The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-02

derer William q. Taylor, who cut the
throat of a feIlow-convict, was placed in
the electric execution chair today to ex-
plate with his own life the crime he had
committed. He received a shock of 1,75G
volts. but the contact was not sufficiently
prolonged, and when it was sought to
turn on the current again the dynamo
would not do it's work. The man slowly
came back toward consciousness, to pre-
vent which morphine was administered.
while preparations were being made to
get electric supply from the city's dy-
namo plant. Then a second and sue
cessful attempt was made.
The first tidings given of the con-
demned man to the outer world this
morning was the simple announcement
of Warden Stout to an Associated Press
correspondent that Taylor had repented.
The chaplain of the prison was with
him much of the time yesterday and
upon awakening this morning the con-
demned man evidenced a change of heart
and requested the presence of the priests.
The Rev. Father Seymour and the Rev.
Father Netzel were asked to attend him.
They visited him early this morning and
Taylor placed himself entirely in their
hands. urging them to remain with him
until his soul had departed. He pro-
fessed penitence for his great crime and
said he was perfectly resigned to his
fate. He had prepared paper which he
would either read while standing by the
chair or else deliver it to the priests for
publication.
When Warden Stout visited him last
night he found him in a seemingly happy
frame Of mind. He gave him three ci-
CARS, and then offered two to Johnson
who occupies an adjoining cell and who
is also awaiting electrocution for the
murder of two convicts. Johnson de-
clined. as he did not smoke, and the war
den asked TAYLOR if he could get away
with the whole lot He replied with a
smile that it depended on how much
time he would give him to live. His
last sleep on earth seemed tranquil and
undisturbed. and he awo1e refreshed at
the usual hour this morning. Taylor
was kept in ignorance Of his dOomSday
until 1880 o'clock this morning. when the
warden read the death warrant to him.
When he had finished he remarked,
I'll call for you about 1890" Taylor
replied cheerfully. You'll find me ready"
Taylor ate hearty breakfast of steak
and DotOtoes, eggs, coffee and toast soon
after he had been bathed and shaved.
and declared that he was feeling first
rate.
TaylOr's Last Statement.
The priests were then admitted. and
he was left alone with his confessors.
The witnesses were asked to report at
the warden's office at u O'Clock noon,
and among those who responded was
DR.. Nettie r. Jenkins of this city, the first
woman to witness an execution by cleo
tricity. The paper which Taylor had
prepared for publication was delivered
to the warden just before the hour fixed
for the execution. After expressing pro-
found appreciation of the efforts made in
his defense by Counselor Cushing, he
speaks of the regret he feels at treating
his attorney with contempt during the
trial. Il had got the idea in my head"
he says. that l. being "a negro and a
convict and my victim being white. the
trial would be nothing but a farce. In
fact the counsel appointed to defend
me would have an understanding with
the district attorney to the purpose that
while appearing to defend me, he would
in reality be playing right into the
hands of the said attorney. / was much
mistaken in Mr.. Cushing, and hope he
will pardon me for doubling his charac-
| ter"
In closing he said: az shall not die a
| murderer. as there is no murder in my
| heart, and l have been brought to see
| the mad injustice of my hatred of peO-
| pie. Feeling this way, / had rather die
| than live; and 1 shall not die as I
| thought | would at the time Of the crime
and of my trial. but. instead of hating
everybody, I shall have pity and sym
| pathy for all people. for / have learned
| that they all need it and are worthy Of
| it,
1t was 1910 o'clock when the warden
| invited the witnesses to follow him to
| the death chamber. State Electrician
| Davis was at the electrical cabinet, and
| his preliminary tests with the bank of in
| candescentS were entirely satisfactory,
| the dial indicating a voltage Of 132O. In
| the morning he had run IL up TO 1920
volts The two priests three keepers
and the condemned soon came in from
| the adjoining room, and Taylor was i'm
mediately hustled into the chair and
tightly pinioned. His face wore a look
| Of Self-determination, with lips tightly
| compressed He carried a crucifix in
| his right hand He was dressed in black
and wore a new pair of prisOn-made
| shoes. When all was ready the signal
was given and the curren turned on.
| TaylOr's powerful frame shot back and
| up IN the chair until the straps creaked.
| and simultaneously there was a crash
unlike anything ever before heard I'M
| der like circumstances. The strain up
on the footrest had broken, and the IN
| derpining 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. Everybody supposed the victim
was dead from the first shock, when a
| strange noise was heard. He had be-
| gun to gasp for breath and saliva was
4
| Turn on the current" was the COM
| mand of the warden, and Electrician
| Davis tried to obey. but was dumb
| founded 10 find no response TO the turn
| ing OF the lever The dynamo had
/ broken down. The labored breathing of
| the victim continued and his chest rose
and fell convulsively. Davis fastened
/ outside to the dynamo to ascertain the
| trouble. and found the armature had
| burned out. 1t could be used no more
| that day.
| second Attempt Successful.
The victim. who was now grasping
and grooming aloud, was unbound and
was placed upon a cot and carried into
the adjoining room. His pulse grew
stronger and he endeavored several
| times to rise from the cot. Physicians
said he was unconscious, 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 quick
ly connected the prison apparatus with
! the electric light plant. and in an hour
| all was ready for the second electrocu-
| ton. Taylor Continued to grow
| stronger and was given an injection of
! morphine. A small dose OF chIoroform
was also administered He was then
carried bodily to the chair which had
| been repaired, and was strapped into
turned on, the body Strengthened up,
| apI for no rofp,,to ON Ill.