The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-21
OF HER CRIME
Mrs. Place Passes From Mans to
a Higher Judgment.
AN INSTANTANEOUS DEATH
The First Woman to Die in the Electric
Chair-She Met Her Fate Quietly.
Murdered Her Step-Daughter
Through Jealousy.

New York, March 20-Mrs. Martha
| Place was executed at Sing Sing
| prison to-day. 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 instan-
taneous. But two shocks were given.
State Electrician Davis threw down the
lever at exactly :01 a. m. The volt
age of the current was go and it was
continued for four seconds. 1t was then
gradually diminished to 200 voltage.
which was continued for Sc seconds
DR.. Irvine, the physician of the prison,
examined the woman and then ordered
a second shock This 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 step
daughter. Ida NJ Place, a mere girl on
Feb. I. 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 axe. frac-
turing his skull and otherwise seriously
| lnjuring him. Place. however, recov-
cred Mrs. Place was convicted and
sentenced to death, but she never for
a moment believed she would be cleo
trocuted. She at first claimed she could
remember nothing of the murder. and
later. the plea of insanity was submitted
in her behalf 1t was not until Thurs
day last that Warden Sage announced
to her that Governor Roosevelt had alb
solutely refused to interfere with the
course of justice and she must die on
Monday. 1t was great. shock to the
woman. but during the last four days
she bore up wonderfully well. She suf-
fered in two ways after she learned she
must die--from sleeplessness and from
loss of appetite. Again yesterday the
warden visited her, so there might be
no misunderstanding and told her that
she must be ready at II o'clock Mon
day morning. She was ready at that
hour and no one who watched her
could understand what change must
have taken place in the womans nat
ure to SO dull her senses that she could
go to her death so calmly and impas-
4 sively. 1t had not been expected that
she would do SO. The last woman con-
demned 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.
An Easy Way to Die.
This was the 26th eleetrocution at
Sing Sing prison, but none before was
so successful as that Of to-day 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 - witnesses present and
only those who watched every move
ment witnessed Mrs. Places death. Few
We're able to Sc the raising of the body
+l,E So, ,,;. -.
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
Brooklyn. The warden's wife also spent
an hour or so with her, but at $50
O'Clock Mrs Place was left alone with
the night matron. Mrs. Coultry with
two Keepers in the outer room. The
condemned woman was very restless
Outside a terrific gale was blowing
which ratified the windows in the
gloomy old hospital building. where
Mrs. Places quarters We're located.
There was driving snow storm. too,
and several times the woman went to
her window to watch the storm. She
did not retire until 2:30 a. m.. and after
that she was up several times to pray
Never for moment did the matron
relax her vigilance. Mrs. Place was
followed with watchful eyes for the
"a hours that preceded her taking off
1t cannot be denied that Warden
Sage was anxious in the extreme re-
earding the execution and it was with
this in mind that he ordered every pre-
caution taken to insure the best re-
suits. He sent Rev. DR.. Cole to her at
O.1E ~ al hi
ing whether the aged clergyman could
stand the strain. DR.. Cole assured him
that he could, and was so full of sym
pathy for the woman he had known
since she was a 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 the sugges-
ton of Governor Roosevelt.
Mrs. Sage was the last Of her friends
to say good bye. During the last few
remaining minutes of her life Mrs.
| Place was again and again urged to
go bravely to her death and she prom
| ised that she would.
Her Sins Forgiven.
She told her pastor that she believed
her sins had been forgiven, and as
serted hnr faith in the hereafter. She
was buoyed up with this feeling when
the warden came TO lead her to the
| chair. She was dressed in black q
gown that she had made herself simple
! and plain. She had expected to wear
it at her new trial or when she received
her liberty.
white band was around her throat
and her light brown hair. now turn
ing gray, was brushed back smoothly
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
| ner arm in his. They went slowly
| through the deserted old hospital build
| ing along several Railways and finally
| through the last corridor of all. On
either side the murderers' cells were
| draped with heavy curtains and the
| procession moved more quickly through
| this dismal place.
! Meanwhile, the witnesses had been