The Washington times., 1925-05-30
MUST KILL
WITHOUT
BURNS
Charities Secretary Seeks to
Provide for Humane
Executions Here

An electric chair, superior to
any used elsewhere in the world,
is being sought by the District
Government, George S. Wilson,
secretary of the Board of Chari-
ties, declared today.
I'VE want death in the chair to
be as quick as possible and at the
same time eliminate severe burn
ing of the condemned persons"
Wilson said.
Present Method ScOrches.
An inquiry among various state
prisons throughout the United
States. Mr.. Wilson pointed out,
showed that it is the practice to
apply 1900 volts for a period of
fourteen seconds.
I'VE learn that such voltage in
glicts severe burns on the body OF
those to die" he said. I'VE are
now working on a plan of first
applying 1900 volts. then dropping
to 300 volts. back again to 1900,
then down to 800, and 30 on for
fourteen seconds.
I'VE believe this viii bring almost
instant death and win be more
humane than the present method.
We are trying to do everything in
our power to make executions as
humane as possible"
Mr.. Wilson said he is having
difficulty in getting ELECTRICAL and
other firms interested In bidding.
New Firms Interested.
$50 far only one firm, Carr &
Schultz, of Trenton. N. j., has
shown an interest" he said. "This
firm offers to make the chair, in
stall it, and supervise the first exc
cution in it. have approached
several local firms, but all of them
have said they were not interested"
w. B. Hadley, District electrical
engineer, is now on a visit to Sing
Sing, N. Y, to inspect the death
he will draw up specifications for
a chair. Bids viii be asked in a
few weeks and the contract let be-
fore July /.
Possibly local and other out Of
town firms will want to bid when
they see the specifications Mr..
Wilson said. II not, the Trenton
company viii Undoubtedly get the
Job"
In changing the method Of exc
cution here from hanging to cleo
trocution, Congress appropriated
$4,000 for a death chamber and
Seek Portable Chair.
1--WE are hoping that we can get
. chair that after use can be re-
moved and put away" Mr.. Wilson
Raid. I'VE do not want the chair
on continuous view at the jail"
He said a part of the jail would
probably be partitioned off for a
death chamber and the chair con-
structed so that it may be removed
easily.
Secretary Wilson does not believe
the chair will be used soon.
There are no condemned persons
In the Jail now and none is likely
Tor many months, probably a year
or more" he said. We must, how.
ever, get the chair ready because
the appropriation of $4,000 must
be spent or contracted for by July
Visits Many Prisons.
Mr.. Wilson has made a visit to
q number of prisons.
Il have looked over many chairs
and have received ideas from many
prison officials" he said. "AlI are
anxious to get a chair which will
bring death quickly and without
burning"
No firm in the United States
makes it business to manufacture
electric chairs, Mr.. Wilson said.
THE reason is that a great deal
OF time must be spent in studying
the construction OF such an ap-
paratus,' he said, land after one
chair is made the firm may not
have an opportunity to make an
other. Therefore, few firms are in.
terested."
400 CTIInEMTc GPANIIAFE