Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-02-13
ELECTRoCuTION.

11:12 n IN. Monday. The duration OF |
contact was forty-five seconds. In
few seconds after the current was cut
off by order of DIR. Macdonald, froth
issued from the mouth and almost sim
ultaneously there was quick gurgling
eSilition and as quick a arecovery, like
person strangling of water going the
wrong way.
The current was at once reapplied
and continued for forty-five seconds
when the doctors examined the wrist
and jugular vein for pulsations; there
were none, and after examination by
all the doctors present the subject was
declared dead.
McIlvaine went to his death calmly.
When he was brought into the room
he looked quickly about and then fixed
his eyes on the chair. AT a sign from the
chief keeper he walked over to it un-
flinchingly and sat down. Then he
stared straight ahead of him as
the deputies quickly adjusted the
straps and drew them tight AS the
face strap was adjusted McIlvaine
grew excited and shouted: "Let her
CO." Instantly the current of 1,7OO
volts was turned on. The doctors, with
| one exception, believe life and con-
| sciousness were destroyed at the same
| instant. AS compared with the Kemm-
| Ter execution that of McIlvaine was
much less distressing.
The autopsy revealed that there
were slight blisters from the heated
water in the electrode. The hands,
which had remained completely i'm
mersed, We're in no degree disfgured
| in the surface, but the wrists had each
slight blistered ring where they had
been wet upon immersion but had
been Withdrawn at the convulsion at
tending the first contact. At the calf
of the leg, where the second contact
had been made, instead of at the
hands, there had been something more
than blistering-the rigid tightening
of the muscles having pressed the
sponge dry and heat resulting to singe
the surface.
Prof Van Gieson finished the autopsy
at 3:45 p. m. The examination showed
that the heart and brain were perfect
ly normal. No traces of insanity were
found. At Mcllvaine's trial insanity
was set up as n partial defense. The
doctors declare that McIlvaine was
killed by shock, and the execution was
pronounced successful one.
DR.. Macdonald was asked if he be-
lieved that consciousness and life were
destroyed al the same instant.
''Conscious life was unquestionably
instantly destroyed" was the answer.
"And you regard the expulsion OF
sputum and the sounds from the throat
as purely reflex muscular results?"
Unquestionably," was the reply.
Assemblyman NJ. j. Stein, who
through his persistent efforts succeeded
last week in having representatives o
was probably the most interested
witness. In IN interview Immediately
after the exection he pronounced
the execution Il most cruel ant
unnatural one, which had made hin
sick. He said that he would use al
his influence to have the law of eXecu
ton by electricity repealed immediate
. ly. ut is disgrace to a civilized state,
!. he said. land ought not to be allowed
in our statutes. ! do not want to wit
:. ness another execution and cannot sa,
Whether death was instantaneous o
{ not
The chair used was one never befor
, employed. 1t involved in its construc
ton q new feature-that of provisio
for application of current through bot
y hands, as had some time ago been sug
gested by Thomas A. Edison. The chai
e itself is the outgrowth of ideas held b
= Prison Yardmaster Hilbert who sine
. the quadruple execution last July ha
= been studying to effect electric cor
. facts without burning or scalding tn
g skin of the subject. On each side a
= the arms was jar into which tn
u hands were immersed in solution {
y salt. The arms were strapped at tn
y elbow and wrists and the contact a
the head was made at the forehead
20 An electrode, as in previous case
here was present for use on the leg ]
case of failure or mishap at the 9th,
:, points of contact. The first conta
"a was made through hands and head; til
second through the head and calf I
N the right leg. Rubber sacks of war;
n water hung aloft with rubber tubes
q the electrodes for automatic wetting
of the sponges.
|
IL | committed his terrible crime, and he had ju
!, been married TO girl still younger than hi
- self. When passing through Jay street, an op
i, window In Grocer Christian Lucas house
to tracted McIlvaine's attention. 1t was 8
easy mark" he thought, and telling
1T. companion to wait, he removed his she
n and climbed up to the window. While he W
~ searching for plunder Lucas surprised hi
he McIlvaine whipped out knife, and, as Luc
,e. approached, plunged 1t again and again into
he mans body. When Lucas dropped dead 1t "
gi. with fourteen wounds showing where the b
iv glars knife had struck.
n, McIlvaine was captured red-handed He
he two trials the jury each time finding him gui
ar of murder In the first degree. Three times
of week OF his death has been fixed. His case
,Id been carried through oil the state courts and
,at the supreme court OF the United States, Il
he more than two years have elapsed since his q
he full crime appalled, the people OF Brooklyn q
nd New York.
ov- Hanged Himself
ha MILWAUKEE, Feb 9.-Theodc
ks, Grim, a prisoner in the county j