roughest Man in Sing Sing
was the name that McElvine gained for
himself with his keepers in the prison.
He has had several quarrels with guards
and keepers, us we'll AS with his fellow
convicts. When Wood, who was hanged
last july, passed McElvine's cell on his
way to the death chair, McElvine cried
out to him, Good bye, you'll be in hell
before | will"
There has come change over Nc
Elvine's demeanor since his last hope
vanished. He is subdued and gentle now
and has spent much Of his time during
the last few days In reading his Bible
and talking with Father Creden, his
spiritual adviser. McElvine was not
quite 10 years old when he committed
his terrible crime, and he had only Just
been married to girl still younger than
himself. They occupied couple of
rooms in an east side, New York, tene-
ment One night in August, 1889,
he took two companions to his
rooms. All three were typical "east
| side roughs." Laying down to
sleep, with orders to Mrs. McElvine
that she should awake them shortly
after midnight. In the early hours of
the morning they crossed the Brooklyn
bridge, bent upon plundering some
house before their return. Passing
through Jay street, an open window in
| Grocer Christian K. Lucca's house at
tracted McElyine's attention. 1t was
an ''easy mark" he thought, and telling
his companions to wait he mounted the
porch, climbed up and into the window.
While he was searching for plumber Mr..
Lucca surprised him. McElvine whipped
out knife, and, as Lucca approached,
| plunged it again and again into the
mans body. When Luoca dropped dead
| it was with II wounds, showing where
the burglars knife had struck.
McElvine was captured red-handed.
He had two trials, the jury each time
finding him guilty of murder In the
first degree. Three times the week of
his death has been fixed. 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.
THE DEATHwARRANT READ.
The warden read the death warrant to
the condemned man at midnight. The
doomed man did not say anthing and
| listened in an Indifferent manner.
When the warden left McElvine he gave
him to understand that his hours were
numbered and advised him to try and
get all the sleep he could. The muir
derer remained quiet and did not seem
to be visibly affected by the reading of
the grim document He slept well dur
ing the night and got up at Q o'clock
this morning.
STRUGGLING WITH THE DEADLY CUR
RENT.
Charles McElvine was shocked to
death in the prison here to-day, the first
contact being made at 11.12 a. IN. The
duration of contact was 40 seconds. In
u few seconds after the current was cut
off, by order of DIR. Mcdonald, froth is
sued from the mouth and almost
simultaneously there was quick gar-
ing action and as quick recovery like
a person strangling of water going the
wrong way.
The current was at once reapplied
and continued for As seconds. When the
doctors examined the wrist and jugular
vein for pulsations, there were none,
and after examination byall the doctors
present the subject was decided dead;
which is TO say, that all consciousness
was gone and all the muscular retiexes
| had ceased.
McElvine came into the chamber with
priest, himself carrying before him a
crucitix and murmuring prayers. The
|
| ployed. On each side at the arms was
a jar into which the hands were
immersed in a solution of salt. The
arms were strapped at the elbows and
wrists, and the contact at the head was
made on the forehead. An electrode,
as in previous cases, was present for
use on the leg, in case of failure or
mishap Mt the other points of contact.
The first contact was made through
hands and head, the second through the
head and calf of the right leg. Rubber
sacks of warm water hung aloft, with
rubber tubes to the electrodes, for anto-
matte wetting of the sponges. The doc
tors, with one exception, believe life
and consciousness were destroyed at the
same instant. AS compared with the
Kemmler killing, that OF McElvine was
much less distressing.
DECIDING THE QUESTION OF DEATH.
The subjects clothing was opened at
the breast, towel was laid over the
left breast Of the limp figure, and first
the official physicians and 10 others
| placed their ears against the heart to
listen for any sign of life there.
"Ile is dead, spoke DR.. Ward. "No
| doubt of it," declared DIR. Mac Donald,
and then ne babe each professional man
test fort heart-beats, adding that he de-
sired each to be assured beyond perad-
venture that life was extinguished.
Each did so aurally, without aid of in
struments until it came the turn Of DR..
Robertson Of New York. He produced
a stethoscoie and placed its rubber bell
above the heart, listening intently for
any evidence of life. He found none,
but he declared that he thought any
| method of contact that involved q