Missouri Valley times., 1901-10-31
HIS END NEAR.
HOW CzOLG0SZ is
TO DIE.

EARLY Tomorrow
Morning.
EARLY tomorrow morning, in
Auburn, N. Y, will be carried in
to execution the laws mandates
| Of life for life-Leon Czol-
gosz, the condemned assassin of
President Mckinley, paying with
his life the forfeit exacted by law
and society.
During a trip to New York, not
many years ago, George P Smiley
and Earl r Harris of this city,
paid a visit to Auburn prison,
and we're shown through the en-
tire institution, the execution
chamber in which is located the
chair of death and all of its grue-
some accessories being an espec-
tally interesting portion of the
trip. The chamber of DEATH" as
it is designated by the prison at
tendants, is located in a portion of
the mammoth building isolated
from the penitentiary building
proper, and is reached after pass
ing through a long corridor. The
cells in which are confined con-
demned prisoners awaiting execu-
tion are within twenty-five feet Of
the execution room.
The execution chair, the direct
descendent of the rack, guillo-
tine and the gallows, is located in
one end of the room on raised
platform about a foot higher than
the floor. Immediately in front
of the chair are grouped twenty
six chairs, the law of the state of
New York requiring that each of
these chairs have an occupant be-
fore the electrocution takes place.
During the stay in the death
Chamber" the "Chair" is the CEN
ter of all interest. The chair is
made after the fashion of COM
mon easy chair, having a high
back and wide arm rests. The
chair rests on thick rubber mat
ting which furnishes complete in
sulation. The guard who was act
ing as guide, first explained the
general features attending an ex-
ecution, and then requested one Of
the party to become seated in the
chair for the purpose of making
more complete demonstration of
the workings Of the chair.
First the condemned man is Sc
curely strapped to the chair. Lo-
Gated at the back of the chair and
acting as a.head rest, is sliding
arrangement shaped something
like a figure e." From this is
suspended metallic cap, desig-
mated as the head electrode. This
bsll shaped cap is lined with
sponge, which at the time of execu-
tion is saturated with compo-
sition of salt water. Instead of
1.-THE "black cap" used in hanging,
q thick leather strap is used that
serves the double purpose of hid
ling the face of the subject as we'll
as holding the head erect.
On the inner side of the head
strap are two small sponges, which
when used are saturated with salt
water and then connected with
the wires on the back of the chair.
When affixed these sponges press
firmly on both temples and when
the current is turned on the brain
is instantly paralyzed. The least
struggle on the part of the sub
ject is prevented by the use Of
heavy straps to bind the arms to
the sides of the chair, as are the
ankles to the bottom of the chair.
Another belt is fastened around
the bare calf of the left leg just a
few inches above the ankle, and
when the current is turned on the
body furnishes the circuit, the
electricity entering through the
cap on the head and after pasilng
entirely through the body passes
back to the dynamo through the
electrodes attached to the leg. The
person manipulating the deadly
currents is notin the room in
which the electrocution occurs,
but is stationed in small ante
room about ten feet distant, com.