The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-31
|MURDERERS ELECTROCUTED
McDonald's Body Resisted tho
Current More Than Any
Previous Case.

NEW YORK. July 81, 1S99.-Two mur-
derers, Lewis Pullerson and Michael Nc
Donald, We're executed at Sing Sing prison
this morning An electrical current of
1,720 volts was turned on the negro Lewis
Pullerson at 1923 A. NJ, and in 55 seconds
the attending physician pronounced him
dead. AT S:42 A. NJ. 1,710 volts of cleo
tricity were shot through butcher Michael
Mcdonald and he was declared dead in
IS seconds A second precautionary cur
rent was passed through the body of the
man first electrocuted. while in the case
of the man to be executed second the
electrical connection was made fhree
times after he was declared dead
The executions were at an earlier hour
than usual, which heretofore was about
II A. NJ, but this being a double execu-
ton the earlier hour was selected. The
condemned men were satisfied to have
their executions set for as early an hour
as possible. The murderers slept fairly
we'll, but were up and dressed at six
O'Clock. Three Roman Catholic priests
attended the murderers in their last
hours
Pullerson and Mcdonald, said this
morning that they felt first rate and or
sparingly. Both assured the warden that
they were fully prepared and reconciled
to meet death and would be glad when
the word was given for them to go to the
chair
When Pullerson was told that it time
to go to the chair. he was on his knees
praying. He promptly got up and hold
ing a crucifix in his right hand started
for the execution chambers
Pullerson looked self possessed and
walked with firm step. He uttered pray
ers until he sat down in the chair. The
straps and the electrode were quickly adj
justed and as the current was turned on
the body was thrown forward with a sud-
den jerk and the straps We're strained
and then became motionless. After the
doctors present had found that all action
Of the heart and Dulsation had ceased
the body was removed from the chair
and carried into the operating room adj
joining
Mcdonald was all ready to go to the
chair. Mumbling prayers, he stepped to
the chair. AS the current was turned on
his body went through the usual contor-
tions, but the body seemed to resist the
current more than is usually seen at an
execution, and this was evident from the
repeated efforts of the doctors to de-
tect the last beating of the heart and
pulse.
DR.. Irvine, who has witnessed thirty
persons killed in the electric chair. said
that McDonald's body had resisted the
current more than any of the others he
had seen executed.
A murderer is usually pronounced dead
in fifty-ffve seconds, but it was not un-l
til sixty-five seconds after the. current
had been turned on that all signs Of
life had ceased in the case Of Mcdonald.
-Four contacts were given in the case Of
Mcdonald. The first contact was Of a
voltage of 1.710. and as in the case of
Pullerson the current was gradually re-
ducved on the other contacts.
The body of Mcdonald was taken out of
the chair and also carried into the oper-
ating room where the doctors held an
autopsy in each case. McDonald's body
was claimed by his brother. Hugh Me-
Donald of New York City.
No one claimed the body of Pullerson
and it is likely to be buried in the prison
cemetery on the hill, where a dozen or
more condemned murderers We're buried
in quick lime. as prescribed by law
The other doctors who witnessed the
executions said that the killing was done
in a very successful manner, there being
no burning in either case.