The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-21
DEATH IN ELECTRIC CHAIR.
MARTHA PLACE HAS PAID THE
PENALTY OF HIER CRIME.

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 char in the state of New York,
and she went to her death quietly. Her
death was instantaneous. only two shocks
being given.
State Electrician Davis threw down the
lever at llOl a. m. The voltage of the cur
rent was 700 and il was continued for four
seconds. 1t was then gradually diminished
to 200 volts, which was continued 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 TIE second shock has al
ways been administered at Sing Sing.
Mrs. Place murdered her step-daughter,
Ida Nj. Place, a mere girl on Feb. Z, 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 attacked him with an AK,
fracturing his skull and otherwise serious
ly injuring him. Place however, recovered.
Expected TO Escape.
Mrs. Place was convicted aud sentenced
to death, but she never for moment be-
lleved that she would be electrocuted. She
at first claimed she could remember moth
ing of the murder and later the plea of
insanity was submitted in her behalf. It
was not until Thursday last that Warden
Sage announced to her that Gov. Roose-
welt had absolutely refused to interfere
with the course of justice and that she
must die on Monday. 1t was a great shock
TO the woman, but during the last four
days she bore up wonderfully well.
She suffered in two ways after she learn
ed that she must die, from sleeplessness
and from loss of appetite. Again, yester-
day. the warden visited her so that there
might be no misunderstanding, and told
her she must be ready at IL O'clock Mon
day morning. She was ready al that hour,
and no one who watched her could UNDER
stand what change must have taken pLss1e
in the womans nature 20 so dull her
senses that she could go to her death SO
calmly and impassively as Mrs. Place did.
II had not been expected that she would
do So
The last woman condemned 10 die in this
state went 10 the gallows shrieking ana
fghting. but Mrs Place hardly uttered
sound She merely murmured a prayer,
wiped her eyes, her face turned partly
upward, and was seemingly unconscious
of things about her.
A Successful EIectrOcution.
This was the twenty-sixth electrocution
at Sing Sing prison. but none before were
so successful as that of to-day. NOT on'y
were there no scenes, but there wes no de-
Law. Within three minutes after coming
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 body as the electrical
shock passed through 1t. 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 regular
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, who has
taken a great interest In the wonans well
fare Mrs Sage the warden's wife, also
spent an hour or so with her but at $3.50
o'clock Mrs. Place was left alone with the
night matron, Mrs. Coutrey with two
keepers in the outer room. The condemned
woman was very restless. Outside a ter
rife gale was blowing across the Hudson
which ratified the windows in the gloomy
old hospital building, where Mrs Place
was 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:sO o'clock. And after that she was up
several times to pray. Never for a mo-
ment did the matron relax her vigilance.
Warden Sage Was Anxious.
II cannot be denied that Warden Sage
was anxious in the extreme regarding the
execution, and IL was with this in mind
that he ordered every precauuon taken to
obtain the best results. He sent for Rev.
DR.. Cole at 9:15 o'clock this morning. first
inquirlng whether the aged clergyman
could stand the strain. DR.. Cole assured
him that he could, and was so full OF
sympathy 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 a.so visited her in the morn
ing and with him was woman physician
who had been sent 20 attend the execu-
ton at the suggestion of Gov Roosevelt.
Mrs. Sage was the last of her friends TO
say good-by. During the last few remain
ing minutes of her life Mrs. Place was
again and again urged to go bravely to
her death, and she promised that ghe
would
She told her pastor that she believed
that her sins had been forgiven and as
serted her faith In the hereafter. She
was buoyed up with this feeling when
the warden came to lead her to the chair.
March TO the Death Chair.
She was dressed in black, a 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. A
white band was around her throat, ana
her light brown hair, now turning gray.
was brushed back smoothly over her fore
head il was clipped away only where
the electrode was 90 be placed. Mrs. Place
said simply that she was ready, and the
warden took her arm on his. They went
slowly through the deserted o.d hospital
building aloug several Railways. and fin.
ally through the last corridor of all. on
either side the murderers cells were
draped with heavy curtains. and the pro-
cession moved more quickly through this
dismal place