The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-01
THORN ELECTROCUIED.
The Atrocious Murderer OF
Guldensuppe Dies at
Sing Sing.
KILLED By THE FIRST SHOCK
Last Hours Of a Callous
wretch Usual CHASTITY
Scenes.
KILLED By THE FIRST SHOCK

SING SING. N. Y, Aug. /, 1S9S,-All the
witnesses assembled in the Warden :
office at II A. M. today to witness the ex7
~ecution of Martin Thorn. They passed
through a small p~assageway at the rear
Of the condemned cells to the execution
chambers State Electrician Davis an
nounced that the electrical apparatus was
working without a hitch
Prison Physician Irvine and several doc
tors tok up positions near the electrical
chair in the centre of the room. Tne
other witnesses were seated on pine
benches and then ensued a wait of a few
minutes.
Finally the iron doors leading from the
corridor of the condemned cells to the
execution room was swung open and the
big form of Chief Keeper C~onnaughton
doomed up above the others in the solemn
little procession. First came Warden
Sage, whose kindly face wore a very SAD
expression. and behind the Warden came
Them and his spiritual adviser, Rev.
Father Hauselman.
Thorn stepped firmly and kept his head
erect. He carried a crucifix in his right
hand and seemed to be listening to the
prayers Which were muttered by Father
Hauselman. Thorn showed wonderful
nerve to the last. There was a smile on
his face as he came from the death house
into the execution room. Without hesi-
tating the condemned man walke to the
chair. which was in the centre Of the
room. He sat down on it and was quickly
strapped. While waiting for the current
to be turned on he prayed with his
spiritual adviser. Everything was ready
~ I.17 op5 NHordor G oa croxra the Sivnal
to turn on the current; 1850 volts We're
at once thrown into the body of Thorn
The force sent his body hard against the
straps. The body was electrified TO a de-
gree of 10 amperes by the current. The
1880 volts were kept on for five seconds,
after which the current was allowed to
fall to 400 volts and 4 amperes. The re-
duced current remained ON for SIS seconds,
when Thorn was pronounced dead.
The currents were introduced into the
body from the electrodes at the base of
the brain and at the calf of the mans leg.
While the current was turned on there
was a CHASTITY kissing noise and a little
smoke issued from the right leg where the
electrodes was applied. The flesh appear
ed to be discolored there when the cleo
trode was removed.
DR.. Irvine and the other doctors who
listened to the beating of the heart said
that Thorn,s death was instantaneous and
painless.
Thorn did not speak after he entered the
execution room except to repeat the
prayers after the priest. Before he start
ed befyore he stshrdl uhrdlu hrdlu
ed to walk the short distance from
the cell to the chair he thanked Warden
Sage for all he had lone for him while
he had been at Sing Sing prison. These
Were the last words that the murderer
spoke.
In addition to the usual dark suit Thorn
wore a light colored negligee shirt, white
collar and white tie. He was clean shayen
and his hair was carefully parted,
After the body was taken from the chair
it was placed on an operating table so
that the doctors could hold an autopsy.
Thorn did not retire as early as usual
for his last nights rest. He conversed
after supper with his death watch, and
O'Clock. He related his boyhood days in
Germany. told about his parents, and his
experiences in this country. He did not
talk about the killing of Guldensuppe.
He fell asleep soon after lying on his
cot. and slept soundly until nearly six
this morning. Then he put on the new
suit Of clothing provided by the state in
which to meet his death. Thorn eyed it
carefully and inspected the slit in the leg
whore the electrode was to be applied.
AT eight O'Clock Warden Sage went into
lI6 d6dll ltOlSG. li6 RNdIuCL LdlhGA win
Thorn tor a little time and when he came
out he said 10 the newspaper men,
Thorn told me he was not nervous and
would die bravely. He said he was per-
fectly reconciled to his fate inc that he
had made his peace with his God. lie
slept we'll and had no fear OF death. There
is not the slightest change in his actions.
He is the same cool man who came to the
prison six months ago. His nerve is
stronge than any other murderer who
has peen in the death house, When
Thorn rose this morning he told one of
his keepers that his only dread was the
wait from the time ne awoke until he was
summoned to the chair. 1t was plain that
Thorn had worried, but he had nerve
enough not to utter a complaint or give
any sign tina his doom affected him.
Rev Father Hauselman, of Brooklyn,
the spiritual adviser of the murderer,
called at the prison shortly after eight
O'Clock and remained with Thorn until
the end. Thorn was reading the Bible
when the priest entered the death house.
He greeted the priest atfectionateiy.
Father Hauselman heard his confession
after which the last sacraments Of the
Church were administered Thorn.
Then he read his prayer book and pray
ed until the time he was summoned to the
death house.
The cell of Thorn in the death house
was next to the door through which he
passed to enter the death house. The dis
tance from the cell to the chair or death
was only 13 feet.