The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-05
JOHN DELFINO PUTTO DEATH.
AN ELBcTRTCAL ExECUTIoN IN FIFTF
SECONDS AT SING SING.

Death wa. Appareuuv rsintss.-The Cur-
rent Was Termed On Less Jhan Two
Minutes After neiaao catered thd Death
Chnmbsr-The Crime for watch He Dies.
s1So SING. Doc 4.-John Delnno. the muir
derer Of Mrs. Caroline Gossall in Brooklyn on
Dec. 81 lnst. was put to death in the electric
chair in the state prison here to-day Just be-
fore noon. Like all the recent executions. this
was pronounced q success BY tho physicians.
electrical experts. and tho prison officials. and
so FAR as the renortcrs could Judge, as more
spectators. It wds painless aud death was in
slant. The current was turned on at precisely
] :43l6 o'clock. The current OF TB0 meas-
ured volts and 0S amperes was shot into
Delnno's body at full strength for 1 seconds.
ane then was reduced to 100 volts. Mt which il
was kept for ~ more seconds. when IL was shut
Oft. From under the cap that was fitted to the
mans skull there came slight whiff OF steam
when the current was turned on and passed
through the dampcned sponge. but MS de from
this and the stGcning OF the mans body
against the straps that held him by the head
body, hands. and fect to the chair there was no
sign Of violence in tho execution. There was
no burning and no noises caused by the re-
Taxation Of the muscles when the current was
turned OF.
Delllno aaid farewell to his wife. children,
and brother yesterday. He was much affected
and as no had broken down twice before It
was feared that It might be necessary to carry
him to the electric chair. Ile got some sleep
during the night ato a light breakfast. and
when Warden Durston read the death warrant
to him, at O3O o'clock, no seemed entirely re-
signed. Father Dcnisco. m Italian priest OF
Brooklyn, and Father Milo Of Sing Sing went
to his cell and administered the last rites and
consultations OF religion. At 1880 o'clock
Warden Durston escorted the witnesses to the
tf.,,,.
to superintend the execution were DR.. Edward
Carroll of Brooklyn and DR. c. c. Cranmer OF
New York. DIR. Irwin. the prison official. as
sisted them. State Electrician Davis tested
the dealt apparntGs and explained It's work.
tht,, NV, on no clalr IepTesen!Su
apparatus was IN good order.
:, warden Durst3n then signalled to Head
he"per tonnauEhton, who struck the iron
door leading to the condemned cells sharply
with his cane The door opened Rnd-he went
satisfied with tho apparatus. and motioned Tor
a delay. nv. Durston hastily sent word to
tonnaughtnn, who came back into the death
chnmhcr without the prisoner. Two minutes
later he went back, and In about one minute
more appeared with Delilno. The priests fol-
lowed: repeating prayers,
Deltlno was 20 Years old He was pale when
he entered the room. and his large black eyes.
In the room at n glance. lie walked slowly
toward the chair without n sign OF faltering.
almost bounced upon by three keepers He
was startled. and so were some Of the spec
tators by the suddcnness of the attack. He
was n the chair before he knew It, and gave
only two glancrs about him, one TO the left and
one to the right. Then he kept his eyes on the
floor until the face strap cut Off his vision. 1t
was said that less time was taker in putting
him into the chair than usual for fear he would
faint In less than two minutes after he en-
tered the room the current was turned on.
Father Milo remained praying on his knees
for some time after the doctors pronounced tho
man dead. The autopsy showed nothing un-
usual. death hoiug caused by paralysis Of tho
heart. Delfno's wife claimed the body later in
the day, and thus It escaped burial in quick
lime in the prison graveyard.
DIR. buchanan and the negro Johnson are
the only prisoners left in the condemned cells.
Head Keeper ConnaughtOn said that DR.. Blu
channn was cheerful. and manifested no espe-
cial interest when Delnno was taken to the
chair.
Define murdered Mrs. Gassell in a quarrel
at the Woman's Home. 4i7 Degraw street
Brooklyn. The woman. it is said. ,repulsed his
advances. and he killed her while her husband
was getting beer. She was II years old and
Ind one child. He maintained to the last that
the shooting was accidental. but he fired three
shots at her.