The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-02-09
AN ELECTROCUTION
Murderer McIlvaine Executed in
Sing Sing.
HE ASKS HIS SAVIOR FOR MERCY
The New Chair-RepOrters Admitted to the
Death mber-Assemblyman stein
Was Much Mortified.

Was Much Mortified.
SING SING, n. ", Feb. s.-Charles Nc
Ilvaine, murderer Of Groceryman Luca,
was electrocuted at Hip this morning.
The warden read the death warrant to t.
condemned man at midnight. When the
warden left ,NlcIlvRine he gave him
to understand his hours were num-
bered aud advised him to try to get all the
sleep he could. The murderer seemed
quiet and did not seem to be visibly affected
by the reading OF the death warrant Father
Creedon arrived at the prison at 5 o'clock
and proceeded at once to McIlvaine's cell.
After prayer the condemned man partook
of light breakfast. He appeared to be In
good spirits and did not show
ANY SIGNS OF WEAKENING.
Led by Warden Brown, the witnesses
walked 10 the execution chamber. They
were al medical men, reporters from the
leading press associations and newspaper
men were also present. Stools were ranged
about the room, in the middle Of which
stood the new execution chair. IL involved
in its construction d new feature-provis-
ion for the application of the current
through both hands. The new chair Is
fashioned in its general outlines after the
chairs previously in use. II involves a
change at the arms, however. They are
high at the back and lit closely under the
arm pits OF the subject, slanting downward
to the front a distinctly new feature was
the provision Of a deep glass cell securely
fastened that the hands may be immersed
in the water which nils the Jars. The
water was a solution of chloride of sodium.
One Of the cells received the current from
beneath, the other from above. Stout
broad straps were placed for fastening the
wrists in the cells, and other bands held
the elbows tightly. When everyth was
in readiness, at II :O5, Warden Brown, adj
dressing his visitors, warned them no gra-
tultOus advice or suggestions would be
tolerated from any save those in charge
officially.
''BRING M'LvAISE,"
said Warden Brown turning to Keeper
CoanRugnten and the deputy who
stood near the door opening into
the cell corridor. There was tramping Of
feet heard in the corridor, the door was
open and the officers and prisoner appeared
having between them the condemned man.
McIlvaine was pallid and his hands, which
held a crucihx before him, trembled and
shook. Fathers CrtedOn and Smith were
at his side as he entered the room, the
officers giving way to the priests.
''oH, JESUS HELP NE,
he murmured with suppressed emotion and
then as control of his nerves slackeUed. ne
.eil1U5t shouted, HOb. God am sorry that
l have ever offended thee. Oh, Christ have
mercy"
/ Meantime he had been lowered into the
chair, his head pressed back against the
leGden peciirest, tue elsCtrUde was quickly
clapped upon his forehead and the clamp
on the rubber tube lOOsened 50 water
flowed down into the eleCLrOdC sponge and
while this was being done an officer on
each size had strapped his wrists and
elbows while others yet were strappi1g his
legs at the ankles and electrode was bound
upon the calf of the right leg, from which
the trousers leg had already been ripped
and had been stripped away.
'JEsUs SPARE NE, ErERCIFUL GOD HELP ME-"
muttered the prisoner as the broad leather
mask was bound across his face cOncealing
all MS features save his nose and mouth.
The time was l:l2 a. m. 81 am heartily
sorry, on God. that I have offended Thee
came once more muttied voice of the con
demned man. A shout Let her 20"
The condemned man had given the word
Tor his own taxing OF as he spoke bidding
for his own death stroke. Professor
Laudy lowered q small lever. There was a
quick conclusive Jump of the subject, there
was a slight sound of stralning straps as
the muscles frightened and tuggsd in titanic
impulse which followed the
APPLICATION OF THE TERRIFIC CURRENT,
There was no movement IN any part Of
the entire system. "ClOse," commanded
Dr. Mcdonald, and the small lever at the
switch board was pushed back to its place.
The current was cut Of at II: II a. N, the
power, 500 volts. The electric motive
force had been busy forty-nine seconds.
DR.. Ward reached down into the cell on
the right side of the chair and was feeling
for the pulse beats when from the livid
lips OF the subject there showed emulation
of sputum and almost at the same instant
there came from the throat broken
ExHALAT1oE OF AIR FROM THE LUNGS.
Then came a shorter gasp which was cut
short in g gurgle by the re-appication Of
the carrent. Quickly there came to the
ears of those nearest the chair the sound
of q gentle hiss, steam simultaneously
curled up from the eleCtrOdeOu on
the calf of the barred leg stop" again
ordered DR.. Mcdonald, and the lever again
, cut OF the current from the subject. DR..
Ward again advanced TO test the wrists for
probable pulse beats. There were none.
THE MASK on TIE FACE
: was released so as to allow action, if any
of the blood in the jugUlar vein. DR.
w ara retired. Dr. MCDOndlQ tested DOLu
of the wrists and neck, and then the other
r physicians did l likewise, but there
came no more Of tremor, Of
( action anywhere. The tense figure gradu-
7 ally relaxed from the terrible strain under
5 which the man labored at the moment thG
r bolt entered his frame. The neck relaxed
the head slipped down aud the entire frame
sank down an inert, senseless, dead sub
stance. At 12:45 a. N. he was declared
. dead
: The autopsy disclosed to DR.. Mcdonald
: no evidence of imbeCility or insanity a.
: claimed might be the case when Mcllvains
was on trial The doctors all agree Nc
Ilvaine suffered absolutely no pain.
The autopsy showed the heart and brain
j., were perfectly normal, with no traces Of
u insanity.
= Assem- bIyman Stein, whose persistent
g efforts resulted last week in having repre-
l. sertatives of the press admitted TO electro
, cutons, was one of the interested wit
nesses to-day. In an interview immedi
> ately after, and while still laboring under
4 excitement, he pronounced the execution
: most cruel and unnatural one, and said hi
would use all his influence 10 have the Law
n for execution by electricity repealed imme.
!. diately- He says it is a disgrace to a civ
, ilized state.
Woodward & Shankley's sale Of Trotters.
II LEXINGTON, KY, Feb. S.-Fifty- tire
2, horses at Woodward s. Shankey's sale to
Is +,,, l-o,,obt s15S TX an avsrarra Of 20 OK