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.

less-Her Crime A Most
Cold-Blooded One.
New York, March 2O.-Mrs. Mari
tina Place was executed at Sing Sing
prison today. She was the first
woman to die 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 step
daughter, Ida NJ. Place, mere girl.
on February Z, 1898. She first
threw acid in the girls face, and
then smothered her. This was
early in the morning at their home,
iii Brooklyn. She waited the entire
day for her husband to return and
then attacked him with an axe,
fracturing his skull and otherwise
seriously injuring him. Place, how
ever, recovered.
Mrs. Place was convicted and sen
tenced to death, but she never for
moment believed that she would be
electrocuted.
She at first claimed that she could
remember nothing of the murder,
and later the plea OF insanity was
submitted in her behalf. Ii was not
until Thursday last that Warden
Sage announced to her that Governor
Roosevelt absolutely refused to la
terfere with tho course OF justice,
and that she must die OIL Monday.
1t was 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 that she must die, from
sleeplessness and from loss OF sp
petite. Again yesterday the warden
visited her in order that there might
be 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 IN
'erstand what change could have
taken place in the woman's nature to
so completely dull her senses that
she could go to her death so calmly
aud iDpassively as Mrs. Place did.
1t had not been expected that she
would do so.
A white baud was around her
throat, and her lightbrown hair now
turning slightly gray, was brushed
back smoothly on her forehead. It
was clipped away only where the
electrode was to be placed. Mrs
Place said simply that she was
eady, and the warden took her 10
charge.
The warden held her arm closely
with his, and with his other arm
supported her. Behind came the
, women attendants, one physician,
/ the other day matron, Rev. DIR.
, 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 blind woman
across the short space thas separ-
ared her from death. She was
gently pressed down into the frame
and DIR. Irving, who was in watt
ing, stepped in front Of her. 1t
took but a moment to strap her in.
The edge of her skirts were quick
ly lifted, the stocking drawn down
over her shoe, apd the electrOde
fastened by one OF the women to
4 the right leg. The head cap was
y clamped ON, the straps buckl
: e8 across the face, and a pad
IS dropped over the forehead.
!, DIR. Irvine gave 1t rs his opinion
:, tina. death had been Instantaneous.
y The body was allowed to remain in
the chair antil all the witnesses
had retired and was then taken
to the autopsy room AMI . post
A. mortem examination held.
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