The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-08-12

The example or Collins nad been 1 most helpful, the priests said, ana Calls step was firm although his face was bloodless and his lips quivering as he came through ''the door, .tNo chance, I never had chance" 1 he walled in broken English as he was hurriedly assisted into the chair, 1 his voice rising high above the chant ing of the two back robed priests who ministered to him until death inter- vened AS one of the assistants tried | to place the head strap across the unfortunate's face, his voice came in almost a shriek that pierced the nerves of everyone present
 1 In his native Italian, he called up- on God to record that he had no part l in the murder of Mrs. Hall and that 1 he had not been given a chance in | court. There were deep beads of sweat on the forehead of nearly every | man in the room when the death protestation. Two contacts only were 1 required here and as the doctors pro- nounced Cali dead, two stalwart per- sons, their clothing hidden by dingy white coats, hurried the body into the i autopsy room where it was laid out
 alongside of, Collins to await its turn l to be dissected and the brain exam 1 ined.
 1 Salvatore DeMarco was the third to | die. He protested his innocence in clear, firm tones and then settled 1 back into the chair seemingly trying l to- aid the workers who were fasten- 1 ing the straps about him. In clear, 1 in prayer that was only ended by
 the swish of the electric current. Three contacts were required before his body was carried into the naorgue. l Filepo DeMarco walked slowly l through the corridor and into the l room. sF4is face was white and drawn ! and the hand that held the crucifix trembled as he was pushed far into ! the chair by the Stalwart attendants. But like all of the others executed l for the Hall murder, he was firm in l his protestations of innocence and in | broken English shouted again and | again, until the current finally sealed ! chance and that he was a victim of a 1 crime he had not committed.
 Filepo was young. His poorly l nourished body offered little resist ance to the current and it was kept | on for a minute and five seconds. Then, as there were spasmodic l twichings-the doctor called them peared to be indications of mortal l agony-th0 current was thrown on again. Simultaneously, came the sig l ling of scorching> hair and above the twisted form that pounded against the broad straps. swirled 8 little cloud of smoke The stench was fearful and even the experienced prison officials showed in the lines that gathered in their faces that their terrible task was an awful strain on their nerves. The current was shut off but the doctors were not satisfied and third con- tact, which further scorched the hair and side of the face about the left | Ia -uoo CiUnY h6f0rA the linen garbed men were signalled to carry the body to it's place with the others in the stone cell adjoining.
 Guista, the next victim. was hardly
 more than boy. But he glanced quickly over the line of sitting wit nesses before he settled into the chair. His protestations of innocence were made in a trembling voice and as he cried:
 Jesus Christ I hope - he cur rent was shot through his body. As the form strengthened out in the mediate vicinity howled, the sharp 1n- terruption causing one of the wit
 nesses to grasp the man seated be- side him to keep himself from col !apsing op the hoor
 Coma, a frail young man in the Fearly twenties, shuffled into the room aided by the priests and plainly on the verge of collapse. Tn a fearful
 voice he protested that he had "nev-
 CT had a chance" and as he came into full view of the chair his face turn
 ed black and his legs seemed to give way.
 The crucifix in his hand-the same all of the others but Collins had car- ried-fell to the floor, striking the side of the chair with a crash but three blue uniformed guards caught the fainting form and pushed 1t into the recesses of the instrument of doom The room1was absolutely still for what seemed an hour but was less than three seconds and then the chanting intonations of the priest re- citing the prayers for the dying broke in just as the current was turned on. Three contacts were required before Coma was pronounced dead enough to be carried into the autopsy room.
 Although Ferrone had declared he was ready to die there was appre- hension among the officials when his turn came. He was very powerful and if he made a fight it was ad- rnitted by Warden Kennedy and Prin.. cipal Keeper Connaughton that harsh measures would have to be used to subdue him. The guards were posted over near the door ready to act if necessary. But they had nothing to do. The young Italian came into the room at rapid pace. As he passed
 
 house, which still held Ii occupants, he hesitated for g. moment and then turned to shout, "Good-a bye, good g. luck" salutation which he re- peated after he was strapped into the chair. He glanced with mild curios- ity over the witnesses and then raised the crucifix to his lips to kiss, after which he settled back in the chair and murmured a. brief prayer.
 The sun was lighting up the hills to the eastward of the prison as the doctor pronounced the last of tho seven victims dead.
 AS the witnesses were hurried out into the clear, fresh air, they carried with them the memory of a. room, the floor of which was dripping with the water that had fallen from the bodies of the victims after the soaked electrodes had been applied and in an inner room four of the victims lay on one side and three across the room from them awaiting the scien tists' examination.
 As the witnesses passed across the prison yard, Sheriff Hamburger, of New York, congratulated Warden Kennedy on the successful manner in which the executions had been car ried out. But he received little en- couragement from the brainy head of the prison, who sadly shook h's head and said:
 There are still Il in there who will so the same way. It is hard to say whether capital punishment det- ers."