The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-28

Chair and Dynamo Break and Leave
the Condemned Alive.

a Second ElectrOCutton an Hour Later
with a Current Obtained from the
Street Electric Light Plant Proves
Successful - The Prisoner Would
Have Recovered If the Second Appli-
cation of the Current had not been
Made.
Auburn, n. Y, July 27.-William J.
Taylor was to-day electrocuted for the
murder of Solomon Johnson. Taylor and
johnson were conyicts in Auburn prison
and worked together in the broom shop.
The murder was committed to satisfy a
private grudge. Taylor was a col6red
man and Johnson was white Taylor left
a 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 month ago for Fitzthum.
State Electrician Davis was at the cleo
tric cabinet and his preliminary tests
with the bank of incandcscents were en-
tirely satisfactory, the dial indicating a
voltage OF 1870. In tho morning it had
run up to 1920 volts Two priests, three
keepers, and the condemned, soon came
in from the adjoining room and Taylor
was Immediately hustled into the chair
and tightly pinioned. His face Wore a
look of set determination, with
his lips tightly compressed. He
carried a crucihx in his right hand.
THE CHAIR BREAKs.
When all was ready the signal was
given and the current was turned on.
TaYor's powerful frame shot back and
up in the chair until the straps creaked,
and simultaneously there was a crash.
The strain upon the foot rest had broken
it, and the nder-pinning of the chair
gave way. The body sank to a reclining
position 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 effect of the
shock when a strange noise was heard.
He had begun to gasp for breath and sal
iva was seen to eXude from his mouth
"Turn on the current was the command
from the warden, and Electrician
Davis tried to obey, but was dumfoun d.
ed to find no response to the turning of
the lever The dynamo had broken down.
The labored breathing of the victim con-
tinued, and his chest rose and fell convul-
sively Electrician Davis FASTENED out
side to the dynamo to ascertain the trou-
BILE, and found tnat the dynamo had
burned out 1t could be used no more to-
day.
TAYLOR GROANING ALOUD.
The victim, who was now gasping and
inc ffNrNA Faln
upon cot and carried into an adjoin-
ing ROOM His pulse grew stronger. and
he endeavored several times TO rise from
the cot. The physicians said he was un-
conscious, 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 electric light plant, and in
an hour all was ready for the second cleo
trocution. TAYLOR continued to grow
stronger and was given an injection of
morphine a small dose Of morphine was
also administered. He was then carried
bodily to the chair, which had been re-
paired, and was strapped into a sitting
posture. The current was turned on, the
body Strengthened up and for half a
minute ,240 volts coursed through Tay-
lOrs unconscious form and he was pro
nounced dead.
The stethoscope was applied to his heart
to make sure, and DIR. jenkins and others
declared that there was no pulsation.
The witnesses had not been allowed to
leave the prison and were invited to
luncheon by the warden, after which
they signed the death certificate and all
was over The first electrocution took
place at 12:4S, and the second at 1875
o'clock.