Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-03-21

rible thing that / don't blame them. You
only wear your poor, dear heart out in
these efforts. Between this and the last
day live only for me, little Ann; let the
world alone. If they car only do what
they say they can, my sick heart will not
feel a twinge. 1t will all be over in less
than an instant, and you will have the
consolation of knowing that Burt is Mt
last out of the reach Of his enemies"
The statute required that the condemn
ed should be removed to the nearest
State prison for execution, and hence
preparations were ut once set on foot to
transport Tyler to Dannemora, where
the execution chamber had been made
ready for the work of death. The Car
eys were permitted to follow Tyler, and
to little Ann was accorded the privilege of
sitting by his bedside during the entire
night which preceded the day fixed for
his execution.
Her last words to the condemned were:
Remember, Burt, I believe in your inno-
cence more firmly than ever, and / know
how brave you are and how many times
you have faced death without flinching.
Be brave to the end, my beloved. The
truth will come out some day, l know it,
/ feel it, and that thought keeps my poor
heart from breaking"
BY daybreak the electrician in charge
reported to the prison authorities that the
death-dealing apparatus was in perfect
working order.
The execution chamber was q large
square room on the ground 1oor with
arched ceiling and with several windows
large enough to admit plenty of light, but
too high from the floor to call for screens
of any kind. In the center of the cham
Der stood q heavy, long, low table of hard
wood painted black, upon which all
that was left of the once giant form of
Burt Tyler was soon to be laid and ex-
posed to the fury of the live thunderbolt.
Stout leathern thongs, with heavy iron
buckles to bind the criminal to the table
and hold him motionless, were hanging
from the sides in half a dozen different
places. The dynamo, or electric genera
| tor, was located in another part Of the
building, but the wires leading from it
| entered the execution chamber through
| the floor, in close proximity to the table,
! their ends being fitted with metallic but
| tons covered with chamois skin. Hang
ing on the wall, within easy reach of the
| officers in charge. was the helmet-an in
strument intended to encircle the head of
| the criminal and hold the electrode
pressed firmly against the scalp. A
small apparatus consisting Of clock-work,
dial plate, etc.-the purpose Of which was
to complete the death-dealing circuit with
out the direct touch of the electrician
was affixed to the wall near the head of
the table.
At a signal from the officer in charge
! the folding doors of the execution cham.
Der were thown open, and The two ply.
sicians required by law to be present, and
| the twelve reputable citizens Of full age
| entitled to the privilege of witnessing
| the execution, fled slowly and noiselessly
into the chamber. Seven deputy sheriffs
specially sworn in to do service on this
| occasion were also in attendance in an
outer room. After a moments delay the
| voice Of the village pastor reading selec-
tons from the gospels in low and tender
tones broke in upon the death-like silence,
Then he himself appeared, clad in o white
robe, and followed by a double file Of of.
icers, bearing between them a framework
of wood covered with a mattress and bed.
ding.
Upon this reclined the tall but wasted
form of the condemned man, his head
raised slightly by a pillow and his great,
! dark eyes wandering inquiringly from IN
object to another. The little procession
halted opposite the table, and while the
sad. low voice Of the clergyman resound'
| ed through the chamber Of death the Of
fcers stopped. and, taking a firm hold Of
the sides of the sheet, lifted Burt gently
| from his bed and laid him upon the cleo
trio table, and then-seemingly n needless
precaution-the heavy broad straps were
passed over his huge chest and across his
stiff and shrunken limbs and firmly Sc
! cured. One of the assistants then quickly
clipped away a handful Of Burt's thick,
| curly hair from the top Of his head and
/ the dread helmet was drawn down until
| the chamois-covered tip Of the electrode