The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-07-08

| believe Buchanan was unconsc. Gus after
the first shock and was beyond resuscta-
ton before the current was turned off
the first time. The evidence of life which
We found however was sufficient To render
L necessary in our opinion to apply the
current the second tine. There can be no
doubt Of the fatality of the second shock.
The entire time Of the execution. from the
time the current was first appl co until
it was turned off the second tine. was less
than two minutes, ami | am convinced that
il was absolutely painless"
AS soon as Buchanan wa pronounced
dead, the body was turned over to the
physicians. and the post-mortem eXaII.na-
ton was begun at 1880 oc.ock. All Of the
phys cans in attendance took part in the
autopsy.
The pers.stenca with which Buchanan
chung 10 life marked his to the
end Since the death of mis- wife, whom
he murdered on April % 1892, III order to
remarry the wife whom he had previously
divorced, his case has been marked by un-
certainties which have made t famous.
H at first seemed Likely TO escape suspic-
ion and was not arrested until June 9TH.
following the woman's death. HIS t-.al
was delayed until March 90 1923. and during
its early stages his acquitta. appeared prob
abe When he was convicted Ap.l 70,
1898, "A motion for Il new raj was made,
and the questions presented to the court
were such that decision was not rendered
. Gntu august 18th. following, when he was
sent1nced to de October >. 1898. On August
O. 1898 he was brought here, and has been
here uninterruptedly since, with the eX
ception of two days when he was taken
away To be resentenced-onCe to New York
and once to Albany. His case has been
twice before the court OF appeals OF the
state once before the supreme court of
the United States, and any number OF de-
lays and unusual Legal proceedings have
marked It's course through the lower state
Inn Af..y,g l.,
ecution were sent out four tines by Ward
en- Sage but in the first three instances, on
one ground or another, a respite was Sc
cured and the infection of the death penal
ty was postponed and fin lilly, after every
means of staying the execution were ex-
hauSted it required two applications of
the deadly electric curren; to overcome
the tenacity with which the man chung to
life.
Had small Brain.
The most remarkable thing developed
by the post-mortem was the size of the
brain, which weighed 3l# ounces, or less
than three-fourths the average. All the
doctors agreed after the post-mortem ex-
animation that the execution had been as
successful any which has preceded it
In point OF painlessness. The condition of
the brain indicated the impossibility of
consciousness after the application OF Sle
current.
subscription for the Widow.
Mrs buchanan notified Warden Sage as
soon as the execution was over that she
intended to claim her husbands body and
give IT burial She said that she was with
out funds but hoped to obtain assistance
from friends. The warden promised to
keep the body for a reasonable time sub
ject to order, and showed his practical
sympathy by starting subscription in her
behalf, TO which nearly all fhe officers of
the prison and witnesses of the execution
contributed
George w Gibbons, one of Buchanan's
counsel, this evening notified Warden Sage
that he would assume all expenses in con-
nection with Buchanan's interment and
he commissioned n New York undertaken
to take charge of the matter
Shortly before leaving Sing Sing this
afternoon Mrs. Buchanan gave an account
of her interview with the governor She
remained at Rhineclin last night AMI
started for Ellei slie, the governors home
at $3.50 O'Clock. In spite of the early hour
the governor rose Immediately upon being
informed of her arrival and gave her a
hearing lasting an hour and a half She
pleaded with him on her knees to spare her
husbands life but the governor while ex-
pressing the deepest sympathy said he
could not interfere again in the case He
offered her assistance and asked her to
hereafter. which she promised to do.