Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1899-03-24
MEETS DEATH.
MRS. PLACE ELECTRO
CUTED.
The First Woman to Be Elec-
trocuted-Death Was Pain
less-Her Crime A Most
Cold-Blooded One.


Cold-Blooded One.
New York, March 2O.--Mrs. Mara
tha Place was executed Mt Sing Sing
prison today. She was the first
woman to dio in the electric chair.
in the State Of Now York, and sho
went to her death quietly. Her
death was instantaneous.
Mrs, Place murdered her etep
daughter, Ida M. Place, a mere girl,
on February Z, 1898. She first
threw acid in the girls face, and
then smothered her. This was
early in tho morning at 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 iniuring him. Place, how
ever, recovered.
Mrs Place was convicted and sen
tenced to death, but she never for a
moment believed that che would be
electrOcutod.
She at first claimed that she could
remember nothing OF the murder,
and Inter the plea OF insanity was
submitted in her behalf. 1t was not
until Thursday last that Warden
Sage announced to her that Governor
Roosevelt absolutely refused to In
teriere with tho course of Justice,
and that she must die OIL Monday.
1t was n great shock 10 the woman,
but during the last four days she
bore up wonderfully well.
She suffered in two ways after she
found ont TINT she must die, from
sl.ceplessness and from loss OF ap
petite. Again yesterday the warden
visited her in order that there might
he no misunderstanding. and told her
thai she must be ready at eleven
o'clock.
She was ready at that hour. and
no one who watched her could un
'erstnnd what change could have
taken place in the womau's nature to
80 completely dull her senses that
she could go to her death 80 calmly
and iDpassively as Mrs. Place did.
1t had not been expected that she
would do 80.
A white band was around her
throat. and her lightbrown hair now
turning slightly gray, was brushed
back smoothly on her forehead. 1t
was clipped away only where the
electrode was TO be placed. Mrs.
Place said simply that she was
eady, and the warden took her in
charge.
The warden held her arm closely
with his, and with his other arm
supported her. Behind came the
women attendants, one IL physician,
the other day matron, Rev. DR..
Cole came next, and after him
were the two keepers. AS they
came over the threshold Mrs. Place
gave no sign of fear. She picked
her way almost like a blind woman
across the short space tina; separ.
ated her from death. She was
gently pressed down into the frame
und DIR. Irving, who was in watt
ing, stepped in front Of her. 1t
took but moment to strap her in.
The edge of her skirts were quick
ly lifted, the stocking drawn down
over her shoe, and the electrOde
fastened by oueof the women to
the right leg. The head cap was
clamped .oh the straps buckl-
ed across the face, and o pad
4 dropped over the forehead.
| DR.. Irvine gave 1t rs his opinion
that death had been instantaneous.
The body was allowed to remain in
the chair until all the witnesses
had retired and was then taken
to the autopsy room AMI q post
mOrtem exinination held.
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