The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-02-12

Dannemera, February 11.-Bat Shea
was electrocuted at 9. IS this morning fors
the murder in Troy of Robert Ross on
election day in the spring of 1894.
Shea retired quite early last night and
slept soundly until shortly after O'Clock
fore he was served his spiritual adviser,
Rev. J. J. Swift of St. Patriok's church
Troy, and Rev. Father Berlanger, the
local Catholic priest, arrived and the fin
al rites of the church were administered.
Shea received the sacrament, shook
hands with Father Swift and said: 81
am innocent, father, innocent
Then as the last rites of amounting
we're performed tear started down his
cheek and as Father Swift held his head
in his hands and blessed him he gave a
convulsive sob and repeatd his assertion
of innocence.
When the priests had finished he quick
ly recovered himself, and when the break
fast was brought he ate heartily. The
prison gates were closed TO all corners,
and in the prison hotel, just outside the
prison wall, we're gathered the twenty
seven witnesses invited by the warden to
witness the execution.
I hese witnesses were made up almost
exclusively OF physicians and newspaper
men, all present in official capacities.
At ESQ the Wsrden's private secretary
assembled the witnesses to the hotel
office and announced than all was in
readiness for their presence in the
death chamber.
Escorted by guards the witnesses wound
their way outside the prison walls to the
west side of the prison where in the base
ment is located the death dealing appara-
uus. A short stay was made in the anti
room and at signal from Warden Thay-
er the march was again taken up, ending
in the death chamber.
The chair is of oak and is strongly
built. 1t is the same one that has been
used in the half dozen previous execu-
Jions and has stood the test WELL
At signal Electrician Davis stepped
forward and placed bank Of incanGes-
GENT lamps across the arm Of the chair.
The wires we're attached and the current
turned on, A blaze of light shot forth
and the apparatus was found to be in
perfect order.
There was gruesome silence which
was broken by the noise of approaching
footsteps on the sand covered floor of the
D1lcc4 CUETltOT.
Ie was just 800 when the procession
entered tho room. First came Warden
Thayer and Deputy McKenna and imme-
diately behind them was Shea escorted by
Vicar General Swift and Father Berlan-
ger. Shea s face was pale and he walked
Iirmly 20 the oahir, and during the min
ute 1t took to affix the straps he gdzed
calmly around the room. His eyes were
bright and he looked more like specta-
tor than the victim of the awful tragedy
about to OCCUR.
At So the current was turned on and
continued for one minute and twenty
one seconds, when it was shut off and
Shea was pronounced dead.
The highest voltage was 1900. This,
however, was continued only eleven
seconds when it was reduced to $50 volts
and continued at shat voltage until the
end. Tho following statement from Shea
was opened after the execution:
On the verge of death desire to say
that do not think I had a fair trial Ex-
traordinary means were taken to convict
me and the testimony given by Mr.. Ian
sing was absolutely untrue. | am sorry
for Mr. Ross's family and for the gloom
1t has cast oven them, but I did not go
10 the polls on election day to shoot Rob
ert Ross and had no intention of injur-
ing him. die for crime did not COM
nit. am an innocent man. I bid you
ali farewell.
BARTHOLOMEW SHEA"