The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-11
First ElectrOcution in State
Officially Pronounced
Entire Success.
DEATH INSTANTANEOUS
Sing Sing Electrician Davis's
IO4th Execution-.Current Was
Turned on Three Times
but First Application Had
Been Sufficient.
Especial to the Evening start

TRENTON, Dec. 11.--Serverie Di
Giovanni, who shot and killed Joseph
Sansone, Raritan barber. on Septenl-
Der 2S. was electrocuted in the new
death house at the State prison at 6
o'clock this morning. Six minutes
, after the fatal current had been turned
on D Giovanni was officially pro-
nounced dead, although 1t was stated
by the physicians that death had re-
suited instantaneously with the first
contact.
At a few minutes before 6. Head
Keeper George o. Osborne, of the
state pris m, gave the signal for the
removal of the condemned man from
the cell room to the death chamber.
The last preparation had been made
for carrying out the law which sub
stitutes electrocution for hanging in
this State.
Accompanied by two keepers and
preceded by the Rev. Father Aloysius
M. Fish, chaplain at the prison, and
Father Ferdinand Meyer. Di Giovanni.
his eyes fixed steadfastly on crucifix
held by the chaplain. entered the
chamber, He showed no sign of weak
his last supplication, which was spoken
in Italian, but as he neared the chair
his tones became more intense, and his
dull intellect seemingly failed 10 grasp
his proxinaity to death.
u ieSf4fla speea that seemed almost inn
l51ssible trained hands adjusted the
straps and head pieces, and it was only
al the very last instant that sitting
murmur was heard from the prisoner
At a given signal the priests and at
tendants stepped back and F. E. Davis
electrician at Sing Sing. turned on the
current. There was scarcely motion
of the muscles perceptible, but after 4
contact of a minute a tiny wreath of
smoke enlanated from the head piece
and the current was turned off. A
brief examination of the body by the
physician followed, and then there was
convulsive heaving os the body, fol-
lowed by what appeared to be deep
gasp The current was again turned
on, although it was stated that this
was only to stop the reflex muscular
movement following sudden deaths.
Again the wreath of smoke appeared,
and the current was turned off, to be
followed by third but momentary con-
tact.
Stethescopes were put to work. and
the official announcement was made by
DR.. w. M. L. Caplin. of Jefferson Medi-
cal College, of Philadelphia, that the
man was dead. DR.. Edward A. Spitzka.
of the same institution, then made a
statement of the time consumed in the
electrocution. This showed that Di
Giovanni entered the death chamber
at 5:55, the strapping process began at
5:5655, the first contact was at 5:57,
= the current was turned off at 5:5S:OS,
the second contact was at 5:59;O3, the
current was again turned off at 5:59:07,
and the man was declared dead at 6;05.
The apparatus recorded 1900 volts and
10 amperes. DR.. Spitzka said that the
eIectrocution was an entire success,
that there was no doubt that death had
been instantaneous with Il , first shock,
and that the subsequent contact had
only been to still the refexive muscular
movement.
The execution was the 1o4th which
had been conducted by Electrician
Davis There was no autopsy.
The chair was made at Sing Sing and
was tested yesterday by the use of
side Of beef, the purpose being to be
sure that the body would not burn as
the result of turning on the electricity.
The current required for the execution
was furnished by the Public Service
Corporation.