Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-08-04
Martin Thorn Has Paid the
Penalty of Murder in the
Electric Chair.
ELECTRIC SHOCK TOO WEAK
He Had to Be Kept in the Chair Five
Minutes-A Horrible Sight as the
Deadly Current Did Its Work
Tho Criminal Wake
1ravoly to His Fate.

| Sing Sing, Aug martin Thorn was
lelectrocuted at III o'clock this morning
| The current was found to be too weak.
and he had to be kept in the chair for FIVE
minutes, and four shocks OF 1860 volts each
were sent through Thorns body
He was cool and he walked to the chair
unaided and seating himself put his legs
| In position in the hollows prepared for
them and then, leaning back in the chair
| put his arms down on the chair To lie
strapped fast. Before his arms were
strapped down he took Il cruci1x from the
priest who was present. and kissing 1t
handed 1t back.
| There was no delay to add to the torture
which Thorn must have been enduring
AS soon as the attendants had fastened
the straps which held him to the chair
| Warden Sage stepped up and tried all of
them to see that there could be no bung-
ling. They were tight and secure
| Warden Sage lifted his hand warnlngy
to tho witness. Then he gave an almost
| impercoptable signal Almost instantly
Thorns body leaped forward In the chair
as far as the straps would permit. His
chest bent out and his lips were drawn
back so as to show the teeth. The leath-
er fastening creaked and streached but
| they did not give way. For several sec
onds, which seemed like an age to the wit
| nesscs, the body remained In this posi-
| ton, the only change was In the lips. Lit
| tie by little these were drawn still further
back until they seemed to be shrivelled
up and not only the teeth but the gums,
| we're to be sccn.
| After the first shock when the dea tn
dealing current had entered his body
| through the sponge elcctrode fastened to
his head and had coursed along the spinal
column to the other electrodc fastened to
his right leg, 1t was seen that
rhorne was dead, but to make
| n he
piled again and again. Each time when
II was turned off the body sank back
limp and lifeless and was held In place in
the chair only by the straps which bound
| II so closely.
Then, at a ssnal from the warden. the
hidden executioner again turned IL on.
| When he did so the body again leaped for
ward and strained at the straps and ag ain
The lips drew back and the horrible look
| came upon the face.
| The physician was summoned and placed
his ear over the dead mans heart. There
was no sound, and as he lifted his head he
nodded to the warden that all was over
The other physicians who were among the
witnesses were then called forward, and
one by one they listened for any move
ment of the heart which might show that
Thorn was still alive. None OF the men
could detect any sound. Martin Thorn
was dead.
| AUTOPSY ON THORN'S BODY.
Sing Sing. N. Y, Aug. 1.-The autopsy
| on the body of Thorne was made by Drs.
| H. Y. Brook and F. A. Goodwin of tho
Post Graduate Medical School OF New
York. 1t showed the brain to be we'll de-
veloped and showed Thorn to posses ex-
traordlnary intelligence and cunning
| After the autopsy the body was turned
over by Warden Sage to two former en-
| p'oycrs OF Thorn, who Will bear the ex-
| pense AZ tho