Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-01
.BUCHANAN'S STRUGGLE
His Long Fight to Escape the
 Electric Chair.
HIS WIPES oBAsBLEss EFFORTS.

Governor NOrtOn's Home at shineclin: Why Warden Sage Hesitated. SING SING, July 1.-The story of Dr. | Buchanan's last desperate attempt to es- cape the electric chair forms one of the most dramatic chapters in life replete | with sensations.
 His lawyers, who have certainly been | most active succeeded in getting Warden | Sage so confused that not until an early hour this morning had he really decided whether or not Buchanan was to die to- day.
 While the warden frantically wiring the attorney general and Deputy Has brouck for instructions Mrs. Buchanan, the murdcrer's heroic wife, was making night journey to Rhinccliff that all were sure would be in vain.
 II do not propose to execute Dr. Blu chanan until the attorney general gives me a written opinion as to the effect of the papers of appeal now in their hands at Al bany."
 Warden Sage was the speaker, and he was so angry that his voice trembled as he spoke to the group of reporters. At the door leading from the drawing room into the office the face of a woman, anxious and troubled, appeared, and as the warden made his emphatic statement she smiled and withdrew quickly. It was Mrs. Bu- chanan, and she had just left her husband. ? Warden Sage made the statement accred- itcd to him after meeting his messenger whom he had sent to Albany at tho train.
 Frank ID. Burroughs, the messenger, who had been in Albany for two days with copies of the paper served on the warden and presented to the United States courts, returned at o'clock last night with word that the attorney generals department at : Albany declined to give an opinion in the matter other than the verbal one that it would be all right to proceed. MT. Bur roughs had not seen the attorney general, but had talked with Deputy Attorney Hasbrouck, who had declined positively to write any opinion.
 As soon as the messenger returned to . Sing Sing and made known this fact, fur thcr stating that the attorney general was out of the city, Warden Sage sent him right back to Albany to await a written decision. Then he dictated a telegram to , Attorney General Hancock, at Syracuse, informing him that he would not execute Buchanan until he had received an opin- ion of the effect of tho legal papers served , | upon him by counsel for Dr. Buchanan. Warden Sage's Statement. When this had been dispatched, the , | warden made this statement: " 1 have been served with papers that are said to act as | a stay. When similar papers were served some time ago, Deputy Attorney General l Hasbrouck wrote an opinion, in which the attorney general concurrcd, saying that the papers should act as a stay. When these latter papers were served, sent them at once to the attorney general with a request for an opinion, and so far he has | given none. He is the legal adviser of tho state, and l do not propose to act ill his | stead"
 Twill you execute Buchanan if the at \ | torncv srcneral @,,,., I4uu give an opinion?'' l was asked
 II don't like to cross a bridge before I get to it, but I don't see why should as sumc a legal responsibility that the law officer of the state shrinks from" f The warden did not expect an opinion u or an answer from his telegram until to- I. day, and it was therefore thought reason able to believe that there would not be m e execution till Tuesday at the earliest.
 Dr. Buchanan grew restless Saturday u night, and it 3 o'clock when he dOZCd off into fltful slumbcr. At o'clock Sun day morning he was awake, and a few min utcs later he was visited by Mrs. Buchan- an. She took seat just outside the wire screen and talked to him in n low tone of N voice. He could not keep still and paced . the floor constantly smoking cigar after ) cigar as he talked of his trial and his still
 
 chair.
 The colored man Caesar, who is the new est man in the death house, and Leach u the wife murderer, both took great inter o est in tho conversation. Mrs. Buchanan N staid in the death house the entire day an( until o'clock last night, not leaving cvcI for dinner the warden sending down lunch for her at the same time as the con dcmncd man had his dinner served Sh' .- ate quite heartily, but the husband barely tasted the food and returned to the theme C uppcrn:rat in his mind-his possible eS ., cape from the death chair.
 Mrs. Buchanan's Last Effort. e At least two-thirds of the afternoon wa :, spent in this discussion, and Dr. Buchan , an argued it from all possible standpoints The warden visited the cell twice, ant both times was asked whether he haC good news. Buchanan knew that Bur rOughS had gone to Albany, and wa awaiting a decision, and he desired t, have his dwindling hopes revived. Thi the warden refused to do, and even las night, after reaching his decision to dcla, action, he would not tell the prisoner.
 Buchanan was very restless and ncrvou last night, and up to a late hour thi morning had not slept The watch kcp was exceedingly close, as it was known tha with his knowledge of surgery he COul' 
 Mrs. Buchanan, just before leaving her last night, begged the warden to alloy her to say goodby to her husband. Tn request was granted, and she told her hus band that no opinion had as yet been giV cn, which seemed to quiet him a little
 At 1O:15 Mrs. Buchanan left hero on north bound train for Governor Norton h homo Ellerslie, at Rhinccliff. She wen to ask for a communication, and said sh would make an attempt to see Govcrno Morton, no matter tho hour of her arrival
 Attorney General HancOck's Statement.
 SYRACUSE, July 1.-Attorney Genera T. k. Hancock was seen by a reporter an asked regarding his movements in tn case of Dr. Buchanan. He said that had been asked number of times b Warden Sago to express an opinion. H said, II have given my opinion, and if docs not want to go on and execute thi man he can keep him."
 The attorney general received the fo lowing message from Warden Sage: , II decline to act without direction fro1 you, either written or telegraphcd.
 70. V. SAGE"
 He sent tho following in reply: H II do not think the last proceeding ! operate as O stay Have no further advit to give.
 "T. k. HANCOCK, Attorney General"
 After sending the reply to Warden Sag Attorney General Hancock made the fo
 lowing statement: "The facts connecte
 with the trial and conviction of Dr. Bl chanan arc familiar, and were cited
 great length at the time this case WI > passed upon in the court of appeals, Jude Gray writing the opinion. That court WI (S unanimous in affirming the judgment