The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-19
ELRCTROCIDE
Tice, the Wife Murderer Put to Death
al Auburn Prison.

AUBURN, n. Y, May 18.-Joseph L. Tice
the Rochester wife murderer, was put tc
| death at 6:39 o'clock this morning The
execution was a great success from the
start. There was nothing revolving about
the scene. The witnesses saw no burning
of flesh, no exhalation of air from the
lungs, no struggling of the victim. The
murderer met his fate calmly. The cleo
trio current was turned into the body four
times, each contact being brief The
physicians in charge believed that better
results would be obtained in this way than
in long contacts. The combined time of
the contacts was fifty seconds.
AT 6:15 o'clock the witnesses were taken
to the death chamber Warden Durston.
addressing them, said that DR. T. NJ.
Daniels of Buffalo would be physician-in-
charge, with Drs. c. o. Baker of Auburn
and h. I. Ervlne of Sing Sing rs assist
ants The chair was the one III which
kemmler died less than two years ago The
machinery, with some slight improve
ments and increased voltage, was also the
same. A new electrode was applied to the
head, the warden said, and would divide
the current, carrying it OH each side of
the head, instead of ending in one spot
Above the chair were two rubber bags to
provide A constant flow of water to the
sponges at the hands and legs.
Warden Durston left the room and soon
reappeared with the condemned man be-
tween two keepers. Behind him walked
the clergymen who have attended him.
Tice was perfectly calm as he took his seat
in the chair ''Oh, you will break my
nose" cried the condemned man as the
attendants were binding his head to the
chair. These were Tees last words He
was complaining because the bands over
his face were too tight. IL was lust 6:39
O'Clock when DR.. Daniels raised his right
arm as Il signal TO Electrician Davis. The
latter pressed down the lever, and in
stantly the body of Tice lesped and tugged
at the straps. This lasted fifteen seconds.
The current was turned on for another Eif-
teen seconds, and once more the body
pulled at the fastenings aud again set
tied back when the circuit was broken.
For third time the contact was made this
time lasting ten seconds. Then there was
Il rest of five seconds. The fourth and last
contact lasted ten seconds. The total time
of contact was fifty seconds and the total
time cf the execution was sixty-five sec
onds Drs. Daniels, Baker aud Irvine e1-
amlDed the body. They said that there
WAS no pulsation whatever. Tice was
dead and all agreed that he bad passed
into eternity the instant the first contact
WAS made. Electrician Davis said that the
Indicator showed ,720 volts on the first
contact with a very slight falling off when
a
close examination OF the body showed no
marks or burns upon il.
He WAS very brave" said Chaplain
Yates: "he fulfilled his promise to Mr.
Penny and myself that ne would die like u
man and Christian. His last words to
me were, Obi if did not drink that
whiskyr Put that in big type" added the
chaplain, with tears in his eyes Then he
said: But for that very thing he was AS
good man as any witness IN the room F"
Joseph l.. Tice was born IN Albany, July
9. 1929. Just previous To the war be de-
serted his family in Michigan and enlisted
Ia the Fifth Michigan cavalry. His war
record was good and he was honorably dis
charged. About twenty-four years ago he
married Mrs. Agnes Leggett n Rochester
Hardly had the honeymoon period expired
before lice went on protrFcted dehauch
lie attempted TO stab his wife .nd she left
him and found place - a domestic in II
boarding house. Tics completed thirty
DAYS sentence for !ntoxlcajion on July 1.
lN9l That day he announced his intention
TO klli his wife. and and sharpened a kuife
FOR ne deed. Going to the house he unex-
peCtediy appeared before his wife and stab
oed and killed her.
The autopsy disclosed the fact that one
electrode had caused a slight scaldjng
There was considerable blood IN the mus
Gu ar tissue uf the chest. The skull. was ex-
tremely thick The hsart was IN 4 normal
condition, but showed the instantaneous
effect OF the electric bolt.
The remains OF Tee were buried in a
quick-lime grave II the prison yard