The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-02-09
M'ILVAINE EXECUTED
The Youthful Murderer Dies in the
Electric Chair.
SCENES ATTENDING THE TRAGEDY.

The First Killing Under the Amend
ed Law Which Allows the News
paper Reporters to Witness the
Operation = McElyaine'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: DIR. S. B.
Ward, of Albany; Prof. L. H. Laudy, of
Columbia college; DR.. L. A. Saxer, of
Syracuse; DR.. r. S. Robertson, of New
York; DR.. Herbert F. Williams, of
Brooklyn; DR.. J. Marill, of Poughkeep-
sic; Dr. A. F. Carroll, of Brooklyn; DIR.
j. Hasbrouck, of Port Even, N. Y; DR..
c. f. Macdonald, of New York, and
number OF newspaper reporters.
he Death Current.
The first contact with the dynamo was
made mt 1l:l2 a. M; the duration of
the contact was forty five seconds. In
a few seconds after the current was cut
Off Ivy order of DR.. Macdonald. froth
issued from the mouth, and almost si-
multaneously there was quick gurgling
eShalatlon and as quick recovery, like
person strangling. The current was
at once reapplied and continued for
forty-five seconds, when the doctors ex-
alnined the wrist and jugular vein for
pnlsallons. There were none, and after
examination by all the doctors present
the subject was declared dead. The doc
tors with one exception believe that life
and consciousness We're destroyed at the
same instant.
Change of Operation.
Just before McIlvaine was brought in
DIR. Macdonald said: ut is proposed.
gentlemen. TO vary the method of CON
tact III this case. The contact will be
made through the hands and at the
frontal process OF the head, the hands
being immersed i'll 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
keminler various suggestions looking to
more perfect contact were made by
scientific men and others. Among the
suggestions made was one by MIR. Edi-
son, which has been adopted for use
here, viz: The contact at the hands
which shall establish a circuit between
the two water filled jars. The two rub
Der sacks hanging from the ceiling con-
matieally to the sponges of the electrodes
through the rubber tubes connecting
The e!ectrode for the calf of the leg, as
In previous executions, is preserved as Ii
precautIen against disorder or failure oi
the connections at the hands"
Assemblyman STEMS Objection.
Asseinblyman Stien said that the exc
cutlon was cruel and unnatural and
made him sick. Il shall try to have the
law repealed" he said. ..as soon as gel
back to Albany. The law should not be
allowed to remain on the statute book
another day. | do not know whethe'
death was instantaneous or not. | onig
know thut ii was horrible and | shall d..
all IN my power to have the law re.
pealed. do not want to witness another
execution"
His Terrible Crime.
Mcllyaine was not quite 10 years old
when he committed his terrible crime,
and he had just been married to girl
still younger Than than himself. They
occupied II couple of rooms in an east
side New York tenement. One night in
August, 1880, he took two companions
to MS rooms. All three typical east side
''toughs' lay down to sleep, with orders
to Mrs. MclIyaine that she should
awaken them shortly after midnight. III
the early hnnrs of the morning they
crossed the Brooklyn bridge. bent upon
pinndering some house before their re-
turn. Passing through Jay street, an
open window in Grocer Christian Lucas
house attracted McIiYaines attention.
1t was ~ easy mark, he thought, and
telling his companions to wait, he re
moved his shoes and climbed up and
into the window While lie was search-
ing for plunder Mr.. Luca surprised him.
Mellyaine whipped out knife, and AZ
luca Approached plunged it again aud
again into the mans body.
When Luea dropped dead it was with
fourteen wounds. showing where the
burglars knife had struck. McIyailie
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 heen fixed.
Ills 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 ard New York.