Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-04-06
EXECUTED nY ELECTRICITY.


llehln NdfIaHl Aattus
SING SING. n. Y, April 3.-James w.
Hamilton, the colored ex-preacher and
convicted wire.murderer. died iii the
electric chair at HE o'clock This morning
The death warrant was read by Warden
Brown in the condemned mans cell at
1870 o'clock last night Hamilton sat OH
the bed and showed some signs of emotion
when the document was read.
Carlyle W. Harris, who occupied cell
No. $, which is the second cell from
Hamilton's was able to hear the reading
Of the warrant He showed no signs Of
being affected by what was going ON SO
near him, and what may be repeated in
his case a few weeks later
Hamilton slept until O'Clock this morn
ing. He was visited by the Key. Fathers
Wallace and Creeden, and they remained
with him all the morning. The witnesses
who had been invited by Warden Brown
arrived before 10 Il. m.
Electrician Il. + Davis made careful
test of the apparatus. The same chair,
electrodes and switching machinery which
were used in the case of Fred Mcclure last
December were employed to-day.
The crime for which Hamilton was
executed was the cutting of bis wife's
throat ut Winfield, l., j., Sunday night,
May ID. 1892, Three years ago Hamilton
was Obliged to marry Annie Brooks. Il
4
4 trayed. They did not live together aud
the husband tried to obtain a divorce
| without success.
| lie had expressed his determination tC
! get rid of her, and one morning her body
| was found in a pond, with her throat cn'
| from ear to car. Hamilton was at once
arrested on suspicion. 1t was proved thai
he had deceived her from her home IL
\ Flushing to Winfield, to look ut nous,
| in that town that he proposed to buy for !
i home. Both of them took the 5 ocloct
train to Winfield A broken canoe a race
and cuff button which proved to be tn,
property of Hamilton were found on tn,
banks Of the pond and Hamilton mad
two different explanations of how he cam
70 be there. A feature Of the case wa
that no blood stains were found on tn,
clothing of either of them, which was ac
counted for by the assumption that tn
throat was cut while both We're in tn
water. Evidence was produced tina. Ham
iton had been meditating the crime 10
some time.
At 1852 O'Clock, Warden Brown an
nuunCed that all was ready and led tn
way to Hamiltun's cell, which was only
few steps from the execution chamber.
screens had been placed so that tarlyl
Harris, who was in the second cell beyon
Hamitun's could moi see the procession I
the death chamber, bat he could plainl
hear the rattle of the IRON door and til
Creaking of the door of Hamiltons &c
when il was opened for him to pass OF
for the last time.
Hamilton walked with firm step to Ii
death chamber. Two priests walked Cloi
beside him. Hamilton took his seat in ii
chair with glance of curiosity at the su
ruundings. His lips moved in response I
the prayers for the dead which Faith,
Crceden repeated, but 10 words could |
heard.
Hamilton was quickly strapped in Ii
: chair, At II, 1919 all the connections we
!. made and Warden Brown gave the sigma
A current Of !, $40 volts was turned on Al
! the victim in the chair jumped upwai
: stralning at the straps and remained rigi
. The CrnritX which he had in his rig
. hand was clasped till the tiShtly-draN
: lips stopped moving and all signs of Ii
ceased at the instant OF contact.
: The current was left on for 90 seC0n
I and then turned of The physician
!, stepped forward, listened for the hea
! beats and felt for the pulse. Tney declar
+ the subject dead at ll.l3.l0.
= The execution differed from all its III
:. deCessors in that only one shock "
= given There was no searching or seal
= ing of the skin, or stea;ning at &
4 electrodes, and while the man was abu
" the medium height and of massive bull
1t was evident that death was instant
neous. such was the verdict of ali "
were preseut who had seen former exec
= tiono il the electric chair.
electrician Davis said that it was t
70 most successful at which he had otfieiutC
N He gave the voltage at LILO, and I
!; amphercs at $50,