Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-31
GILLETTE: GOES INTO
CHAIR WITHOUT TREMOR
Murderer Of Grace Brown Nervous
an Hour Before Bot DIED
Without Emotion.
BELIEVED he MADE A CONFESSION
His Spiritual Advisors Say No Mls.
take Was Made When He was Eiec-
trocuteeh-Lcavss Note Asking All
Young Men to be Mother
Also Makes Statement,
(py A.snoolnIod prepal

(By AsHoc,arcd preea)
AUBURN. n. Y, March 3O--In tho
electric chair at Auburn state prison
this morning at 6:l4 o'clock. Chester
Gillette died for the murder OF his
sweetheart. billy Brown. OF South
Ctsclic. ut Big Moose Lake. on July
III. 1906. He carried with him to the
grave the secret of her death, so far
as any public confession Is concern
cd, avowing to tho last that no was
innocent OF shedding her blood.
His spiritual adviser, Rev. Henri
Afncllvary, however, made public Il
statement which leads to the concln.
sion that Gillette had acknowledged
to him that he wns guilty.
| One shock of an electric current of
1890 volts and 217 amperes were APP
J piled before the attending physician
pronounced Gillette dead. The appli-
cation was retained for one minute.
two seconds. and then reduced 10 200
volta. The ofdclRl time OF the execu-
ton wa5 Que minute. three seconds
| The following signed statement was
issued BY Rows. MacIvary and Cor
dello Herrlck spiratual adyisors To
Chester Glilette:
"Heeause our relationship to Chcs-
/ ter Gillette was privileged. We do sut
dnani l. wise TO make any sfatement.
| and simply wish to say that no legal
mistake was made in his execution.
tSiEned)
HENRY MAClDvARy.
"CORDEN,I4O ITERRICK."
! Chester Gillette dicd as he I,al
lived. an absolute stole. lie was the
coolest man In tho death chamber.
and watched tho Strapping of the cleo
trodes with seeming interest. Twice
he shifted his bare legs to aid tho as
sistants In adjustlng the apparatus.
Just before the cap was placed upon
his eyes he gave Il ferewell nod To
the group about him and closed his
eyes.
Gillette slept about three hours last
night. He seemed to be cousolcd mort
by the assurance of his spiritual all.
wiser that trust In God was able to
sustain MIN until the end. The cx-
ecntion was one of the quickest on
record. a current gradually raised 10
1880 volts was retained half
minute and then reduced. With tho
culver of the body life passed out
1 Tho exact time that the execution was
declared completed was 6:lS
The first break OF dawn that nj
tered through the iron bars at the chi
of the corridor seemed TO awe him
| Twice lie inquired nervously of tia
guards the time of day. On being
told that some time still separated
MIN from his doom, he sprang from
his cot and paced the floor nervously.
| In his eye had already come the glitter
That characterizes the stare of men
who know the hour OF their death.
My God" he frequently exclaimed
when will this time COME to an cnd?29
| frequently he turned TO his Bilfe
ana read passages that had been
underlined by his spiritual adviser.
Rev. Henry MacIlvary
This morning he refused to touch
anything on the tempting tray that
was prepared for him. A drink of
water was the only thing that passed
his lips since last night. Once he in
CURED OF one of the guards how, ether
| men had acted under similar condi-
tons. 1t was evident that no was
iast losing contrai OF his remarkable
nerve and'a collapse was feared When
inc hour for the execution arrived
nc was the most eager of the little
procession that iiled through the door
of his cell.
a. soon as the autopsy has been
performed. and the brain OF Gillette
removed and the necessary data con
corning the body secured, the remains
VIII be turned over to relatives.
II Is probable that he will be buried
~ Cortland, near whore he wooed the
girl for whose murder he was execut.
ed.
Giiiotte's Last Word
His last word. in The form OF
statement which he mad prepared
with painstaking care last night was
made public after nc had been put to
death.
In the statement Gillette said: IN
the shadow of tho valley OF death IL
Is my desire to everything that would
remove any doubt as 10 my having
found Jesus Christ. the personal Saw
Tor and nnfaillng friend. My only
regret at this time Is that have not
|