Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-09-16
HOODOO "l3" PLAYS BIG PART
AS STATES ELECTRIC CHAIR
CLAIMS ITS FIRST PRISONER
BY ERNEST ROGERS

NCbdII TIcSI)OIlucIIl VI Iu6 OuhLhdD
MLLLEDGEVILIE, Ga, Sept. 49,.
On the thirteenth day of the month,
in chair held together by thirteen
bolts, and during the thirteenth year
since the erection of the death
chamber building. Georgia turned
today from the gallOWs to the more
modern method of executing those
convicted of capital offenses
through the use of an electric chair.
Howard Hinton, tWenty-year-old
DeKalb county negro, was the first
person to eXpiate a capital crime in
the recently constructed electric
chair here at the state prison farm.
and the symbolic thirteen" figured
largely in the execution of the pen
atty of death imposed upon him in
DeKalb county.
But for the practice Of Judge
John B. Hutchinson, of the Stone
Mountain circuit, who departs from
the widely accepted custom of SEN
fencing condemned criminals to die
on a Friday, Hinton probably would
have paid with his life yesterday.
But judge Hutchinson considers it
q sacrilege to sentence a man to be
hanged or electrocuted on a Friday,
because Of its Biblical connection
with the crucifixion Of Jesus Christ,
and so the date of Hintons eXecu-
ton fell on a SatUrday-and a Sat
urday THE Thirteenth
Hinton took his seat in the death
chair at 1926 o'clock and twenty.
six minutes later, he was pro
nounced dead by three physicians.
DELAY in PreDaratiOu
Twenty-one minutes of the twenty
six were taken up in preparing the
negro for the 1 900 volt shock.
Three wardens at the state prison
farm who manipulated the switches
conveying the current, under the di
rection of r. c.. Turner, city cleo
trician, of Atlanta, who installed
Georgia's first electric chair, applied
the high voltage charge for sixty
three seconds, and, three minutes
later, physicians examined the ne
gro and pronounced him dead.
There was some criticism among
the spectators Of the delay in pre-
pairing the negro for the electrocu
ton, although all agreed that the
actual death was more humane thar
the galloWs.
Judge r. e. Davidson Of the prison
commission and Representative r
o. Perkins of Muscogee county, au
thor of the electric chair bill, statel
following the execution that they
considered this new method a grea
Improvement over the old.
Brought from Cell
Hinton, under heavy guard, was
h,,oI1oLt do1f
cell, in the rear Of the executive
building to the death chamber.
He walked erectly and promptly
sat in the chair.
Mr.. Turner, assisted by B. II
Dunaw2y, superintendent of thC
prison. strapped the negro firmly tt
the chair, first his arms, then hi!
legs. Last a heavy band was drawn
tightly across his chest.
After having been secured to the
chair the head eIectrode, which re
sembles a football headgear, was
clasped tightly on his head by means
of a tightly drawn leather cord IN
der his ckin. At this juncture the
prisoner complained that it was too
tight and it was loosened a bit.
During this time the salt water
contained in a sponge inside the cop
per helmet, ran down the negro
face and DR.. Fl. G. Emory, pastor O
the Methodist church in Milledge
Vile, came forward and keld a hand
kerchief TO the mans eyes.
Then Mr.. Turner applied the othel
electrode to the Negroes bare right
leg.
Stepping back from the chair he
surveyed the apparatus carefully anC
made few minor adjustments.
Previously, the electrician ha(
called the powerhouse at Milledge
vile on a telephone installed in the
death chamber, and instructed the
engineer to run the current to volt
age of 1900 and then let it drop tc
600 at a given signal, and to let the
current fluctuate until told to cease
The electrician then stepped to the