The Washington times., 1912-08-12
SEVEN MEN DIE IN
SING SING CHAIR,
SETTING NEW MARK
Five Protest Innocence to
the Last-One Falls
in Faint.
fContinued from First Page.)

signal was given and the first batch Of
witnesses, and the men who were 20
sit throughout until the last silent Iorm
had been carried to where the doctors
were waiting with Instruments already |
exposed to perform the autopsy, passed |
down the steps and took their seats on
ted them from the chair. the only |
article of furniture in the barren ROOM. |
There was a brief but nerve-trylng
wait, and then door In the distance
was heard to clang very family. Then |
through the little door leading into the
room came the sound of prayer. An IN
stant later Collins entered. He was smll- |
ing and halted imperceptively when ne
saw the chair, But he did not falter,
and knelt at the arm of the chair and
prayed with clear voice.
Never Finished Sentence.
As he settled into the chair the Rev.
DR.. Baumeyer, a Lutheran clergyman,
who has been with Collins almost con-
tinuously for week, began slowly,
Collins repeating after him:
II am looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of my fai--
The last word, "faith," was never
completed. There was sciunch OF
metal, as the switch was forced up Wy
Davis, creaking and straining as the
body of the victim was forced by the
powerful current against the straps,
and the first had paid the penalty. The
1,SU
and one-half amperes,, was kept on
for fifty mine seconds. Then 1t was cut
Off and DIR. c. w. Farr, the prison PM,
sician, tore away the shirt and placed
back and motioned the other doctors
away. Another shock was given, this
one being of ten seconds duration.
and then third shock, it being after
ward explained by the doctors that,
although they believed the first contact
killed each Of the men, two additionai
had been given as precautlon
Comes With Firm Step.
Cali was the second to die. All night
he and his fellow countrymen had been
in prayer with the Rev. Father William
Z. Caskin, the prison chaplain, the
Rev. Romalus Simoni, of the Church
of the Most Precious Blood of New
York and the Rev. Gabrielle Scaafia'
an Immigrant missionary. The ex.
ample os Collins had been most helpful,
the priests said. and Calls step was
firm alti ough his face was bloodless
and his lips uuivering as he came
"No chance, I never had any chance,
he walled in broken English as he was
hurriedly assisted into the chair. his
voice rising high above the chanting Of
the two black-robed priests who min
istered to him until after death. AS one
of the assistants tried to place the head
.
voice came in almost shrek that
pierced the nerves of everyone present.
In his native italian he prayed to God
to record that he had no part in the
murder of Mrs. Hall and that he had
not been given a chance in court. There
were deep beads Of sweat on the fore
head of nearly every man In the room
when the death-dealtng current finally
choked of the protestation.
Will Examine brain.
Two contacts only were required here.
and as the doctors pronounced Cali
dead two stalwart persons, their cloth
ing hidden by dingy white coats, hur-
ried the body into the autopsy room.
where it was laid out alongside of Col
Inns, TO wait it's turn to have the brain
removed for the inspection Of scientists.
Salvatore de Marco was the third to
die. He protested his innocence in
clear firm tones. and then settled back
the workers who were fastening the
straps about him. In q clear. ringing
voice he followed the priest in a prayer
that was only ended by the swish oi
were required before his body was car
riod into the morgue.
Face White and Drawn.
F1lepo de Marco walked slowly
through the corridor and into the room
His face was white and drawn and the
hand that held the cruciix crumbled a.
he was pushed far into the chair BY
tho stalwart attendants. But like al
of the others executed for the Hal
murder he was Arm in his protestation
Of innocence and in broken English
shouted again and again, until the cur
rent finally sealed his lips that he hat
never had a chance and that he was
victim Of a crime that he had not com
mttted.
F.lepo was young. His poorly nour
ished body offered little resistance to tn
current. and 1t was kept on for a minut
and fve seconds. Then as there wer
spasmodic twitchings-the doctor calle
them muscular. but to the layman the
appeared to be indications of norta
again The current was shut OFF, bu
the doctors were not satisfied and
third contact, which scorched the sid
of the face about the left temple. wa
.signaled to carry the body to it's plaC
with the others in the stone cell &C
joining.
quickly over the line of sitting wi
nesses before he settled into the chai
His protestations of innocence Wei
made in trembling voice as he erie
out: 'Jesu Christ, I hope" the Gu
rent was shot through his body.
On Verge of Collapse.
Coma, a frail young man in the ear
twenties, shu1led into the room aid;
by the priests and plainly on the yer,
of COLLAPSE. In a fearful voice he pr
tested that he had never had
chance" and as he came into full vic
of the chair his face turned black III
his legs seemed to give way.
The crucihx in his hand-the same {
of the others but Collins had carried
fell to the floor, striking the side of L
chair with a crash, but three blue III
formed guards caught the faintil
form and pushed 1t into the reCesses
the instrument of doom. The room W
absolutely still for what seemed
hour. but was less than three secont
and then the chanting intonations
the priest reciting the prayers for
dying broke In just as the current W
turned on. Three contacts were
Quired before Coma was pronounC
dead enough to be carried into the q
topsy room.
Prepared For Trouble.
Although Ferrone had declared til
he was ready to die there was appI