The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-21
ELECTROCUT|ON
OF MRS. PLACE
First Woman to Die Thus in
New York.
SHE DIED INSTANTLY
TWO SHOCKS WERE GIVEN HER,
HOWEVER.
MURMURING A PRAYER AT THE LAST
She Seemed Unconscious Of All Transporting
Around Her. A Brief History Of Her
frightful Crimes Vain Ap.
peal to Governor.

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 instantaneous, but two
shocks We're given. State Electrician
Davis threw down the lever ut exactly
11:01 a. IN. The voltage of the current
was 1,760, and it was continued for four
seconds. 1t was then gradually dimin-
ished to 200 volts. which was continued
for 90 seconds. DIR. Irvine the phys
clan 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 always been adj
ministered at Sing Sing
Mrs. Place murdered her step-daugh-
ter, Ida NJ. Place, a mere girl, on Feb
ruary Z. 1898. She first threw acid in
the girls eyes and then smothered her.
This was early in the morning at their
home in 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, however, recovered.
Mrs. Place was convicted and SEN
fenced to death. but she never for a mo-
ment believed she would be electrocuted
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 Thursday last that War
don Soua hnr fhaf
ernor Roosevelt 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 learned that she must
die, from sleeplessness and from loss of
appetite. Again, the warden visited her
so that there might be no misunderstand-
ing and told her she must be ready at
IL o'clock Monday morning.
She was ready at that hour, and no
one who watched her could understand
what change must have taken place in
the woman's nature to so dull her senses
that she could go to her death SO calmly
and impassively as Mrs. Place did. 1t
had not been expected that she would do
so. The last woman condemned to die
in this State went to the gallows shrek
ing and fighting, but Mrs. Place hardly
uttered a sound. She merely murmured
prayer, with closed eyes. her face
turned partly upward and seemingly I'M
conscious of things about her.
This was the 18th electrocution at Sing
Sing prison, but none before was so sue
cessful 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
II 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 it. 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 regu-
lar attendants and during the night she
was visited by her spiritual adviser, Rev.
DIR. David Cole. of Yonkers, and Mrs.
Meury, a mission worker of Brooklyn,
who has taken great interest in the
woman's welfare. Mrs. Sage. the wife
of the warden. also spent an hour or 50
with her, but at 9:30 Mrs Place was left
alone with the night matron, Mrs. Coul-
try, with two keepers in the outer room.
The condemned woman was very rest
less. Outside a terrific gale was blow
ing across the Hudson, which ratified the
windows III the gloomy old hospital build
ing, where Mrs. Places quarters were
located. There was a driving snow. too,
and several times the woman went to her
window to watch the storm. She did not
retire until 2:3O. And after that She was
up several times to pray. Never for a
moment did the matron relax ner vigil
ance.
1t cannot be denied that W arden Sage
was anxious in the extreme regarding the
execution. and it was with this in his
mind that he ordered every precaution
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. DIR. Cole assur-
ed 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. DIR. Irvine also visited her
man physician who had been sent to at
tend the execution at the suggestion of
Governor Roosevelt. Mrs. Sage was the
last of her friends to say good bye.
During the last few remaining min
utes of her life Mrs. Place was again
and again urged to go bravely to her
death, and she promised that she would.
She had told her pastor that she be-
lieved that her sins had been forgiven
and asserted her 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, 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,
and her hght-brown hair, now turning
gray, was brushed back smoothly over
her forehead. 1t was clipped away only
where the electrode was to be placed.