The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-08-04
THE DEATH CHAIR.
ANOTHER NEW YORK MURDERER
DISPOSED OF BY ELECTRICITY.
The Execution was a Complete Success, Death
Being instantaneous and Apparently
Painless-The Victim Satisfied
With His Future Prospects.

DANNEMoRA, n. Y, Aug. 2.-It was
exactly 1850 o'clock this morning
when, at the word from Warden
Thayer, the murderer, "Cal" Woods
cell door was unlocked and the pris-
oner stepped out into the exercising
corridor, upon which the condemned
cell opened. The death warrant was
read to the prisoner by the warden.
Woods listened to the warden's words
with pale and slightly drawn face,
but not otherwise agitated and made
no comment. He was the most COL
lected person present at the reading,
and when Warden Thayer gave the
word for the prisoner to be brought
out there were grouped reporters,
physicians and others invited to wit
ness the execution. Four minutes
after II o'clock after the witnesses had
entered the death room, the machin-
cry was started, the electric current
turned on and an instant later two
rows of electric test lights placed in
the death chair showed the deadly
current to be both quick and powerful
enough to satisfactorily fulfill it's pur-
pose. Previous to the test the warden
cautioned the spectators against any
interference. After the preliminaries
were over the spectators sat in silence
waiting for the coming of the prisoner.
The condemned man walked with
firm and steady step along the COR
ridor toward the spot where the war
den and two keepers were waiting
him. AS the little rroce ssion entered
the room ahalf suppressed murmur of
surprise escaped from some of the
witnesses. Wood was neatly attired
in black suit, shirt, collar and cuffs
snowy white, and white tie EN-
circled his neck. His face was smooth
ly shaved with the exception of a
mustache, and with calmly courage
Gus bearing Wood looked anything
but desperate murderer, half human,
half brute, as he had been painted in
some of the reports. Crossing the
threshold of the room the prisoner
turned to the right, and with two or
three steps stood in front of the fatal
chair. The room was entered at 11:44
o'clock. The condemned mans face
turned pale, and there was the slight
est tremor visible on the compressed
lips, but he permitted no other out
ward sign of the feelings which
must have filled his breast.
When he reached the chair
the keepers stepped to one eide, and
without hesitation the prisoner said:
II want to thank Warden Thayer for
his great kindness to me, also my
lra Nv pfh ic ,nt
long enough to return my thanks to
Judge Whitman for his noble efforts.
He has been nearer than brother to
me, and hope he will live long life
and die happy in the Lord" The re-
lsgious feeling of the doomed man
found expression in these words: 81
pray God now to give me strength of
Two men to go to meet Him, for know
1 am going there. God bless you all.
May He make you all hap
py." Here Woods voice trem-
bled a little, the only indication
of any lessening of the wonderful
nerve the man had shown, and as he
sat down in the chair he said in a
strange voice, "God remember me !"
He repeated this three times while
the straps were being adjusted. His
last words were, "God bless meW
The fatal signal was given by Keep.
er Weltz of Auburn prison. AS the
contact came Woods body straight
ened out rigidly and his hands turned
upward on the arms of the chair
Twelve seconds was the duration OF
the first contact: The second contact
was two seconds shorter, and as it
Ipa hn1 itc f1n ,I Of
smoke arose from the murderer's fore
head and the odor of burned rubber
| filled the room.
This was repeated in the third and
fourth contacts of six seconds. Each
time Woods body Strengthened out
This was followed by relaxation as
the current was shut off. Woods
body was in the chair just one minute
and fourteen seconds. An interval Of
three seconds was given between each
contact. The smoke came from the
burning ends of the rubber tube down
which salt water ran to the electrodes
| There was a slight blistering ol
flesh on the forehead. The adjust.
ment of the strap and electrodes
took but twelve seconds, DR.. Ransom
uperintending four keepers who per.
formed the service. Physicians in
charge made an examination of the
body Immediately after the fourth
contact. The voltage was 1860 with
amperage of 7. The witnesses were
then allowed to make an examination
before the prisoner was pronounced
dead.
Warden Thayer announced that a
post mortem would be held immedi-
ately, and the body be taken to the
post mortem room on a stretcher
The autopsy was conducted by Dr.
Abbott, other physicians assisting
The death certificate was next signed
by witnesses, and I. first legal elec.
tfocution at Dame ora was over
The body vas delit red to Woods
wife.
The autopsy was held by Doctor;
Irving, Bullard and Abbott. DR.
Irving said subsequently there wa:
no traces of the electrical current
found upon the remains save slight
blistering of the skin ON the spot
where the electrode rested on the left
calf. Wood was convicted Sept. Il
of numbering his father-in-law, Lean
der Pasco.