The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-03-24
WOMAN DIES IN CHAIR.
FRS. Martha Place Executed
at Sing Sing.
MURDEREss DIES UNFL1NcH1NcLY

First Electrocution of a Woman In New
York State In Concluded without Incl
dent---Death Occurs Instantly After
Current Is Applied--Pays Penalty For
Step-Danghter's Death.
NEW York. March 21.-Nlrs. Martha
Place was executed at Sing Sing prison
yesterday. She was the first woman to
die i'll 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 1l:01 a. M. The voltage of the
current was l,760 and it was continued
for four seconds. Itwas then gradually
diminished to 200 voltage, which was
continued for 56 seconds. DR.. Irvine,
the physician of the prison, examined
the woman and then ordered n second
shock. That was the same as the fist
in power and continued for the 81
length of time. The second shock has
always been administered at Sing Sing.
Mrs. Place murdered her stepdaugh-
ter, Ida M. Place, a mere girl, Feb. q.
1885, She first threw acid in the girls
eyes and then smothered her This
was early in the morning in their home
i'll Brooklyn. She waited the entire
day for her husband to return and then
attacked him with an axe, fracturing
his skull, and otherwise seriously in
juring him. Place, however, recovered.
Mrs. Place was convicted and sentenced
to death, but she never for moment
believed she would be electrocuted. She
at first claimed she could remember
nothing of the muir Ter, and later the
plea of insanity was submitted in her
behalf. 1t was no5 until Thursday last
that Warden Sage announced to her
that Governor Roosevelt had absolutely
refused to interfere with the cou1se Of
Justice and she must die on Monday.
1t was great shock to the woman, but
during the last four days she bore up
wonderfully well. She suffered in two
ways after she learned that she must
die, from sleeplessness and from loss of
appetite. Again yesterday the warden
visited her so that there might be no
misunderstanding and told her that
she must be ready at 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 dull her senses
that she could go to her death so calmly
and impassively. 1t had not been ex-
pected that she would do so. The last
woman condemned to die in this state
Went to the gallows shrieking and fight
ing, but Mrs. Place hardly uttered q
/ sound. She merely murmured prayer
/. with closed eyes, her face turned partly
upward and seemingly unconscious OF
things about her.
! This was the Goth electrocution al
Sing Sing, but none before was so sue
cessful as that OF Monday. Not only was
there no scene, but there was no delay
Within three minutes after coming
through the iron doors the order of the
law had been carried out. There were
only IL witnesses. and only those who
!, watched every movement witnessed
Mrs. Places death. They were able to
see the raising of the body as the cleo.
trical shock passed through it. 1t was
was only when the current was partly
shut off that they could see the body
relax. 1t was an easy way to die.