Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-08-03
AN ELECTRIC TORTURE.
NEGRO MURDERER SITS A SECOND
TIME IN THE DEATH CHAIR.
Dynamo aud Chair Both Break In the
First Attempt to Eleotrocute w. q.
Taylor Mt Auburn Spectators Horrihed
to see tho Doom ed Man Revive--ThO
Second Current Fatal.

AUBURN, N. Y, July 2z-William G.
Taylor, (colored) was executed by electric
ity this afternoon for the murder of Solo
mon johnson in Auburn prison, September
20, 1892.
1t was II 40 o'clock when the warden iu-
vitod the witnesses to follow him to the
death chamber. State Electrician Davis
was at the electric cabinet and his preimin-
airy test with the bank of incandescents was
entirely satisfactory, the dial indicating
voltage of 1890. In the morning it had
run up to 1920 volts.
Two priests, three keepers and the con-
demned man soon came in from the adj join
ing room aud Taylor was Immediately
placed into the chalr aud Tightly pinonod
Whom all was ready the signal was given
and the current turned on. Tsylor's pow
erful frame shot back aud up in tho chair
until the straps creakod and simultaneously
there was a crash unlike anything ever
heard before in tho death chamber. The
strain upon the foot rest had broken it
and the underpinnlng of tbs chair gave
way. The body sank to u reclining posture,
the victims feet resting on the floor.
The spectators were startled but did not
move. Every body supposed the victim was
dsUd from tho first shock whsn strange
noises wRs beard. He had begun to gasp
for breath and saliva was seen to exude
from his mouth.
Turn on the current was the command
of the warden, and Electrician Davis tried
to obey, but was uunlbfourded 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 Leave1 nvulsively.
! Davis fastened outside to tho dynamo to
a'certain the trouble and found the anna
| ture had been burned out. The victim,
VINO wns now gasping aud grosuing aloud,
was unbound aud was placed upon a cot
and carried into tue adjoining room. His
pulse grew strong aud he enisavored sew
! 6ral times to rise from the cot.
Physician, said be was unconscious, pre-
! cisely In the condition OF man stricken
with apoplexy. He could recover they
thought and the only way TO carry out the
sentence Of the law was to again place him
in the chair. Linemeu quickly connected
the prison apparatus with tho electric light
plant and in an hour all WAS ready for the
second eoctrocuticn. Taylor continued to
grow stronger and Yves given an in jecton
OF morphine.
A small dose of chloroform was also ad-
ninistered. he was then carried bodily to
the chair which bad been rel aired and was
strapped into q sitting posture. The current
| was then turned on, the body Strengthened
! up and for half minute 1910 volts courSed
through Taylor's unconscious form and he
was pronounced dead. Tho stethoscope was
applied to tho heart TO make surs aud the
physicians declared thsre was no puisation.
The first elcctrocuton took place ct l2;46
and the second ct l;jj.
An autopsy was conducted by Doctors
Brown, Wright and Mooney. Tho body
was not marked and did not diffsr in APP
pearance from any OF the other victins Of
the chair, who had suffered but q single
eieetrocution. Tho physicians certificate
stated that Tayor's muscular development
was very marked There was an absence
OF rigor N ortis. Brain, heart lungs and
kidneys we're normal.
All the physicians agreed that Taylor
was insensible to pain after the first con-
tact. Electrician Davis said the burning
ont Of the ormature could not have been
foreseen. lie stated, however, that all the
States dynamos were crowded beyond their
capacity for electr ocution. They were small
dynanos not intended to generate more
than 1000 volts ordinarily, but they were
repeatedly run to twics that voltage. lie
thought the giving way of tho foot rest
might have impaired tue contact with the
eectrode,,on the head. Taylor could not have
received the full forcs Of the current for
more than an instant.
Toy or's remains were burial in the pri-
son graveyard this evening.