An Execution by Electricity.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVII, Issue 5203, 9 February 1892, Page 1

An Execution by Electricity.

Dalziel's New York correspondent telegraphing on 7th December, said : —" Ono (if the witnesses of (ho execution of tho wifo-mitrdercr Loppy, liy electricity, at. >Sing Sing Prison, to-day, says 'lwvt-, shortly, In-fore eleven o'clock. Warden Brown, accompanied I>y several witnesses, went, to the condemned man's cell anil re,ul the dealh warrant. lie listened without: any evidence of emotion, and, after the reading, quietly resumed his seat on his cot. The warden, with the witnesses, then went, to the execution chamber, which was the same as that, used in duly last. The electrical apparatus and the currents were then tested. Headkeeper Connaughton then went, to the cell and summoned Loppy. The latter came out. accompanied by Complain l'Mgorton. Loppy was dressed in a new suit , lie was followed by two keepers. Tho warden said, 'Sit down. Loppy,' and ho quietly took Ins scat in the death-chair, to which the keepers strapped him. Tho right leg of his trousers was then slit; u|>. ()ne electrode was applied to the bare skin and the other to his forehead. This did not occupy more than two minutes. Dr M'Donald (hen raised his hand, and Mr Davis, the electrician, made a downward motion, causing a rasping sound as tho switch closed. This was a signal to tho mail in tile closet behind file chair to turn on (he current.. Instantanly tho body of the condemned man still'oued against the straps, which croaked as they stretched from the strain. Mr M'Donald held a stop watch and suddenly raised his hands. Mr Davis pulled the lorer, tlm body settled back in a state of collapse, and Dr Ward squirted sail, water from a syringe upon the electrodes. The victim's respiration was noisy and painful. Mr M'Donald again raised his hand, tho lever was again turned, and the body again strained the straps, The lever was reversed and the body settled back, the respiration being less loud. Tho electrodes were welled and the current, ro-applied. When it was cut, oil' for tho third time Loppy's breast was bared, and Messrs M'Donald and Ward placed their ears to his sliest and declared that, tho heart, had ceased to beat. Tho thermometer was then pressed against, his legs and the temperature noted. When tin; straps of (ho electrodes wero unfastened the places ol contact were found to be shrivelled and blistered as by a hoi iron. There was no smoking or smell of burning tlesh. Two keepers lifted the body and carried it, to a backroom, where it was laid 011 a table. The cl t.'ics were removed, and the skin was found to bo purple about Ihe neck and scalp. There were blislers 011 the cheeks and temple, and tho right leg below tile knee presented a similar appearance. The skin was raised and wrinkled, and in places folded over. In one place it was torn away. The pupil of the victim's single eye was contracted and tho eyebrows were singed. In other places the marks of the straps were visible. Tho opinion of the uentloinan furnishing the above details was that tho electrocution, from what: he had seen, was preferable I > hanging. He said that Loppy was unconscious from the moment, of the first contact. The labored respiration was due to the expanded eliesl, involuntarily expelling the air. While it, required threo contacts to destroy tho vital action it, was evident, that the death was painless. Tho witnesses agreed that, it was not so shocking a spectacle as that of a man dying slowly by strangulation.