The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-29
COTTO PAID TIE PENALTY.
Eicctrocution of an italian Rag-Picker for
Killing the Husband OF His Paramour.

Srxe SIsG. n. Y, March 28.-At about
iO:45 this O'Clock morning jeremiah Cotto. the
murderer of Louis Frankeloso. was executed
in the electric chair This was the eighth
execution by electricity.
The execution cell adjoining the cells occu,
pied by the condemned men was Just as II had
been after the execution Of NcElvaIne month
ago. The chair in which DlcElyalne had sat
had been taken from its place and new char
had been built on the same pattern. The
only change made WAS the addition OF rubber
bags filed with salt water. from which the
electrodes were to be kept wetted constantly.
At the last electrocution arrangements were
made 10 try the method Of applying the elec-
trodes suggested by Thomas A. Edison and
other eminent observation-disclosures the
hands-but the results were so unsatisfactory
that Dr. Carlos 4. Macdonald, who has bad
charge of the details of all the executions by
electricity. thought it best to return TO the
form Of application before used at Sing Sing
at the forehead and the calf of the leg.
He took his place in the chair without any
signs of falling. The priests knelt in front
OF the death chair and continued praying
aloud Cotto kept his eyes fixed on the
man aud continued to repeat the response
while he was being tied IN the chair.
Warden Brown suddenly dropped q
handkerchief and the executioner turned
switch. applying current or over
LOO volts. COttos body stitfened and
the strap made deep impressions in the skin.
The current was turned off and on four times:
After each application COtto showed signs OF
apparent life moving his hands and opening
his eyes. There was no movement of the
chest however. as there had been In other
cases. At the first sign of life tho current
was turned on again. After the fourth shock
there was no sign OF life and the doctors de-
clared the man dead. There was no burning.
but steam arose and there was scalding OF the
parts where the electrodes were applied.
The murder for which CottO died was CON-
mitted last July IN the outskirts of Brooklyn.
Cotto and his victim Louis Frankeloso, were
rag -pickers COtto had been lover or Mrs
Frankeoso in Naples. Italy. and after she
and her husband emigrated TO this country
she sent Cotto money TO follow her.
He deserted q wife and family to Join his
paramOur here. He lived with the FRANKIE
losos in tumble-down tenement in Brooklyn
and he and Mrs. Frankeloso discussed the
question of putting Frankeloso out Of the
way so that they might maintain their rela-
tions without the husbands interference.
On Friday night Frankeloso started out to
steal vegetables from the neighboring farms
and was stealthily followed by Cotto. Upon
a lonely roadside Cotto came upon his vic
tim. and with savage fury stabbed him no less
than fourteen times. Frahkeloso was LETT
living dead in the road. Cotto returned to
the FrankelOso home and standing before
the woman he had widowed licked the blood
from the knife with which he had committed
the deed.
They were arrested. and Superintendent
Campbell. of the Brooklyn police. got from
Mrs FrankelOsO a confession duplicating
Catso. and then from COttO duplicating Mrs.
Frankeloso. The woman is now in Ray
mond-street Jail awaiting trial.