The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-07-28
THE DYNAMO BROKE DOWN
Horrible Scene at an EIectrocu-
ton Yesterday.

AUBURN, N. Y, July 27.-William j.
Taylor was to-day electrocuted for the
murder Of Solomon johnson. Taylor
and Johnson were convicts in Auburn
prison, and worked together in the
broom shop. The murder was COM
mitted to satisfy a private grudge.
Taylor was a colored man and johnson
white. Taylor left confession behind.
1t was twenty minutes to l o'clock
when the warden invited the witnesses
to follow him to the death chamber.
The equipment was the same that had
been used a month ago for Fitzthum.
State Electrician Davis was at the cleo
trio cabinet and his preliminary tests
with the bank of incandescents were
entirely satisfactory, the dial indicat-
ing voltage of 1920. In the morning
it had run up TO 1890 volts. Two
priests, three keepers and the con-
demned soon came in from an adjoining
room and Taylor was Immediately
hustled into the chair and tight PIN
Toned. His face wore . look Of set de-
termination with his lips tightly COM
pressed. He carried crucihx in his
right hand,
When all was ready the signal was
given and the current was turned on.
Taylor's powerful frame shot back and
up in the chair until the straps creaked,
and simultaneously there was crash.
The strain upon the foot rest had
broken 1t, and the under pinning OF the
chair gave way. The body sank to q
reclining posture with the victims feet
resting on the floor. The spectators
were startled but did not move. 1t was
supposed that the victim was dead from
the effects of the shock when strange
noise was heard. He had begun TO
gasp for breath and saliva was seen to
exude from his II outh.
Turn on the current" was the COM
mand from the warden, and Electrician
Davis tried to obey but was dumfounded
to find no response to the turning OF
the lever. The dynsmo had broken
down. The labored breathing of the
victim continued and his chest rose and
fell convulsively. Davis fastened out.
side to the dynamo room to ascertain
the trouble and found the dynamo had
burned out 1t could be used no more
today. The victim who was now grasp
ing and grooming aloud. was unbound
and placed upon cot and carried into
an adjoining room. His pulse grow
stronger and he endeavored several
times to rise from the cot. The physi-
clans said he was unconscious precisely
In the condition OF a man stricken with
apoplexy. He would recover, they
thought, and the only way to carry out
the sentence of the law was to again
place him in the chair.
Linemen quickly connected the
prison apparatus with the street cleo
trio light plant and in an hour all was
ready for the second electrocution.
Taylor continued to grow stronger and
was given an injection of morphine. A
small dose of chloroform was also ad-
ministered. He was then carried bodily
to the chair, which had been repaired.
and was strapped into a sitting posture.
The current was then turned on, the
body Strengthened up and for half a
minute 1,240 volts coursed through
Taylor's unconscious form, and he was
pronounced dead. A stethescopic test
was applied to the heart to make sure.
and DR.. Jenkins and others declared
that there was no pulsation. The wit
nesses had not been allowed to leave
the prison and were invited to luncheon
by the warden, after which they signed
the de ath certificate and all was over.
The first electrocution took place at
i2:4S and the second at 1855