The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1899-08-30
FIRST EXECUTION
At the Penitentiary Will be
Double.

Two Mcdowell County Negroes to b.
Hanged October 10th-Descripfiou
Of the Annex In Which all West yir
GINA Criminals Will Hereafter Suf-
fer Death.
The first hanging at the State pen
itentiary will occur October 10th
when double execution will occur
The yictin viii be Shep Caldwell anc
Frank Broadneck, both colored, who
were sentenced in Mcdowell county.
The first named killed his wife in colo
blood, and the latter killed a small
child. The Court was not long in
conyicting both men, Caldwell ha.
served term in the penitentiary fol
felony and is bad negro. He has
only been released from the institu.
tion short time. The condemned
men will be kept in the other cells
until the new execution building ha.
been completed, which will be IL
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 gel
out. The building has quite larg,
number 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-seven 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 Ii
i5x45 and the death watch has plenty
of room to get around. Just outside
OF this room is 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, ehich will be worked by
electricity, to send the condemned
men into eternity. The larger por-
tion of the second floor Is Lo lie used
as hospital There will be foul
wards and all prisoners having differ
ent diseases will be kept apart from
each other. The whites will also b.
kept in different wards from thu
blacks. Closets and laundry room:
have all been provided for.
There is also to be large room foI
the conyalescents 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 So.
600 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,40(
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.