The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-21

NEW fohh, March A--AfS. M8f<nA
Place was executed at Sing Sing prison to-
day. She was the first woman to die in
the electric chair in tho state OF New
York. and she went to her death quietly.
Her death was instantaneous.
Two shocks were given. State Electrician
Davis threw down the lever at exactly
li:oi a. M The voltage Of the current waa
i.s6. and 1t WAS continued for four Sec
onds. 1t was then gradually diminished
to 30 voltage, which was continued for
ffty-six seconds. DR.. Irvine, the physi-
clan of the prison. examined the woman
and then ordered another shock. That
was the same as the first In power and
was continued for the same length Of time.
The second shock has always been admin
tstered at Sing Sing.
Mrs. Place murdered her step-daughser.
Ida II. Place. mere girl. on February I,
1925. She first threw acid In the girls eyes
and then smo,hered her. This was early
I'm the morning. in their home In brook
iyn. She waited the entire day for her
husband to return. and then attacked him
with an AK. fracturing his skull and OH
erwise seriously injuring him. Place.
however. recovered.
CONFIDENT 0f Final Release.
Mrs. Place was convicted and sentenced
to death. but she never for a moment be-
Iieved she would be electrocuted. She 81
first claimed she could remember nothing
Of tha murder and later ihc plea cf inaAn-
ity was admitted In her behalf. II was noe
until Thursday last that Warden Sage ar,-
nouncsd to her that Gov. Roosevelt had
absolutely refused TO interfere with the
-
Monday. II was a great shock TO tho
woman. bat during the lasi four days
she bore up wonderfully well. She sur
fered In two ways after she learned that
she must die. from sIeeplcssness and from
loss OF appetite.
Again yesterday the warden visited her,
80 there might be no MISUNDERSTANDING.
and told her that she must DO ready al II
o'clock Monday morning. She was ready
at that hour. and no one who watched her
could understand what change must have
taken place in the woman's nature to so
duh her senses that she could GO 10 her
death 70 calmly and impassiveiy. II had
not been expected thar she would do 10.
The last woman condemned TO die In this
state went 10 the gallows sarieking and
fighting. but Mrs. Place hardly uttered Z
sotind.. She merely murmured prayer
with closed eyes. her face turned partly
upward and seemingly unconscious of
things about her
This was the twenty-ssx,h esectrccution
at Sing Sing prison. bnt none before was
so successful as that Of today Not only
was there M scene. hut there Was no de-
lay. Within three minutes after coming
through the iron doors the order Of the
law had been carried cny There were
twelve witnesses present. and only shnye
who watched every movement witnessed
Mrs Places death. Few were able 10 see
the raising OF the body as the electrical
shock passed through il. II was only when
the current was partly shut on that they
could see the body relax. II was an easy
way &c dir
Spiritual Adviser Near.
Or Sunday Mrs. Place had her regular at
tefsiants. and during s.ss night she was vss-
tied by her spiritual adviser. Rev. pr. Da-
vid Cole. OF yonkers. ard Mrs Meury. a
mission worker Of brooklyn VITO has taken
a great interest in the wumsn's welfare.
Mrs Sage, tire wardens wife. aiso spent an
hour or NJ with her.
AT 500 Mrs Place was left alone with
fhs night rsasron. Mrs couftry, with swg
keepers In the cutter room. The cordeunei
woman was very restless Outside q ter
rife gale was blowing. which raf,isd the
windows In the gloomy eli hospital bulii-
islx. xaere Mrs. Places quarters were To-
Gated. There MAS driving Snow Storm,
sos. ard several times the woman went 10
her window to watch the gorm. She IA
got retire Until s5sp and after that she was
sp several tirres so pray. Never for =
gstonsnt sla the rnatron relax hsr vsxs-
sasee Mrs. Place was followed wtsh uascas-
fai eyes for the twenty four hours that
aveessfei fes taking on
II cannot he seHiet tina: Warden sage
wAa anxious 5B the exsF~ms regarding sss1
sxsxusksn. and IL ~ss with ssis In m.ni
that as or4.red every Tgecnatson taken 10
in@Ege sae haEf results. he -~nt Rev ps
rol@ 10 her .. s.f5 tfss morning. nrst Ia.
aalsgag whether the aged clergyman ceala
stane she straln. pr. ents assured him re
coasa ard was sn fssi OF syrnpasbY for
shs woman whom ne aasi known Mnre sse
was child frat fss was anxious 30 be wttn
her and cornfors her 20 the end Dr. frvfns
also vtslsst her IN tfs morning. ard with