The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-08-30
KOCCIS' LAST WEEK.
Preparation to End His Long
Wait for the Gallows-
Elaborat Machine.
Special to the Jersey Citu Neaps.

TRENTON, Aug. 80, 1S94-One week
from today John Koccis will, with mis-
death, pay the penalty for nurderine
his mistress, Mary Magolis, July 8, 1892
His demeanor does not change in the
least as the fateful time draws near,
He still answers "All right" when asked
how he is; still plays with his pets, the
cats, and shows throughout the same
docile, childlike disposition which has
characterized his Imprisonment of over
tWo years.
So far as any change is SHOWN py him
it is of relief thai the long and wearing
suspense is over, and that his miserable
existence is nearing an end. Up in tbs
Sheriff's Office is the suit of black
clothes and slippers in which he will be
dressed when the fatal moose is pulled,
and in which he will be buried The
invitations to the jury, Deputy Sheri;fs
and reporters are all out.
Over across the street from the lail,
scarcely a stones throw away and almost
in sight of the window of Koccis cell,
Curra2& Lynch are hard at wosk on the
scatfold from which the doomed man Is
to hang. 1t is being built good and
strong and of the best workmanship and
for any other purpose would be a pride
to the man who is to stand upon it.
1t will be all completed by Monday and
taken over to the Jail and erected there.
Several trials will be made with it be
IOIe 1uuISudy tO Bee lIIdl dlI liC tll -
are in good working order.
THE GALLONS.
1t is a counterpart of the scafrold at
Camden county, which is considered the
best in the State, with the exception that
it is better braced. There viii be scarce
ly a tremor in the structure when the
drop falls.
The structure is of yellow pine. 1t
consists of a platform eight feet above
the floor. 8 feet 10 inches long by 2 feet
2 inches broad, supported by four heavy
frame resting on the ground. The plat
form is reached by a stairway at the
end.
The platform for a width of 9 feet )
inches at the stair end is permanent.
The rest of it consists of two trap doors,
opening downward. The doors, or drops,
a Iayer he epd up ron by iron iron bolts bolts , w3rk ed m by a
of two thicknesses of inch boards.
Two upright beams. 16 feet high and
strongly braced, support a cross-beam 5
rect above the platform. A hole is bored
through the centre of the cross-beam
and a groove runs along the top of tn~
beam TO a eleat in the upright. To this
cieat the rope is fastened, and passing
through the groove and mole is noosed
at the other end.
When the moose is placed around the
neck of the man to be hung, he will be
standing on the centre of the trap doors,
\ slight pull on the rope attached to
their fastentngs will cause them to drop
from, under him and he Will fall about
six feet. and his feet will still be two
feet from the ground.
The doors in dropping will fly back
against the side beams, where automatic
catches will hold them fast. Rubber
pads will keep them from making y
noise in striking the beams. The steps
will be made as convenient as possible
for removing to give the spectators a
better view of the execution. The whole
scaffold can readily be taken apart and
stored. It will not be painted or the
finishing touches put on until after the
execution, but it viii look very. neat.
be erected in the same place as it was
eor The execution of Wa1iwiJz, although
the old woodshed will be considered be-
cause of giving more room. The same
form will be gone through with as be-
fore, except so far as the different form,
Of gallows makes changes necessary.
Before the gallows was of the pattern
swinging the man executed off his feet,
instead of dropping him. The form used
this time is liked mucn better than the
other by Sheriff Eye, who, with Dep1fv
Sheriff Lloyd, will do all the work this
time.
the scaffold is the property of the
county, and will be ready TO use again,
If another hanging takes place here.