New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-02

morning. but the brief message given "as oil '"e
authority he required.
The Warden at his desk soon arter cioch'
and at once iseued the usua! orders In regard 70
the details Of the execution. state ELECTRICIAN r.
r. Davis arrived from NewYork on the first train
In the morning
At Ills o'clock the following message was re-
ceived by Warden Sage. signed by Arthur {. Butts
and George W. Gibbons:
Opinion Of Attorney General misleading, and mis-
s,afas facts as 10 appeal Buchanan's case Is In
the Supreme Court OF the United States. and your
authority is stayed You must shS9se between en- sun
preme laws OF our country.
No attention was paid TO the message. which was
simply a protest and had no force in law
Anon, the same time the following message was
rsceived from Governor Morton's amanuensis:
Rhlneclire ~ Y. July Ito o. V. Sage; Agent
and Warden: Governor informs me he has has no
'0Tnrssre Mrs nuc"a"A Signed COOK.
BEGINNING THE PREPARATIONS.
In the mean time the witnesses invited TO the
execution had been arriving on the morning ua'hs
and the preparations were completed for the exc
cution The witnesses. besides Warden sage ana
State Electrician Davis. included Baron a. Schhp
penbsch. Russian Vice-Consul in New-York; Pro-
lessor George s. Huntington, OF Ne~-iork; DIS
Augustin II. Goelet T. f. Oertei. John wilson
Gibbs Ira Van Gresen, William j. Osullivan and
Van sickles. all OF New-York Dr. John j. sullivan.
~
non ~ Y: Dr. r. T. Irvine. the prison physician;
Dr. Morrei OF Yonkers. and Drs. Miner and Shee-
ham OF Sing Sing The other witnesses were all
NEWSPAPER men. The witnesses assembled In the
Warden's Office and at II l5 were conducted 10 the
execution chamber which adjons the cells set
apart for the OF prisoners awaiting the death
penalty Mr. Davis was awaiting them there. and
on their arrival tested the apparatus by turning
the current into cluster OF lights attached 10 the
death chair The electrodes were then prepared by
saturating them with salt water. and when every
thing was ready the signal was given ana 'he
condemned man was ushered into the chamber
/, was Just II % when the iron door was swung
omen 10 admit him. He had not more than a haIi-
dozen steps to take from his cell 10 the chair lie
walked firmly but had his arm linked In that o.
Prison Chaplain Wells who led him TO the char'
Behind them walked Head Keeper Connaughton.
State Detective Jackson and several guards. Bu-
chanan's last act before entering the death cham
her was 10 shake hands with Warden Sage and to
bid him goodby The condemned man had his eyes
closed when he entered the execution room and did
not again open them Warden Sage said afterward
that Buchanan suffered from an affection OF the
eyes and the sudden light after leaving the DARK
ened room in which he had been confined might
have blinded him. 1t may have been. however that
Buchanan did not wish 10 the witnesses. or TO
see the chair in which he was 10 die. A'ter ne
had taken his seat IN the chair he sat motioness
with closed eyes. and appeared almost UNCONSCIOUS
OF wha, was going on abou, him. The straps were
adjusted by the guards. and Electrician DAVIS TOOK
a Anal survey OF the arrangements.
THE CURRENT TURNED on TWICE
At u:sI. exactly one minute after buchanan en-
terrd The chamber n nod was given by DR. Gibbs.
who officiated as time-keeper. and the electrician
messed the button which the signal to the
unseen execu,.oner 10 turn on the fatal current.
The body In the hair gave a sudden convns've
movement. which strained the straps by which ~