The Washington times., 1924-02-08
MAN To DIE
|NLETHAL
CELL
Chinese, Convicted in Tong
Staying, Will Go to Death
Today.
By COPELAND c. BURG,
International News Service.

AHtcEHhtAOhdA News SERVICE
NEVADA STATE PRISON,
! CARSON CITY, New, Feb. g.
"A ghah yestage wassaat4 here teA
day TO carry out history's first
lethal gas execution.
Four heavily armed guards are
keeping guard on a separate stone
structure in the center of the
solid-walled prison yard here
where Gee Jon, convicted Chinese
tong murderer, will die today.
Two Men Saved From Death.
The day dawned happily for two
men-Hughie Sing, Chinese accom-
puce of Gee Jon, whose youth and
confession week ago won commu-
tation to life Imprisonment, and
Thomas Russell, Mexican, convicted
or Staying his Indian sweetheart,
Mamie Jonnie, whose life was saved
by dramatic eleventh-hour appeal
to the pardon board by Judge P. A.
McCarran, at q special meeting last
night. His sentence was commuted
after he had given up all hope,
made a spiritual confession and re.
signed himself to death.
Both were scheduled to die to-
day with Gee Jon.
Cats Test Death Cell.
Two cats were used to test the
death room. The cats died fifteen
seconds after the gas jet was
turned, Warden Dickerson said
Following the disclosures that gas
had leaked out into the prison yard
during the test, small cracks
around the door Of the execution
house were repaired with Oakum
this morning. A pound and one
half of gas will be used today, This
is declared sufficient to fill a room
three times as large as the death
vault.
There was admitted concern over
the leak. Warden Dickerson would
not deny there was grave danger to
all persons witnessing the death as
well as to the 1873 prisoners who are
In their vellls behind the barred
windows overlooking the scene. A
damp snow which threatened to
turn to rain was falling. 1t was
admitted this might carry back
into the prison yard the gas fumes
and this served to cut down the
number of witnesses.
Dickerson also admitted a swift
current of air might bring the death
giving mixture into the prison yard
and before a step could be taken by
any one to escape the fate of the
murderer, a tiny inhalation would
send all to their graves. Proven.
tive remedies were on hand in case
of accident.
Horror In Prison.
Horror and fear filled the empty
corridors of the prison this morn
Ing. Souls are irs pain and prisoners
and guards seem to shrink from
casting their eyes at the death hole
In the asphalted prison yard.
Il hope there Is no outbreak in
the prison." said Captain of the
Guards Joe Miller as he arranged
to lead the condemned man through
the first daylight. he had seen in
months to death in the stone shed.
1.-THE men are excited. but they
the heavily guarded and those who
make a false move will be shot in
their tracks"
The death sepulchre, built IN 1898,
was Originally the prison butcher
shop.
Its chop counters were removed
and three cells hastily constructed.
Strapped in chair, but not blind
folded, the condemned man will
wait in front of the barred cells
this morning for Whit of the
most deadly gas scientists know to
send him, like trapped rat, into
eternity.
Whitewashed. the death chamber
is eight by ten feet in dimensions
F@ing the cells is a small tube
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