Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-03-25
THE LAW SATISFIED.
Mrs. Place, the Condemned Muir
deress, Goes to Her Doom.
'she Is sEIectrocutedin I'm Sing Sing Prison
Meets Her Death Cnlmiy-Suc-
cess Attends Every Detail of
the Sad Duty.

New York, March 21.-Mrs. Martha
Place was executed at Sing Sing prison
Monday. She was the first woman to
die in the electric chair in the state of
New York, and she went to her death
quietly. Her death was instantaneous;
but two shocks were given. State Elec-
trician Davis threw down the lever at
exactly 11:O1 a. m. The voltage of the
current was 1,760, and it was continued
for four seconds. 1t was then gradual
ly diminished to 200 voltage, which was
continued for Sc seconds. Dr. Irvine,
the physician of the prison, examined
the woman, and then ordered a second
shock. That was the same as the first
in power and continued for the same
length of time.
Mrs. Place murdered her stepdaugh-
ter, Ida M. Place, mere girl, on Febru-
ary 7, 1898. She first threw acid in the
girls eyes and then smothered her.
This was early in the morning, in their
home in Brooklyn. She waited the en-
tire day for her husband to return, and
then attacked him with an ak, fractur-
ing his skull and otherwise seriously
injuring him. Place, however, recov-
cred,
Mrs. Place was convicted and SEN
fenced to death, but she never for a mo-
ment believed she would be electro
cuted. She at first claimed she could
remember nothing of the murder, and
later the plea of insanity was submitted
in her behalf. 1t was not until Thurs
day last that Warden Sage announced
to her that Gov. Roosevelt had abso-
lutely refused to interfere with the
course of justice and that she must die
on Monday. 1t was great shock to the
woman, but during the last four days
she bore up wonderfully well.
Led to the Death Chair.
She had told her pastor that she be-
lieved that her sins had been forgiven,
and asserted her faith in the hereafter.
She was buoyed up with this feeling
when the warden came to lead her
to the chair. She was dressed in black,
a gown that she had made herself, sim
pie and plain. She had expected to
wear it at her new trial or when she re-
ceived her liberty. A white band was
around her throat, and her light brown
hair, now turning gray, was brushed
back smoothly over her forehead. 1t
was clipped away only where the elec-
trode was to be placed.
Mrs. Place entered the death cham
Der leaning heavily on the warden's
arm. Her face was very white, her head
uplifted, her eyes closed. The white
band around her throat seemed scarce.
ly winter than her face. The warden
held her arm closely with his, and with
his other arm he supported her. Behind
came the women attendants, one ply
sician and the other the day matron
Rev. DIR. Cole came next, and after him
were the two keepers. As they came
over the Threshold Mrs. Place gave nc
sign of fear, nor did she even seem tC
know what was about to happen. She
passed almost like blind woman across
the short space that separated her from
death. She was gently pressed dowr
into the frame, and DR.. Irvine. who was
in waiting, stepped in front of her. He
motioned to the women, and they cam,
up on either side. 1t took but a moment
to strap her in. The edge of her skirt!
was lifted quickly, the stocking drawn
down over her shoe and the electrod'
fastened by one of the women to th'
right leg. Then the skirt was dropped
The head cap was clamped on, th'
= straps buckled across the face, and
: pad dropped over the forehead. TIL
: two women stood with outstretchet
l skirts, with DR.. Irvine and a male at
/ tendant on either side, almost shutting
:. out the view of the witnesses, and tn
!, signal was given.
. The Fatal Shock.
Quicker almost than flash the elec
trician threw down the lever. TIL
i body Strengthened, the fingers grippe
tightly into the palms and the littl
l prayer book she held in her left han
was drawn across her wrist. No on
had expected that the shock would b
given so quickly, and the body was re
i laXing almost before the witnesse
i were conscious that the execution ha
3 occurred. Only the woman's mout
: was visible, and it changed merely i
the drawing down of the lips and lii
n tie darkening of the skin. Mrs. Plac
had murmured as she was seated j
y the chair: God help me; God hav
y mercy!" There was no sound afte
I that, not even a moan. The visible e.
!, feet of the shock was less than had eve
d been observed in the death house bt
!, fore. There was not the slightest di'
tortion of the features; the eyes wer
l. covered, and when the straps were T,
E. moved they were still closed On tn
l. second shock the body Strengthened OF
= again and little foam oozed from til
e lips. When the current was shut o
& the body reposed naturally in tn
j, chair.
p DIR, Irvine gave 1t as his opinion thu
v death had been instantaneous. I'll
e body was allowed to remain in the cha
lie until all the witnesses had retire
r when it was taken to the autopsy roo