The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-08-05
DIED IN 2HE CHAIR.
Richard Leach Executed for
the Murder of His Common
Law Wife.

SING SING, N. Y, Aug. 5, 1885,
Richard Leach was executed here today
in the electric chair. The execution
occupied about two minutes and was
completely successful. The current was
turned on at 11:16. The witnesses of
the execution were principally physi-
clans and newspaper men. Among the
former were:-Dr. John Wilson Gibbs,
Dr. William j. O'Sullivan, DR.. Certel.
DR.. H. 7. Brooks, DR.. Edward e. Tull,
DR.. Guy Shearman Peterkin, all of New
York; DR.. John c. Lester. Brooklyn:
DR.. Stanley Vincent, DR.. w. R. Lamont,
Catskill, N. Y; DR.. c. e. Fritts, Hud-
son, N. "; DR.. Frank S. Snow, Valatia,
N. Y: Arthur Wells Elting of Johns
Hopkins University, Baltimore, and
Richard Henry Calling, of New York, one
of Leach's lawyers, We're also present
The witnesses were conducted to the
execution chamber at n:10 A. M, and
witnessed the usual tests of the cleo
trical apparatus. At 1:15 Electrician
Davis said that all was ready and a
minute latter Leach was conducted into
the room from his cell adjoining by
Warden Sage and several guards. Chap
lain Wells walked beside the condemned
man. but the latter walked erect and
neeQeQ no support LII iAAo SAoA Jul AOy
to the fatal chair.
His smooth face and short stature
gave him the appearance of a boy as ne
took his seat in the chair, He was ap-
the witnesses grouped around him had in
it no suggestion of fear. The straps
were adjusted in about half a minute,
and at 11:16:40 DR.. Gibbs who was hold
ing the watch. nodded to, Electrician
Davis, and the latter gave the signal to
turn on the current; convuislye gts
followed by the rapidly neightendng
color of the face were the only external
indications of the work of tie electro
The first shock was at the full tnten-
sity of 1700 volts and at the end OF aoa
seconds the vas AZ aooeds '9 eu
! it was shot up again to LOO volts for
an instant and reduced to So0 again,
and when DR.. Gibbs gave the Slgnal 70
turn it off it was increased suddenly to
100 again and turned on at once; me ne
| total period of contact was one minute
| Upon the first examination OF the body
| which was made, about q minute after
the current sasead eond seSafa detee "a th Sight f pul
drst that The current would have to i be e
st3ol about five minutes ali the doctors pres
ent again examined ths- body and all
pronounced the man dead beyond ques.
| They waited however. five minutes
| longer, and then made another examin.
alton, rather to satisfy the. the mind min st of
| 11:3O Leach was officially pronounced
| dead. There was but one application of
| the current and the execution was Dc
| clared a complete success by all the
| As soon as the official announcement
OF death was made all the wi Witnesses fro~e3 tSe f%
| death chamber and the doctors at once
began an autopsy yi,-e, mo n1r
| The condemned man made his final
| preparations for death this morning as
| calmly as most men would make ready
| for a days journey He slept well last
night, retiring at II o'clock and awakiine
| only two or three times for short in
tervals between that. hour our slnt and seven even.
| was DR.. Irvine, the prison physician,
who visited his cell about eight O'Clock
the , prSonefs ahiet N reanss5 Wshns to see the
| doctor was to talk about the disposition
| of his body after the execution He
| had but faint hope that his relatives
| would claim his remains fer burial. and
| his request to DIR. Irvine was that none
| of the physicians attending the autopsy
| his body The desired promise was
| given by Dr. Irvine and also by WaT-
den Sage who called shortly afterwards
| and found Leach eating brea akfast.
His last meal consisted of fresh. peach,
es. chicken. rolls. beef tea and coffee, and
1 he ate it with evident relish. Prison
4
| next caller and he remained with him
until the last moment. The Rev. DR..
/ Robert Collyer of New York arrived on
| the 9:A train and spent about an hour
| with the prisoner.
1 on account Of his advanced age and
| excused from Witnessing the execution and
both Wardn Sage and the prisoner
agreed that it was unnecessary for him
to attend.
THE CRIME.
| Richard Leach who was electrocuted
| at Sing Sing this morning for the muir
/ der of his common-law wife, Mary Fl.
Leach. was a young man. He was, by
| occupation, a florist. He met the wom-
| an whom he murdered at resort in
26th street. She was no better than the
police of that part of town said she
| was She went to live with Leach.
1t is said that she was very much in
love with him. If she had confined her
| attentions to loving him it would have
been all right, but unfortunately she