The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1910-03-21
MORRISON PAYS PENALTY.

~
Negro Rapist from Robson
Breaks Down and Cries Pite-
ouslyr- Held Cross in His
Hands-His Criminal Record.
Raleigh News and Observer. 10Th.
Having lost his nerve as he
faced the mysterious electric
chair so different from the famil-
lar gallows, Walter Morrison
piteously called for mercy, until
the headgear had been adjusted,
and with a final prayer half
spoken, his body became rigid
and life was extinct. Thus at
1919 o'clock yesterday morning
the first infliction of the death
penalty in North Carolina by
electrocution was successfully
carried out. But to entirely sat-
isfy all for a second time the
powerful voltage was shot
through the body.
There was no burning of the
parts OF the body where the con-
tact with the current was ar
ranged, no accident or mishap to
make the electrocution more
gruesome t h an anticipated,
though after the application of
the current of eighteen hundred
volts, there still remained suffi-
cient heart throb and pulse beat
to cause the prison physicians.
Drs. McGeachy and Riddick, to
call for the application of the
current again. The skin on the
leg later appeared fiabby at the
point of contact, but it was not
broken or burned. 1t appeared
very much like a huge blister.
With Warden Sale immediate
ly by his side, the inventor of the
electric chair, E. F. Davis, of
New York, assisted in throwing
the switch that carried the death
current. There was no harrow
ing scene and but for the knowl-
edge that a human being was
being hurled into eternity the in.
cidents would have been void o1
special interest. The electric
current travelling at fifty thou
sand feet a second was through
the entire body before another
nerve conduit came into action
the latter travelling only IL
feet per minute. ->r
The testing apparatus had bee1
placed on the death chair AM
the current was sent through i
for seconds time just as tn
prisoner was being brough
from his cell. Hurriedly it wa
removed and as it was take1
through the door, at 1913 o'cloc]
the condemned man appeare'
with prison guards N. s. Smith
K. B. Ewing, w. R. Campbe
and H. H. Hunnicut, two on e:
ther side. He had been dresse
in a new, but plain suit of brow
with heavy jeans shirt ope
loose at the neck. He wore ne,
and heavy shoes which mad
much noise on the hard floor
He was sobbing and crying an
a pitiful pleading for mere
Toured from his lips.
The actual moment of deaf
was without horror to compar
with that of the moment of pray
er; pity was on many faces with
in the death chamber.
Morrison carried in his rigf
hand a Cross. Firm in his gri
he clung to it through death an
this afforded the one spectaculs
incident Of the electrocution.
Jesus please help me- wel
the first words of his plaintiy
moan that could be heard as h
approached his death. ''Lor
have mercy. Jesus l pray
you. At last / meant to do VIII;
was right. Lord have mercy VI
on me-"
He was crying bitterly, bl
not loudly. There was none {
the sensational shouting or by
terical screaming that have so o
ten attended hangings. Morr
son appeared not to notice tt
witnesses. He kept his ey'
firmly upon the Cross in his har
except for a brief moment as |
looked at the chair. If he hs
looked at the auditors he wou
have seen no members of his RAJ
there to witness his death. Oh
ly one, a minister, had asked f
a card of admission and he can