Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-03-25
DEATH BY ELECTRICITY.
Mrs. Place Pays the Penalty For
Her Awful Crime.
MET her FATE WITH oALMNEss.

full That Has Ever Taken Place In
Sing Sing Prtson-Two Women Ac-
compnn1ed Her to the Death Chair.
New York, March 21.-NIrs. Martha
Place was executed at Sing Sing prison
yesterday. She 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 being given. The volt
age of the current was 1760, and it was
continued for four seconds. 1t was then
gradually diminished to 200 voltage,
which was continued for SO seconds. DIR.
Irvine, the physician of the prison, ex-
amined the woman and then ordered q
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 ut Sing
Sing.
Mrs. Place murdered her stepdaugther.
Ida NJ Place, mere girl, on Feb. {,
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 entire day
for her husband to return, and then at
tackled him with an ak. fracturing his
skull and otherwise seriously injuring
him. Place, however, recovered.
Mrs Place was informed on Thursday
last by Warden Sage that she must die
on Monday Again on Sunday the war
den visited her and told her 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 as Mrs. Place did. The
last woman condemned to die in this
state went to the gallows shrieking and
fighting, but Mrs. Place hardly uttered
q sound.
This was the twenty-siXth electrocu-
ton at Sing Sing prison, but none before
was so successful as that Of yesterday.
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 II witnesses present, and
only those who watched every movement
witnessed Mrs. Places death.
Mrs. Place had told her pastor that
she believed her sins had been forgiven,
and asserted her faith in the hereafter.
She was buoyed up with this feeling
when the warden came for her to lead
her to the chair She was dressed i'll
black, n gown made herself, simple and
plain. She had expected to wear it at
her new trial or when she received her
liberty. a white band was around her
throat, and her light brown hair, now
turning gray, was brushed back smooth
ly over her forehead. 1t was clipped
away only where the electrode was to
be placed. Mrs. Place said simply that
she was ready, and the warden took her
arm in his.
Meanwhile the witnesses had been call
ed into the death chamber. Suddenly
the side door was thrown open, Il keeper
stcpped in and called for another keeper
and turned rapidly away. The keeper
returned and was followed almost at
once by Mrs. Place. leaning heavily on
the wardcn's arm Her face was very
white, her head upliftcd her eyes closed.
The white band on her throat seemed
scarcely whittier than her face. Behind
came the women attendants. one ply
stefan. the other the 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, nor did she
even seem to know what was about to
happen. The warden held her up still
more firmly, and the woman assisted her
70 the chair. She was quickly strapped
into the chair, the electricity was sud-
denly applied. and the body was relaxing
almost before the witnesses were con-
scious that the execution had occurred.
Mrs. Place had murmured as she was
seated in the chair: "God help me; God
have mercy" There was not n sound
rrrr that, not even moan. The VS.
ible effect of the shock was less than
had ever been observed in the death
house before. There was not the slight
est distortion of features; the eyes were
covered, and when the straps were re-
moved they were still closed. On the
second shock the body Strengthened out
again, and little foam oozed from the
lips. When the current was shut Oft
the body reposed naturally in the chair.
The body was allowed to remain in the
chair until all the witnesses has retired,
when it was taken to the autopsy room
and post mostem examination held.
No one was present but the operating
surgeons, and their report was sealed,
and will be filed in Kings county, to-
gethcr with the other documents relating
to the woman's death. The autopsy was
a rapid one, and although no information
was made public, the indications are tha+
the organs were found in healthy con-
dition. The insanity plea entered i'll be-
half of Mrs. Place had never impressed
those who knew the woman best very
favorably.
The body was placed in red box and
was taken to the Sing Sing station.
where it was shipped to East Milestone,
N. ]. There the funeral took place to-
day.