The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-21

with heavy curtains. and the procession
moved more quickly through this dismal
place Meanwhile the witnesses had been
called into the death chamber. The electric
apparatus had been given its final test, and
AL were waiting with suspense for the COM
ing OF the woman. Suddenly the side door
through which the party would enter. was
thrown open. a keeper stepped in and called
for another keeper and turned rapidly
away. The keeper returned and was fol-
lowed almost at once by Mrs. Place. leaning
very white. her head uplifted, her eyes
closed. The white band around her throat
seemed scarcely whittier than her face The
warden held her arm closely with his and
with his other arm he supported her. Be
hind came the women attendants. one
physician. the other the day matron. Rev.
DIR. Cole came next and after him were the
two keepers As they came over the TIRES
hold Mrs. Place gave no sign OF Tear, nor
did she even seem TO know what was about
to happen. She passed almost like blind
woman across the short space that sepa-
rated her from death She was gently
pressed down into the frame and DIR. irvine,
who was in waiting, stepped In front OF
her. He motioned TO the wosen, and they
came up on either side.
II took but moment to strap her in. The
edge of her skirt was lifted quickly, the
stocking drawn down over her shoe and the
electrOde fastened by one OF the women TO
the right leg. Then the skirt was dropped.
The head cap was clamped on. the straps
buckied across the face. and pad dropped
over the forehead The two women stood
with outstretched skirts, with DR.. Irvine
and a male attendant on either side, almost
shutting out the view Of the witnesses, and
the signal was given.
HER LAST WORDS.
Quicker, almost, than a flash the cleo
trician threw down the lever. The body
Strengthened. the fingers gripped tightly
Into the palms and the little prayer book
she held In her left hand was drawn across
the wrist. No one had expected that the
shock would be given so quickly, and the
body was relaxing almost before the wit
nesses were conscious that the execution
had occurred. Only the womanS mouth
was visible and it changed merely in the
drawing down of the lips and little dark
ening of the skin. Mrs. Place had muir
help me; God have mercy" There was not
u sound after that. not even moan The
visible effect of the shock was less than
had ever been observed in the deathhouse
before. There was not the slightest Gistor-
ton of features: the eyes were covered,
and when the straps were removed they
on the second shock the body Strengthened
out again and a little foam OOZed from the
lips. When the current was smut off the
body reposed naturally in the chair. Dr.
Irvine called upon the woman physician To
make an examination, which she did by
merely opening the waist and placing her
over the heart She performed her work
quickly and then the other physicians pres
DR.: Irvine gave it as his opinion that death
had been instantaneous.
The body allowed to remain in the
chair until all the witnesses had retired
when IL was taken to the autopsy room and
q post-mortem examination held. No one
was present but the operating surgeons and
their report Was sealed and Will be filed in
Kings county, together with the other docu.
ments relating to the woman's death The
autopsy was rapid one, and although nc
Information was made public, the indica.
tions that the organs were found in q
healthy condition the insanity plea entered
in behalf of Mrs Place had never impressed
very favorably those who knew the woman
best Her spiritual adviser, Pew Dr. Cole
was one of those who never for a moment
thought Mrs. Place was anything but a
sane woman. and this was the opinion also
of DIR. Irvine, and finally of the commission
appointed to inquire into the condition Of
Mrs Place, Drs. Dana and Polk
The body was taken to the Sing Sing sta
ton, where Ii was shipped To East Mill
stone, n. j. DR.. Cole was asked to officiate
at the funeral, but he felt that he could not
stand the strain He promised to be pres
ent, although he could not conduct the pub
lie service. Warden Sage'S official report OF
the execution follows:
..Electrocutfon of Martha Place, in Sine
Sing prison: The shock was inflicted al
Al :Ol O'Clock a. m. The subject was electri.
ned eight amperes for four seconds, after
which the identification was reduced TO two
amperes for fifty-six seconds. The voltage
was reduced from go volts to 200 volts aS
was required in maintaining the desired
ampere."