The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-08-16
AWFUL Hour OF AGONY.
THE SHOCKING ELECTROCU-
TION OF A MURDERER.

on Failed to WOrk-The Con-
dcmned Removed From the Chair,
and for a Second Time Exposed
to the Current.
The exe.ation, in Auburn On. Y.) Pea;ten-
tiary. OF " Alan G.. Taylor. the coored man
who n.url,red fellow convict IN the prison
there. was a horrible affair. The first con-
tact did not cause death. and the breaking
of the machinery delayed n second contact
for over an hour.
The victim of the horrible tragedy was
muscular fellow, nearly six feet tall, and OF
poTer.ul frame He had no fear OF death. and
without word walked to the chair and placed
himself in the seat of torture. Quickly the
STRAPS were adjusted. and within minute,
and while the priests were praying. the cur
rent WAS turnod on. According to Electrician
Davis 1920 volts went through the body, but
it was only for a second. simultaneously
with the turning Of the lever the chair OF
death was wrecked, the power OF the
DYNAMO gave out. and the death cur
rent had not finished its work. A groan OF
agony came from the lips OF the murderer.
his legs stretched out in front, the chair fell
forward. and the man would have fallen on
his face il two stalwart keepers had not
grabbed the chair and held 1t up.
When the current was applied Taylors
massive frame seemed to shoot backward and
upward with great force. AS is usual the
straps creaked, and, accompanying the noise.
the front support to which the victims legs
were strapped broke The body sank In the
chair. and had it not been for the straps on the
arms it would have been thrown on the moor.
It lay in a reclining position In the chalE;
the current apparently still on. Every one
took il ior granted that the electricity had
,o-l- hnAv linn and
motionless. Electrician Davis turned OIL
the current. Suddenly moan
came from the lips, saliva was
s.e.u 10 issue from the mouth, and the man
yaye gasp for breath. "He is not dead.
WIS the whispered exclamation OF the
spectators. Warden Stout ordered the cur
rent turned on again. and Electrician Davis
tried to obey. 1t was then thaf &C. sne norsor o,
the situation dawned on all. The lever was
turned, but the electric fluid did not re-
spond. The dynamo had failed
Not q spectator moved, but blanchedfaces
Indicated that the horror of the situation
was felt BY all. The sile7ce was broken by the
labored breathing ofthe murderer. Electrician
Davis tried his lever again. There was no re-
sponse. Taylor was breathing stertorouslI,
and none would have been surprised to hear
him give vocal expression Of his suffering.
No one seemed to know what was the mat
ter. and the painful stiffness was only broken
by the gasping and breathing OF the victim.
Apparently the body was rapidly revivlng.
The body was released from the straps by
officers and cot was brought In from the
auteroom. Taylor was placed on the cot
and was carried into the corridor. Electrl-
clan Davis, who had gone to Investigate the
cause of the failure Of the current, returned
with the information that one armature had
burned out and the dynamo was powerless
tosupply the current to finish the work
TAYLOR was now groaning piteously and
his head turned from side to side. He threw
his arms wildly into the air and his legs kicked
about as thou~h in agonizing torture. 1etths
doctors say he did not suffer, With every
succeeding minute returningli lie became more
and more apparent. Allhis limbs were in ac-
ton. Saliva flowed from his mouth, there
came horrible rattle from the throat, and
moans came with every breath.
The doctors profess that this was all un'
conscious demonstration. the effect OF the
electricity on the muscles. But the mans vital
ity was developing and the physicians resort
ed to common method 10 quiet him. Nor
phine was injected, but still he was active.
and to keep him On the cot. sheet was torn
into strips and he was strapped to it. 1t took
several injections Of morphine before he
showed any signs OF quiertny down, and ther
chloroiorm was administered. The doetora
were apparently afraid that the mans robust
vitality woald overcome the fo-ce' OF the
electricity The morphine and chloroform
did the work more satisfactorily than had the
electricity, and the painful demonstrations,
or muscular contractions, ceased after time.
While the doctors were watching the laws
victim, Warden Stout and Electrician Davis
were arran nying to finish the work. The burned
armature precluded the possibility OF using
the prison dynamo. Outside aid was neces-
sary Quick word was sent to the Auburn
Electric Light station that assistance was
needed The superintendent andn force OF
men went to work, and connections were
strung from the Commercial Incandescent
Light circuit. which passes in front OF the
prison, 300 feet from the death chamber. This
was the work Of half an hour. The broken
chair Was hastily repaired. 1t was an hour,
however. before alt the details had been ar.
ranged. tho machine tested, and everything
was in readiness for another trial. The WORK
of the morphine and chlo-oform was ap-
parent.
Limp, and with little evidence OF life, was
the form OF the burly murderer that the
keepers carried back to the death chamber
and placed in the chair. There was littlo for
the electricity to do. The evidences
of life which had startled all when he
was removed from the chair and
after he lad been taken into the
anteroom had been subdued. Forthe second
time he was strapped in the chair and the
electrodes placed on the head and right calf.
Then the current of 1880 volts. which regu-
larly passes through the city incandes-
cent circuit, was sent through the limb
form by tine turning OF the lever, and the.
death was accomplished. The second con-
tact was of a minutes duration, and when
the current was shut of there was no sigr OF
life. The usual tests were applied, and he
was pronounced dead. Over IN hour had
been spent in the killing.