Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1899-08-28
FIRST EXECUTION
At the Penitentiary Will be
Double.

Two Mcdowell County Negroes to be
Hanged October 10th-DescriptiOn
of the Annex in Which all West Vir-
ginia Criminals Will Hereafter Suf-
fer Death.
The first hanging at the State pen
itentiary will occur October 10th
when double execution will occur.
The victims will be Shep Caldwell and
Frank Broadneck, both colored, who
We're sentenced in Mcdowell county.
The first named killed his wife in cold
blood, and the latter killed a small
child The Court was not long in
eonvicting both men. Caldwell has
served term in the penitentiary for
felony and is bad negro. He has
only been released from the institu-
tion short time The condemned
men will he kept in the other cells
until the new execution building has
been completed, which will be in
about two weeks.
The death cells, four in number
have arrived. The cells are the latest
improved and were prisoner to saw
the lock or hinges off he could not get
out. The building has quite large
plumber of rooms in it. On the first
floor the first two front rooms are to
be used as the physicians Office and
place for keeping his drugs. Just out
side of these rooms there is a large
hall where the prisoners will be com
PEELED to await their turn to see the
physician. The next room is about
twenty-seyen feet long and forty
three feet wide. 1t is TO be used as
the prison tailor shop. Adjoining
this is the room in which will be loca-
ted the four death cells. The room is
45x45 and the death watch has plenty
of room to get around. Just outside
of this room is a much smaller one,
in which steps will be made leading
to the gallows. On the opposite side
however is where the trap is located
and where the hanging takes place.
The room for spectators is rather
small, and there will be few people
admitted to witness the executions.
On the second floor will be located
the trigger, which will be worked by
electricity, to send the condemned
men into eternity. The larger por-
ton Of the second floor is to be used
as a hospital. There will be four
wards and all prisoners having differ
ent diseases will be kept apart from
each other. The whites will also be
kept in different wards from the
blacks. Closets and laundry rooms
have all been provided for.
There is also to be large room for
the convalescents which will be pro-
vided with reading matter. A large
portico is next TO this and the pris-
oners will be allowed to sit on it. The
appropriation for both the execution
and hospital building combined is &c.
900 but Warden Hawk stated that the
cost of it, including the furnishings,
would be less than that. The bricks
are convict made and much of the
labor was done by the prisoners. The
engine and dynamo to furnish the
electric lighting are expected this
week. When the plant is in operation
the plant will be lighted up by l,400
lights and twelve extra arc lights.
With this much electricity everything
about the institution will be as light
as day.
The warden when all the improve
ments are completed intends inviting
the public to witness what has been
done The list including the prison
ers received yesterday is GAS. Other
counties in the State are holding
court and the population will likely
be increased further before The first
of October.