Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-19
DOLAN DIES FOR
MURDER OF WIFE
Walks to the Chair With His
Eyes Closed and Repeat
ing a Prayer.
Special to the Evening Star.

Special to the Evening Star.
TRENTON, Aug. 19.-For the muir
der of his wife, John Dolan, of New
ark, last night paid the penalty with
his life, despite vigorous efforts of his
counsel to get him a reprieve Dolan
went to death with a prayer on his
lips. He spent his last day in prayer
with Rev. Fathers j. A. Bjlfin and AL
phonse Paponib, assistants at st.
Joachim's Church, this city.
Before leaving the death house
Dolan received the last rites of the
Catholic Church. After leaving his
cell, Dolan closed his eyes and on the
death march to the chair was led by
the two prison deputies. The priests
preceded Dolan, holding a crucifix and
reciting the Lords Prayer. which
Dolan repeated.
After entering the death chamber
he was quickly strapped in the cleo
trio chair and the head pieces through
which the electric current runs
through the spine, were quickly adj
justed All the time the guards were
strapping Dolan he repeated the pray
ers uttered by his spiritual advisers.
Electrician E. G. Curry, who turn
ed on the current that ended Dolan
life. gave three contacts of 1880 volts
and 8 amperes, and the physicians
pronounced Dolan dead.
Dolan was born in this country The
crime which brought him to the cleo
trio chair was committed on the night
of March 81 of last year in The Dolan
home at 5S Bruen street, when Dolan,
in drinking frenzy, cut his wife's
throat with a razor Jealousy of a
hoarder in the family was What the
State claimed prompted the crime and
Whar Dolan. according to the police,
at first admitted, but which he suisse
uuently at his trial positively denied.
His defense was that his wife was cut
while he was struggling with her TO
disarm her after she had cut bis neck
with the razor with which she was
killed.
On the night of the murder there
was row in the Dolan home, and
when the police reached the house
they found Dolan lying on the side
walk bleeding and unconscious. with
an ugly cash in his neck while in the
house they found his wife dead with
her head nearly several from Ter
body. Dolan was taken to st. James's
Hospital, where he made his alleged
confession to Lieutenants Tuite and
Maier. of police headquarters, in
which he admitted he had been
prompted to the crime by jealousy.
At the same time he expressed wish
that he would die from his wound,
which he then claimed was self-in-
flicted.
Dolan left the hospital a prisoner
on April IA, following the commission
of the crime. and was charged with
murder by Acting Captain Joseph
virgins On June 81 he pleaded
not guilty to the indictment
that had been returned against him.
and on November he went to trial
before Judge Martin and jury.
Two days later he was convicted. ON
November 10 Dolan was sentenced to
die during the week beginning De-
cember %. A writ of error was sub
seouently filed by his counsel, Frank
M. McDermit which stayed the
execution. On December 16 Governor
TAYLOR granted a reprieve until Feb
ruary 7. Then counsel for Dolan ar
gued the appeal before the higher
court, but on June Is last the con-
viction was sustained. Since then
the Court of Pardons. Governor Field
er and Chancellor Walker were vain
ly appealed to in turn in behalf OF
the condemned man.
Dolan was forty years old and his
wife fifty-three. She was a widow
named Donack when he married her
On the day Dolan was arraigned In
court her son, George Donack, was
sent to State prison for seven years
for burglary,