The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-19
WRONG MAN DIES IN
THIS 'ELECTR0CUTION'
Victoria Theatre Audience Con-
siders Author Of Piece
the Real Criminal.
SPECTATORS SUFFER MOST
Murderer Pays Penalty After a
Hearing: They Are Con-
demned without Trial.

A deep gloom settled over the Victoria
Theatre Yesterday at noon and II lifted
only when Mr.. Hsmmerstein came to the
determination to change the evening bill
From the West came "Electrocutiou' by
John Barry. II was played under the title
Hanged ir san Francisco. where MIR.
Barry. a journalist. at present lives.
Its purpose Is to aid the propaganda
Of a society against capital punishment.
u Ii useful to know that the spectacle
10 supplied with some purpose 1t 'nly
seemed grewsome and Inappropriate yes
terday There was an invited audience
70 witness the play at noon. II was said
that the representation was given for the
benefit of soclologists They are rare
about the Victoria on Mondays It has
never been supposed that the famous
Monday afternoon gathering there was
made up OF sociologists
II was rather dark in the theatre yes
terday morning. and II may have
been that there were scores of these con-
genial spectators present II was indeed
too dark to recognize anybody else but
a few booking agents IN the gloom. Tht
representation III NHe pdIHlHl 'ao'ea" ""'
received with interest. and silence followed
the fall Of the curtain
The scene Of "t.lectrocution" Ia the eN-
ecution chamber OF Il prison. At daybreak
prison aid enters to prepare for the
eiectrocution of a murderer who killed
his wife In a Jealous fit. The lights ar.
tried The salt and water are mixed to
saturatc the sponges to conduct the kill
ing current Much talk about the rNai.-
ner I'm which different men have died ac-
companies these actions on the part Of
prison doctor and the guard. Other Of
flcials and reporters enter.
The brother OF the dead woman ex-
presses his satisfaction that at last the
murderer is to be punished. Then coma
the priest with the shvering Victim
mechanically repeating the responses. He
is led to the chair and strapped in 1t
The executioner steps TO the switch tC
send through the man the electric power
that has just been potent to light up the
globes so brilliantly. But he falters He
cannot start the power. He Confesse:
that he has lost his grip.
In vain the warden Of the prison seek:
n substitute 20 turn on the power. The
prison STAFF refuses so does the brother
pf the murdered woman. Ii is then thai
} citizen steps out Of the crowd HI
Volunteers because he thinks that muir
derers condemned by a court should die.
!, The spectators see him step to tn.
switch and then merciful darkness
descends on the stage. Only the sparl
On the helmet of the murderer show
shat justice has been done. We suppos
The symbolism of this painful spectaci
Nas that II is really from the psopl
Shat the death penalty comes. and tho
ahey could stop IL II they also refuse L
rountenance II. The figures were quit
Especially represented and in severa
yases the acting was uncommonly effec
live This was true OF the murderer. hi
Brother. the sheriff and the man VIII
Finally turned on the current.
. Probably this scene might help TO Great
= horror for the infection Of the dealt
9enalty II certainly would make tn
public object violently TO this vcarlou
tnfiictlon OF II on an audience which ha
not even had the advantage of a tria
Mr.. Hammersten evidently considered IN
punishment OF his Monday mornln
sociologists sufficient as ne granted re
prieve to the evening audience.