The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-03-21
DEATH OF MARTHA PLACE
LAST Words A PRAY YER FOR HELP
IND MERCY.

Electrocutions at Sing Sing-Not 4
Sound After the First Current Wa
Turned On.
New York, March 20.-Mrs. Martha
Place was executed at Sing Sing prison
to-day. She was the first woman to Ole
in the electric chair in the state or New
York and she went to her death quietly
Her death was instantaneous, but twc
shocks were given. State Electrician
1 Davis threw down the lever at exactly
11:01 a. m. The voltage of the current
was ], ,176 and it was continued for four
seconds. 1t was then gradually dimin-
ished to a 200 voltage, which was con-
tinued for fifty-six seconds. DR.. Irvine
the physician Of the prison, examined
the woman and then ordered a 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 at Sing sing.
This was the twenty sixth electrocu-
| tion at Sing Sing prison. but none be-
| fore was so successful as that OF to-
| day. Within three minutes after COM
! ing through the iron doors the order
of the law had been carried out. There
were twelve witnesses present and only
those who watched every movement
| witnessed Mrs. Places death. Few
were able to see the raising of the pody
as the electrical shock passed through
if, it 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 reg
ular attendants and during the night
she was visited by her spiritual advis
er, Rev. DR.. David Cole Of Yonkers, and
Mrs Meury, a mission worker or
Brooklyn, who had taken a great in
terest In this woman's welfare. Mrs.
Sage. the warden's wife, also spent an
hour or two with her, but at $3.50 Mrs.
Place was left alone with the night
matron, Mrs. Coultry. The condemned
woman was very restless through the
night, Outside a terrific gale was
blowing across the Hudson, which rat
tied the windows in the gloomy old
building, where Mrs. Places quarters
were located. There was a driving
snow, too, and several times the wo-
man went to her window to watch the
storm. She did NOT retire until 2:30,
and after that she was UP several
times to pray. Never for a moment did
the matron relax her vigilance. Mrs.
Place was followed with watchful eye
for the twenty fo,ir hours that preced-
ed her taking Off
1t cannot be denied that Warden Sage
was anxious in the extreme regarding
the execution, and it was with this
mind that he ordered every precaution
taken to insure the best results. He
sent Rev. DIR. Cole to her at 9:15 this
morning. first inquiring whether the
aged clergyman could stand the strain.
Rev. DIR. Cole assured him that he
the woman he had known since she was
a child, that he was anxious to be with
her and comfort her to the end. DIR.
Irvine also visited her in the morning
and with him woman physician, who
had been sent to attend the execution
at the suggestion of Governor Roose-
welt. Mrs. Sage was the last Of her
friends to say good bye. During the
last few remaining minutes of her life
Mrs. Place was urged again and again
to go bravely to her death and she
promised that she would. She had told
her pastor that she believed that 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 in black, a gown that
she had made herself, simple and plain.
She had expected to wear 1t at her new
trial or when she received her liberty.
She had been proud of this gown and
those who had seen it on her said that
it fitted her well. A white band was
around her throat and her light brown
hair now turning gray, was brushed
back smoothly over her forehead. IT
was clipped away only where the cleo |
trode was to be placed. Mrs. Place said |
simply that she was ready and the |
warden took her arm in his Thev |
went slowly through the deserted old |
hospital building, where the walls were
dlsmantled and the floors half torn up.
along several Railways and finally |
through the last corridor of all. On
either side the murderers' calls We're
draped with heavy curtains and the
procession moved more quickly through
this dismal place.
Meanwhile the witnesses had hean
'alled into the death chamber. The cleo
rflc apparatus had been given its final
est, and all were waiting with suspense
'or the coming of the woman. Suddenly
he side door through which the partv
would enter was thrown open, a keeper
stepped in and called for another keener
md turned rapidly away There was
brill among those seated around The
chair, for not one at that time believed
hat Mrs. Place would walk into the
1eath chamber. For moment il was
hought by every one that she must
lave collapsed. But seemingly nothing
If this kind occurred, for the keeper
'eturned and was followed almost at
,nce by Mrs. Place, leaning heavily on
he Warden's arm. Her face was verv
White, her head uplifted, her eyes clos
ID. The white band around her throat
seemed scarcely winter than her face
The warden held her arm closely with
lis, and with his other arm he support
d her She seemed far larger than he.
lahind pame the women q attepdo,tr, 49,