The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-30
PAYS WITH LIFE.
Chester Gillette, Who Drowned
His Sweetheart in a Lake,
ElectrOcuted at Auburn Prison
at Six This Morning.
LII WAS SOON OVER.
Had Confessed His Guilt to His
Spiritual Advisers.
Addressed Letter Of Advice to
Young Men Before Death.

| Auburn, N. Y, March 3O.-Unmoved
and without showing the faintest sign
of emotion of any kind, Chester Gill
| lette was put to death in Auburn
| prison this morning. The electrocu-
| ton was the most success sful that ever
| took place in the local prison. But
one contact was required to carry the
mandates of the law into effect and
when that was over the murderer of
Grace Brown had paid the penalty of
| The electrocution was marked
| throughout with celebrity. The man
was declared dead by the officials at
| 6:18 but by the watches held by some
| of the newspaper representatives it
was two minutes after that time when
| the warden said to the witnesses and
| attendants:
Gentlemen. the physicians an
nounce the man is dead
The electrocution lacked much of
the solemnity of former executions and
during most of the time, except for
! the brief space when the electric cur
rent was coursing through the man S
| conversation. This grew so marked
during the time that the physicians
were making the examination of the
| body for life that the warden found it
| necessary to pound on the tile covered
floor of the chamber for silence.
| The current was of 1900 volts at
TN amperes, and it was held on one
minute and three seconds. When this
! had been done, careful examinations
of the mans heart was made. but there
| was no sign of life.
The Rev Henry MacIlravy of Little
/ Falls, who had been with Gillette. was
overcome at the electrocution SO that
! ne was taken from the death chamber
before the contact was turned off.
Fearful that he would collapse, he
started for the door leading to the
prison yard. Keepers walked beside
| him.
Witnesses assembled at the warden's
office at 6 o'clock and at 6:10 the
march from the Office down through
the south wing Of the prison to the
death chamber was started, and at
i gil, when State Electrician Davis
made his test of the machinery with
the bank of lights. the witnesses had
4 taken the seats assigned to them.
Strapped to the Chair.
The test being finished, the word
was given and the door leading from
the death cells was opened. Gillette
walking firmly, and looking neither to
the right nor to the left, came briskly
along the row and into the chamber
i On either side of him was a minister
of the gospel, Chaplain Herrick on his
right and Rev. MacIlravy on his left.
1t was 6:12:35 when the little party
entered the chamber, and the work OF
strapping the man In the chair was
|
was turned on at 6:14:03 and was
switched off at 6:15:06. Immediately
after DR.. Spitzka made an examina-
tion of the heart; Other heart ex-
aminations followed and at 6:18 War
den Benham made the announcement
that Gillette was dead.
| Gillette made confession to his
spiritual advisers. Regarding this the
Rev. Mr.. MacIlravy gave out the fol-
flowing statement:
| HRec9uSa orr relationship with
Chester Gillette was privileged we do
not deem it wise to make a detailed
statement and simply wish to say that
tno legal mistake was made in his
electroeution.
(Signed) "HENRY MACILRAVY.
Il "CORDELLE HERRICK.'
| Besides the confession, Gillette has
a word to say to the young men OF
the world. This was in a communfca-
ton that was handed to Warden Ben
ham last night, as follows:
"In the shadow of the valley OF
DEATH it is my desire to do everything
that would remove any doubt as to
my having found Jesus Christ, the
personal Saviour and unfailing friend
NV one regret at this time, is that ]
in my life while I had the opportunity
to work for him. If I could only say
one thing that would draw young
men to him, I would deem it the
|
, But all I can say now it, I know ir
whom I have believed and am per.
suaded he is able to keep that which
I committed unto Him against thai
. day.
t.If the young men of this country
could only know the joy and pleasure
, of Christian life, I know they would
, do all in their power to become ear.
, nest active Christians, and would
strive to live as Christ would have
them live
"There is not one thing I have lef
undone which will bar me from fac.
; ing my God, knowing that my sins
are forgiven, for / have been free anG
frank with my spiritual advisers and
God knows where I stand.
(SigneD CHESTER E. GILLETTE
Story of the Crime.
The crime for which Chester E
Gillette was sentenced to forfeit his life
| in the electric chair in Auburn prison
today, was the murder of his sweet
: heart. Grace Brown, near Big Moos,
: in the Adirondacks on July II, 1906
t Gillette was convicted on circumstan
, tial evidence after a sensational tria
! | in which the pathetic love letters o
: Billy Brown, as the girl was fanil
iarly known among her associates, t,
Gillette, played an important part. Th
girl who perished in the waters of Bi,
n Moose lake had trusted Gillette t.
! make amends for the wrong he ha
f done her by making her his wife, an,
f her letters which were found in tn
: young mans room after his arrest a
e | Eagle Bay, have been considered b
n many as classic in their simplicity an
their tender pleading for the right tha
| was her due.
Her last letter to her lover, write
S few days before her fatal trip to Bi
: Moose was particularly pathetic q
), have been bidding goodbye to som
l