Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-12-22
M TIE prApLr ctERENr.
Fred Mcclure, Who Murdered Mrs
Gregory, Executed at Sing sing 81


Fred McGuirc, Who Murdered mrs'
Gregory, Executed at Sing sing. on
Monday.
SfYG SING. y. u, Dec. l9.--fred Nc
CURE was executed by electricity at ll.lS
o'clock this morning.
McCiuire's crime was murder OF the Wlle
of Noah Gregory, who employed Mc!tnife
as farm hand near Middletown, \. !.
Gregory is a farmer and all his men eXcCl,t
Mcclure were working in celery HELD,
October l4th, 1891, when Mrs Gregory was
found dead by her son and with two bullet
wounds and her skull fractured by blunt
instrument 4 cigar box in which money
was kept was broken and the money gone,
Grey hairs in the dead womahs hand
led to MuGuire's arrest. lie claimed an
abb and was released on the testimony OF
Warren Bracington and William liummel,
two workmen who had consplred with
him and who are now serving time Tor
perjury.
convicted at Newburg.
RESIGNED TO Ills FATE.
Mcclure slept well last night and showed
no signs OF breaking down this morning.
He ate light breakfast, conversed with
the Rev. U. l.. Cnnkliug OF Middetown
and Chaplain Edgar of the prison, and as
the time approached for the summons to
| fully resigned TO the fate which awaited
| him.
lie confessed his guilt of the crime for
| which he was convicted, assuming full re-
sponsibility for the murder Of Mrs.
| Gregory, and went to his doom q penitent
| man.
DETAILS OF THE EXECUTION.
| At 1857 o'clock the witnesses were sum
moned to the wardcnS parlur. At II
il 81 t. 4. ~, l,ap
| Electrician Davis and four guards were
already there. Mr.. Davis was IN his shirt
sleeves, preparing the electrical apparatus
| for the test. He tested the current, first
by a volt meter, then by 70 incandesCent
lights on the switch board. lie tested a
row of % lights, which rested on the
electric chair, and which showed the mum
Der of volts which passed into the subject.
| The register showed 500 volts.
The warden requested every one present
to keep quiet and remain in their seats.
| He and Head. keeper Connoughion went
into The cell where Mcclure was confined.
This was the same cell that was occupied
| BY Gotta, who was executed sometimeago
The warden, Connsughtonand AlCtiuirc
| Chaplain Edgert and the Rev. MIR. GOnklin
| entered the death chamber at l1.iUt
McGuire walked steadily between the tvs
minister's holding tightly on to thril
arms. appeared calm and steady. Not
muscle quiyercd he walked rapidly to The
chair. and sat down as he woltld in any
ordinary chair. lie rested his head back
on the rtlbber cushion placed his arms
upon the arms OF the chair and closed Iii,
hands.
The two ministers began chanting the
burial services as Actiuire sat down. The
guards and attendants securely bound Nc
CURE iii the chair. Tie electrodes were
placed at his head and IN the calf oi
his right ley. The legs of his trousers were
spit IN order to apply the UlectrudG to his
flesh.
After he had been fastened in the chaii
DIR. Abbott and Prison Surgeon Irvine ex
alnlned the bindings, and stepping bach
Or. Abbott gave the signal for Electrician
Davis. II was then 10 minutes and 30 see
onds after II O'Clock.
At this moment the first current wa!
turned on. The first shock lasted 81
seconds. 1t was turned on again at ii
o'clock, II minutes and seconds. Thi'
was the second shock and lasted but a few
seconds. only two shocks We're admins
tered.
McGuire was killed by the first shock
DR.. ABBOTT said that he was killed in i.
seconds. The second current was ONLY
turned ON as precautionary measure. A
J. o'clock, IA minutes and 20 seconds. til,
victim was officially pronounced dead by
Dir, Abbott.
McGuire was then examined by the doe
tors and as lar as could be seen no mark
of scorching could be found nor was ther,
any dlscoloratiun of his flesh When tn,
ilrst current was turned on MCGuire
body swelled and tlggei against the strap
and deep gurgling sound was heard for
second, caused by the air being forced on
of his lungs.
Mctiuire's execution was declared tn
most successful one that was ever held Il
Sing Sing prison. Nor has any othe
execution eyer been finished so rapidly a
this one.