New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-06
LEACH PAYS THE PENALTY
rHE MURDERER OF HIS MISTRESS
KILLED BY ELECTRICITY AT
SING SING
RE SHOWS GREAT NERvE-THE REV. DIR. coIlyrr
ADMINISTERS THE LAST RITES OF THE


ADMINISTERS THE LAST RITES OF THE
CHURCH TO HIM.
Richard l.. Leach the murderer of Mary Hona
<swklrk his mistress. executed in the electric
.sar in Sing Sing Prison at LIE 40 n m Yesterday
Leach went Go his death bravely He silent we'll
sanda, night He arose at O'Clock Yesterday morn
ms and visited by Warden Sage at 0 O'clock
WHO took him his breakfast The Rev. Dr. Robert
calyer Of the Church Of the Messiah reached Sing
Sing a, 10 o'clock and went directly to the cell OF
,se condemned man. where he remained in prayer
with him FOR nearly three-auarters OF hour when
he left Leach after administering to him the last
r,ss Of the Church. Leach was then visited nv the
warden who told him that everything was In readi-
,sss for his execution.
leach said. We'll, Warden. | am glad that the hour
has come" He then asked the Warden TO allow him
a. carry 20 the chair lock of hair which the War
sen had among his papers. This lock of hair was
evidently from his dead mistress's head. Warden
sage gave the lock OF hair him and he placed it
=, his vest pocket The Warden then returned to
,se execution chamber. where he arranged the last
details for the execution. 1t took little than
usual and LEACH said to Chaplain Wells. who was
Nth him. why don't they hurry up? 1t Is pas; the
lime; wish they would come for me-
Leach had ut a few moments to wait, for the
warden soon returned heading the procession OF
asath The party entered the death chamber at
1ily;5o Leach leaning upon the OF the chap
lain As he stepped into the room. he dropped the
,cs-is.er's arm, and extended his right hand the
rssplain shook his hand warmly and approached
a. chair He wore spectac.es which he removed
,,,sclf before sitting down. When the electrician.
puys placed the fatal cap upon his head. the salt
xa,er with which 1t was saturated down his face
leach rolled up his eyes TO what II was. show
Gag his white eyet alls As he deathly pale, many
ycssnt thought that Leach had tainted but he KEEP,
his nerve 10 the last.
As soon as he was strapped down. DR.. J. Wilson
c,hhs who kept he time sgnalled Davis TO
,urr on the current This done at 1ll64c
me fun current of 100 volts remained on for
even seconds and then II was lowered to 300 volts
FOR 80 seconds and again increased TO the full
voltage for three seconds. and again lowered to
ys volts for 81 seconds. When the mask was
pkced upon Leach. the doctors failed to draw II
IN tight and 1t slipped down. showing his dis
torted face When the current was turned OF Ut
C.hhs listened for the pulsaton OF the hcart. am
surprised every one by saying. Tie stu hVes' turn
on the current again. -
before the current turned on Drs. Snow
sheehan. Citing and Irvine made examinations an
detected pulsations of the heart. The eAaminator
took over six minutes and as another current was
about 10 be turned the heart stopped beating
II was II IS o'clock before the body vas pronounced
dead The physicians differed as to the cause OF
the heart pulsation. Some OF them said that HE
was extinct soon as the current struck Leach AM
the action Of the heart was only the contrac'ins
OF the muscles DR.. O'Suvan said that M
thought that there was still life In the BODY aftei
,he current was turned off the hands OF the muir
formed an autopsy and found the organs normal
with the exception Of the right lung, which was q
little congested The body will probably be buret
IN the prison yard.