The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-07-02
Death ends THEORDEAL
DR.. Buchanan at Last Pays the
Penalty Of His Crime.
PATHETIC APPEAL FOR oLEMENoY.

Mrs. buchanan Falls on Her Knees al
Governor HIorton's Feet aud Prays for
Her Husbands Life - The Governor
Deeply Affected.
SING SING, July 2.-With two electric
contacts, consuming not over minute.
DR. Buchanan was put to death in Sing
Sing prison yesterday. Like all Others
who have preceded him, he went TO death
calmly, and did not say word in the
death chamber. The only appearance of
fright or weakness was the fact that he
closed his eyes when he entered, and did
not open them again. Two contacts wero
made, but all the physicians and electric
ians claim that the second contact was
merely precautionary and that the victim
died instantly. There were no burns and
no unpleasant features, and every physi-
sian present declared the execution sue
ress. The body has been claimed by
friends, and the case will go down into
history as a cause celebre.
Warden Sage's action in proceeding
with the electrocution was the result of
telegram from the attorney general to the
effect that the warden would not be in the
wrong IL he carried out the sentence in
the case of DIR. Buchanan. The indefinite
languagein which the opinion was eouehed
and the refusal of the attorney general to
advise the execution, but only TO say that
he would not advise its delay, did not ex-
actly please the warden, who had expected
that when he acted 1t would be under the
advice of the states legal adviser But
after consideration and consultation an
order was issued to proceed with the exc
cution. :,
Warden Sage said: 81 am not pleased
with the opinion of tho attorney general,
because it is not made final instruction
for me to proceed; but, as it says that
am not justified in delaying the execution,
shnll go on with the affair."
The most pathetic feature of the execu-
tion was the vain appeal of the condemned
mans wife for executive clemency. She
went to Rhinecliff Sunday night, and
stopped at the village hotel, Arising
shortly after O'Clock she was driven to
Ellerslie, where she was admitted to the
governors mansion. Mr.. Morton was in
bed, but on being informed of Mrs. Buch-
anan's presence in the house he arose, and
before O'Clock met her in his library
The woman sank on her knees before the
governor and pleaded for her husbands
life, though her grief almost prevented
her from speaking. Governor Morton was
plainly overcome by tho woman's plead.
ing, and tears stood in his eyes as he lifted
her to her feet and told her that he could
not grant her request.
''The highest courts have confirmed your
husbands conviction, and have no right
to interfere. 1t was my sympathy for you
that led me to give him q reprieve," said
the governor.
Then the governor asked Mrs. Bu-
ohanan many questions about herself, ex-
pressed sympathy for her and told her that
IL she ever needed assistance to call upon
him and he would gladly help her.
After drinking a cup Of coffee which the
governor handed her, Mrs. Buchanan left
Ellerslie and took the O'Clock train for
Sing Sing. During the execution Mrs
Buchanan was in the wardens house, hav-
ing come there after the witpesses were
summoned to the death chamber. She
was extremely nervous, sand when told of
tho death of her husband broke down and
wept freely. She was taken care of by
Mrs. Sage.
Mrs. Buchanan is in destitute oircum-
stances, her expenses to Rhinecliff having
been betrayed by Warden Sage.
The persistency with which Buchanan
clung to life marked his case to the end.
Since the death of the wife whom he mur.
dered on April 23, 1892, in order to re-
marry the wife whom he had previously
divorced, his case has been marked by I'M
certainties which have made 1t famous.
He at first seemed likely to escape sus-
picion, and was not arrested until June
o, following the woman's death. His trial
was delayed until March 90 1893, and
during its early stages his acqnittal ap,
peared probable. When he was convicted,
April SO, 1893, a motion for now trial
was made, and the questions presented to
the court were such that decision was
not rendered until Aug. IA following,
when he was sentenced to die Oct g. 1893
On Aug. Is, 1898 he was brought here,
and has been here uninterruptedly since,
with the exception 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 ap-
peals of the state, once before the United
States supreme court, and any number of
delays and unusual legal proceedings have
marked its course through the lower state
end federal courts.
Invitations to his execution were sent
out four times by Warden Sage, but in
the first three instances, on one ground OF
another, respite was secured and the in
Fiction of the death penalty was post
poned, and finally after every means of
staying the execution was exhausted, il
required two applications of the deadly
current to overcome the tenacity with
which the man elung to life.