The sun., 1893-06-07
MURDERER MARTELLA'S END.
KILLED By ELECTRICITY IN CLINTON
PRISON
It Took Two shock. TO ru, HIM to Death

II Took Two shock. TO Put Irim to Death
Because He Took Deep Brcnth Jurt
Before the Current Was Turned On the
First TIme-rried to Commit Suicide.
DANNEMoRA. June G-Sapione Martella. who
cut the throat Of Giovanni Parrelo in Saratoga
on May 5. 1892. was put to death by electricity
in Clinton prison Just before II O'Clock this
morning. 1t was necessary to send tho cur
rent through the chair twice in order to cause
death.
The witnesses were c nducted into the death
chamber by Warden Thayer at IL 80 o'clock.
The machinery was then tested and rro-
nounced all right At 1l:42 Martella entered
the room. Warden Thayer leading. Father
BolanEer was on one sido Of tho condemned
man and Deputy Warden Mckcuna on tho
other. Two guards brought up the rear. As
ho approached tho chair he kneit and made nm
act OF contritlon. the priest meanwhile grant.
ing him ahsolutiOn. lie then seated himself
In the chair urassisted without saying ono
word to anybody At IL "A he was strapped
to tho chair. tho olectrode applied ns usual
and the current turned on. The contact lasted
for ono minute and seven seconds. The
voltage was 1850 for two seconds and was
then gradually reduced to $50 volts. When It
was turnod oil nm examination was mnde by
the physicians present. They agreed that the
man was not dead. and second contact was
made. lasting ilty-Lve seconds, the current
nEain being turned on full force and gradually
reduced as before. \ second examination was
made and the man was pro9onhneeh th s, dead lat at
continued. md at / / :;,S the body was removed
from tho chair
Dr. Hanson said that Just before the current
was turne on the first time. Mnrtolla irew n
deep breath. which was tho cause of death not
being instantaneous. The ,autopsy showed
trouGiesomeyssteyday When Wardeq Thayor.
reaehod Msrtclas ceil yesterday morning. ut
the time the death warrant was read. tn, the
this circumstan at the time. and read tho
Warrant to Martclla through the cell winl9w.
warden then left to Laye the Prison ne %echanic
reGair the lock: I;store no reached ihs
back the the seFr''GS cell Gy he wns Whistle
tho guard who was Watching. Mnftella,
enek The he With rS he
used in his cell. his evident intention ncing to
fracture his skull. The Italian WAS declaring
chair alive. Failing to injurc himself in this
manner. Martella tried to choke himself with
his hands. but again his efforts were un-
4 sledge hammer md chisel were brought.
ana the iocS Of the cell d1or waf Wn soon broken
evident injury to III imself MarteIla was then
demncd cells. and a keeper was left in the cell
to guard him. tho door being left unlocked.
An examination OF tho lock OF the first cell
showed that Martella had removed one Of the
penr buttons from hisunlershirt. and stretch
ing his arm outside Of the cell door. through
ON the night OF May ). 1892 in Saratoga,
Martrlln cut tho throat of Giovanni Parrcllo
and stabbed him in six other places. thrice in
back. and in the hack OF the head. jealousy
was tn" cause. Anna Guy. who lived with
Martella as his mistress, was entertaininR
rarrello on tho night of the murder Martela
discovered The pair. when parrelo ran out OF
encd to Kill him. Later Martelln returned to
the house with cut in his oye. saying that
pari clio would never trouble him again Mar
telia was railroad trackmnn. .S years old.
and had been undor arrest before for beating
a former mistress.