Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-06-29
CASE OF BUCHANAN
The Doctor Who Is to Die in
the Electric Chair,
BRmss UP THE OLD coHTEET1oS

That Electrical Execution Does Not Exe-
cute, aad May Settle It One Way or the
Other-A Crucial Test Probably To he
Given by the Csc Of the Cardsograpb-
Buchanan's Lawyers Still Working Go
save His LIE.
NEW YORK, Juno 2G-As his sentence
now stands D.. Robert W. Buchanan,
convicted of poisoning his second wife for
her money, will be executed in Sing Sing
some day next week in tho electric chair.
But, reiferating doubts that have been
frequently expressed, there are those who
believe he will not die in the electric
chair, but Oh the dissecting table; TINT
tho shock viii! not kill him; that he will
die, but by the surgeons knives while
they make what they call the post NOR
tenn. DR.. Van Giesen, the pathologist OF
charity hospital, will mako the examina.
ton Of DR.. Buchanan's body after he is
taken from the electric chair. DR.. Van
Gicsen made the same examination OF
Hampton, tho murderer, and, it is said,
has since told his students at lectures
that he is not certain electricity as applied
In carrying on: the death sentence kills.
Dr. Newton and Isis Cardio.rapll.
DR.. Van Glcscn has verbally invited
DR.. Vance, OF EAndalPs island; Robert
Stafford Newton. OF New York. and DE-.
Wendell Story, of Buff No, to be present
q, the examination Of Bachanan's body.
Whether Dr-. Vance and Story arc thera
o. not Er. Newton will be present at tho
examination as tho representative of the
court of general sessions, where Recorder
Golf last fixed the date for Buchanan
lega! takiny.of d.. Newton stndied med.
icinc abroad. and WAS ono OF the house
staff of the London hospital when DR..
Ernest Samson, Of that hospital, invent
ci and applied an instrument called the
cardioyrnph in the carly 'Gs Tho cardi
ograph is placed against q mans left side
over the heart and Will record the faint
est heart beats.
VIII Apply It to DIR. Euchan,n.
DR.. Newton will apply this cardiograph
over Dr. Buchanan's heart the instant he
is lifted from the electric chair, il he il
permitted to. Two will go to Sing Sing
to assist in tho examination of Buchan'
ans body" said DIR. Newton. ut has
been promised that we can apply the
cnrdiograph. But consider it as ncces
6ary Tor the purpose OF That examination
as any other instrument."
"Then what will stand in the way o
the application of tho cardiographr
asked the reporter.
ut might show that the heart was
beating five or six minutes after Buchan
an is taken from the chair," answered
DR.. Newton significantly.
Warden stopped I:,suscitat:on.
"What would you do il It did?"
''sSet to work to restore him." said the
doctor, emphatically. Then he went on:
ut ID we'll known that at the execution
OF John johnson in Auburn prison, wherc
hc murdered two other convicts, no was
not killed by the electricity. He was
warm when taken from this chair, and Ol
the several physicians present sons sai l
his heart was BEATING. Others thought
not II the cardlogrnph had been in use
there no such diversity of opinion could
have been prcsont. 1t has never been
shown as it should b. that tho death Is
positive and n.orciful. In Johnson's case
resuscitation was ,5,gun. and did 50 we'll
that it was stopped by percmpsory orders
Of the warden"