The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1924-12-05
The Way to the
Death-Chair


-. e. ,ssa western N.wspa per unlon.)
+. They say that a man in mortal ag
nnt loses all sense Of place, of time. O
tffsQnality, even. So 1t was with me
Confronted by imminent death, ] hal
become an automaton. thing thai
moved automatically at the gestures Of
it, leaderA
sSWhom l. had killed, and why. had
6ltpped out Of my memory as though
lrtmained as pure and unsullied us
any: citizen Of the land. The long
months in the death-cell had not only
broken my spirit; they had eased up
the, intOlerable burden on my mind.
When the time came for me to die
knew that / would pass out without
df1Gracing my h0nOred status as one
Of the seven who were awaiting the
Anal mercies Of the chair.
K But what an eternity seemed those
few last days! How my mind, recoil-
ing from the prospect Of eternity,
Seemed to have anticipated 1t by be-
coming obliyious to time
I know that ate and drank and
smoked mechanically. had neither
sight nor taste nor hearing. Not much,
ut any rate. was dimly aware of the
four surrounding walls. and of the
periodical entrance Of one Of the war
dens. t#f
keep your courage up, old man." he
whispered. 1T won't be long and 1t
won't be hard. There's many a poor
sufferer would be glad to go that way"
Sometimes during the long night Of
agony that followed would be aware
Of the efforts Of my fellow-prisoners
to console me. They wanted to play
checkers with me, calling the moves
A checker-board was marked out on
the whitewashed walls of my cell.
There was IA, tiny bit of blackened
match with which to mark.
But paid no attention to them. I
was concentrating on bearing up for
the ordeal of the morrow Gradually
the friendly calls of encouragement
grew more and more faint. At last the
prison slept
must have slept. for when awoke !
was conscious that the electric light
nj the interior had been put out. Day
was creeping into the cell. my last day
upon this friendly earth.
Presently a, dismal changing of doors
began to resound through the prison
t was the regular convicts being let
,ut Of their cells to work. l cursed the
'ound; heard 1t every day since
lad been there.
Footsteps sounded along the flags
-
len and his assistants. There was a
nan with something behind his back
ss.How DOR he remarked, cheerily.
extending one hand.
My own hand went out mechanically
he; had slipped a moose about
~ wrists. II remember how I resent.
d the trick. was not going to make
ny difficulty.
4 was pjnioned. was being led
long the corridor. The death watch
ere shouting encouragements TO me-
Good boy Keep up your heart Now
e shant be long !"
But all these memories seemed to
ash through my mind instantaneous
;. for was already In the chair. My
Quser leg had been slit. felt the
,plication of the cold electrode- My
nd must have been shaved. too, al
ough ! did not remember the pre-
sc moment ut which II was done
nd mask was lifted over my face.
that I could no longer see
l had already seen. as in a vague
ID hIdeOus dream, the circle of awed,
lIte faces watching me In the death
use had seen. OF course. the girls
chair. aud the lever whose reversal
can't instantaneous death for me.
w was blind
doubt whether there can be any
'gle moment more hdeous than the
G In which one sits. perfectly
nithy man. awaiting his inevitable
Din-tEat instant that is TO hurl his
II into eternity.
snt and waited. I thought of life.
ried to remember who was, had
N. WAS. already rs good ms dead.
oddly enough, l was concerned about
way the cap fitted about my head.
ms sitting. ! wanted air
ind suddenly the end came. heard
sound. l felt my body,
rged witlf hundreds OF thousands Of
ts OF electricity. strain against the
lps.l ] gusped. flung out my arms.
OUGHT" cried familiar voice.
stared about me wildly. The mask
been removed and the face OF the
! confronting me seemed strangely.
rely familiar.
That was the toughest moinr ever
ed, my dentist said. al thought
you were never going under. the