The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-05-10

the witnesses. Electrician Davis was al
ready at the switchboard. The spiral,
wire suspended from a bent iron rod.
danRed threatiagly above the chair, and
another spiral wire coiled at the foot OF
the chair gave an inkling OF the nature OF
the apparatus. Rubber bags filed with
water and suspended overhead with
tubes reaching in sponges in the cleo
trodes added 20 the formidable appear
ance OF the outfit. 1t was 80 o'clock
when tho witnesses entered the room.
While they seated themselves Electrician
Davis attached the wires TO the battery OF
lamps and turned on !. .760 volts. lie fin
ished testing the apparatus at 1886
o'clock, and announced that all was
ready.
The Death Chamber.
Connaughton and two guards then went
for Harris. He was awaiting the final
summons in his cell. With him was
Chaplain Wells. Harris was ready in q
moment and tho little procession was
quickly formed. Screens had been placed
in front OF the other cells, 30 that the men
who viii soon share Harris fate did not
see him as he went out. with guard on
either side and the faithful chaplain fol-
lowing him. He looked slight and pale
as he stepped into the room. He paused
an instant on the threshold and looked
calmly over the assembled witnesses.
Kind hearted Warden Durston had
stepped over to the reporters and asked
them 10 conceal their pads, SAYING:
Harris might not like II" The pads
were put out OF sight. and Harris merely
looked over the people, scanning their
faces as mis- eyes swept around the room.
lie walked entirely alone, just behind
Connaughton, and wavered for a moment,
more from not knowing which way he was
expected 10 90 than from weakness. Con-
naughton pointed to the chair, and with
out even look OF curiosity at the thing
which was TO end his career he dropped IN
the seat. AS he did so he began to talk in
a low voice. lie said have word
to say il the warden will permit" He
paused and repeated 81 would like TO
say something ii have the warden's con-
sent"
His Last Words.
Warden Durston stepped over to the
chair and said: "What do you wish 20
say?"
Harris then, in weak voice, as though
each word cost him powerful effort. said:
81 have no further reservation to make.
desire TO say that | am absolutely inno-
cent"
Those were his last words. After utter
ing them he seemed relieved and settled
back in the chair TO which his legs and
arms had already been strapped by Eaton
and Ford, the two guards. State Detective
Jackson attached the electrode to Harris
right leg, which was barred to the knee. a
snlit in the trousers having been made in
advance. Eaton placed the helmet con-
tanning the other electrode On his head.
Electrician Davis attached the wires 10
the TWO electrodes. All of this work was
done quicker than the telling OF it,
and then the guards stepped back.
Davis, who had gone to the switchboard
said: All ready" There was an instant
OF pause, while every man in the room
held his breath. Then DIR. Daniels raised
his hand. \ sharp click from the lever
and the form In the chair Strengthened up
till the straps creakcd. IL was just y :40l
o'clock by the stop watch held bv DIR.
Merritt \ current OF 1850 volts passed
through the body OF Carlyle Harris. In
two seconds Davis threw the switch back
so that only $50 volts were on. DIR. Dan
iels still held his hand aloft aud one finger
pointed above as though TO indicate that
the soul of the man in the chair had
passed upward. Then his arm fell and
in just fifty-fve and three-Quarter seconds
the current was shut of.
The Current Does It's Work.
Drs. Irvine and Habershaw Immediately
stepped forward and examined the body,
which had settled back limp in the chair.
DIR. Irvine opened the coat and vest and
tore away the shirt over the heart. He
applied the stethescODe, and after listen
ing Tor heart beats turned and shook his
head. This was two minutes after the
first contact and Dr. Daniels then invited
the other physicians to step forward anu
examine the body. Life was extinct and
IL was plain to all who were present that
death had come at the first touch OF the
current. The only sign of animation after
the current was turned on was a slow
movement of the little finger of the right
hand. and that was evidently due to mus
cuar contraction caused by the current
and not by the volition of the subject in
the chair. All the physicians present ex-
pressed themselves as satisfied that death
had been instantaneous. When all had
examined the body DR. Daniels turned to
the witnesses and said. That is ALL" The
witnesses who had seen other executions
agreed that this was the most successful
one vet. There was no sign of steaming
at the points OF contact, and aside from a
purplisn tinge appearing on the skin, there
was no change in the appearance OF the
body.
As the witnesses passed out of the
building one OF the newspaper men faint
ed, and was carried out by friends. He
recovered in a few minutes.
Mrs. Harris viewed the raising of the
black flag from the window of her room
in the hotel. When the ominous signal
tioated on the stiff breeze she turned
quietly away, resigned and calm as she
had been for few days past. She said
she would see the newspaper men this
afternoon and give them her statement
At tl2 :54 clock Allan Harris arrived at the
prison and Principal Keeper Connaugh-
ton escorted him to the room in which
the body OF his brother lay. He notified
Warden Durston that an undertaken
would call at the prison this afternoon to
remove the body of his brother.
AerOnaut Fatally Hurt.