The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-21

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 IL :01 a. m. The voltage of the
current was 1850 and it was continued
for four seconds. 1t was then gradu-
ally diminished TO 200 voltage, which
was continued for fifty-six seconds. DR..
Irvine, the physician of the prison, ex-
auined the woman and then ordered
second shock That was the same as
the first in power and continued for the
same length of time. The second shock
has always been administered at Sing
Sing.
Mrs. Place murdered her stepdaugh-
ter, Ida NJ. Place, mere girl, on Feb
ruary Z. 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
ihjuring him. Place, however, re-
covered.
Mrs. Place was convicted and SEN
fenced to death, but she never for
moment believed she would be electro
cuted. She at first claimed she could
remember nothing of the murder and
later the plea of insanity was submit
ted in her behalf. 1t was not until
Thursday last that Warden Sage an
nounced to her that Governor Roosevelt
had absolutely refused 10 interfere with
the course of justice and that she must
shock
to the woman, but during the last four
days she bore up wonderfully We'll She
suffered in two ways after she learned
that she must die, from sleeplessness
and from loss of appetite. Again yes
terday 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 expected that she would do
so. The last woman condemned to die
in this State went to the galloWs
shrieking and fighting, but Mrs. Place
hardly uttered a sound. She merely
murmured a prayer with closed eyes,
her face turned partly upward and
seemingly unconscious Of things about
her
This was the twenty-sixth electrocu-
ton at Sing Sing Prison, but none be-
fore was so successful as that of to-
day. Not only was there no scene, but
there was no delay. Within three min
utes after coming through the iron
doors the order of the law had been
carried out. There were twelve wit
nesses present, and only those who
watched every movement witnessed
Mrs. Places death. Few were able to
see the raising of the body as the cleo
trical shock passed through it. 1t was
only when the current was partly shut
off that they could see the body relax.
1t was an easy way to die
On Sunday Mrs. Place had her regu-
lar attendants, and during the night
she was visited by her spiritual adviser,
Rev. DR.. David Cole of YOnkers, and
Mrs. Meury, a mission worker of Brook
Ign, who has taken a great interest in
the woman's welfare.
Mrs Sage the warden's wife, also
spent an hour or SO with her, but at
$3.50 Mrs. Place was left alone with the
night matron, Mrs. Coultrick, with the
keepers in an outer room. The con-
demned woman was very restless. Out
side terrific gale was blowing which
ratified the windows in the gloomy old
hospital building where Mrs. Places
quarters was located. There was a
OIlFluS SHOW SlOIUu, LOO, anu several
times the woman went to her window
to watch the storm. She did not retire
until 2:30, and after that she was up
several times to pray. Never for a
moment did the matron relax her vigil
ance. Mrs. Place was followed with
watchful eyes for the twenty-four
hours that preceded her taking off.
1t cannot be denied that Warden Sage
was anxious in the extreme regarding
the execution and it was with This IN
mind that he ordered every precaution
taken to insure the best results. He sent
Rev. DR.. Cole to her at 9:15 this morn
ing, first inQuiring whether the aged
clergyman could stand the strain DR..
Cole assured him that he could. and
was SO full of sympathy for the woman
he had known since she was child
that he was anxious to be with her and
comfort her to the end. DR.. Irvine also
visited her in the morning. and with
him was a woman physician. who had
been sent to attend the execution at