AUTOMATIC HANGING IN NEW ENGLAND AND SUSPECTED ARSENIC POISONING IN SOLON

Automatic gallows for Wethersfield State Prison, CT.

Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, December 18, 1894.

AUTOMATIC HANGING.

NEW ENGLAND GALLOWS WORKED TO PERFECTION.

Murderer Cronin, Hanged This Morning, Was the First Victim of the Newly Adopted Death Machine—The Execution Conducted at Dead of Night and Surrounded by Many Weird Details, but Most Successful.

   HARTFORD Conn., Dec. 18.—John Cronin was hanged as 1:01 o'clock this morning at the State prison in Wethersfield and was pronounced dead nine minutes later.

   The automatic gallows worked perfectly. His body was taken down at 1:40 o'clock and interred at Blue Hills cemetery at 5 o'clock.

   The moon was shining through a partially cloudy atmosphere when the witnesses were escorted from the warden's house on a seven minute's walk around the prison and through the back gate of the prison into the interior court of the prison.

   The scene was a weird one, not alone for the novelty of the hanging occurring at such an hour of the night, but for the complete military discipline displayed by the warden in conducting the men to the execution house. Every detail was carried out with a strict precision such as characterizes an execution at a court martial.

   Within the execution room was another uncanny sight. Lighted up by 12 gas jets the room was bare in its outlines save the closet in the corner, enclosing the mechanism and a chair which had been provided should he faint. At the center of the room hung the noose and on the wall was the dial which was to tell the story of the progress of the automatic movement.

   Cronin met death with only a slight tremor. His arms were bound when he left the cage and was marched into the room with Keepers Doolittle and Perkins on either side.

   As he stepped on the platform he trembled slightly and stood with his head bowed forward.

   The fine shot in the machine was started by Warden Woodbridge by putting his foot on a lever.

   Deputy Warden Blaisden placed a black hood over Cronin's head and the keepers bound his legs at the knee and ankle.

   Dr E. C. Fox, the prison physician, adjusted the noose so that the large knot in the 5/8-inch manilla rope was placed directly under the left ear.

   The dial on the wall showed that the shot had been running in the machine for 20 seconds.

   Surgeon Fox turned away, and as the deputy warden raised his hand, palm toward the warden, signifying all was ready, [he] did not wait for the shot to run slowly out, which would require 20 seconds more. He at once pressed his foot on a second lever and jumped the shot at once.

   Cronin's body shot up into the air five feet, at an angle of about 35 degrees, and fell back instantly, his feet being about 18 inches from the floor. The body was motionless for about 10 seconds, when a perceptible twitching of the whole frame was noticeable for a few seconds. His hands became very firmly clinched, growing tighter and tighter until rigor mortis set in just nine minutes after the fatal trap was sprung.

   "Successful." said the warden, and nearly every one present stepped up to see him and shook hands with him.

   W. R. Sill, one of those present, who has attended 15 executions, said that he had never seen one so perfectly carried out as this.

   The whole affair was perfectly noiseless, the dull thud of the heavy weight as it struck the ground not being noticeable in the excitement of the moment.

   The witnesses, for whom Warden Woodbridge had provided according to law, began gathering at the prison early in the evening. Several others who had to be denied admittance to the execution were among the number who assembled in the warden's houses.

THE DEBS CASE.

Every Effort to be Made to Keep Debs Out of Jail.

   CHICAGO, Dec. 18. Counsel for President Debs and the other officers of the American Railway union who were sentenced by Judge Woods last Friday to begin in ten days a term in jail for contempt in violating the injunction issued during the railroad strike last summer, have decided to appeal directly to the United States supreme court and not to the circuit court of appeal, as constitutional questions are involved. The attorneys will also exhaust every known expedient to keep their clients out of jail.

THE INCOME TAX.

Eminent Lawyers Say it is Unconstitutional.

   NEW YORK, Dec. 18.—The Sun says: "We are enabled on the highest authority to state that Messrs. Joseph H. Choate and Clarence A. Seward regard the new income tax as unconstitutional, and that these eminent lawyers will represent a large body of public spirited New York merchants and business men, who propose to test the constitutionality of the law in the courts."

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

   The news that the Bethlehem Iron company of Pennsylvania has secured a $4,000,000 contract to make armor plates for two Russian war ships to be constructed as soon as possible, ought to cause the heart of every American, and especially of every American who is a protectionist, to thrill with pride and gratification. Fourteen makers—French, English, German (including Krupp) among them—competed for the contract to furnish armor for three great war ships which Russia is building, and the American firm carries off the prize.

   The contract is for 12,000 tons of nickel-steel Harveyized armor, in discovering and making which the great plants at Homestead and Bethlehem led the way. The Republican policy of protection, including the shipping law which Mr. Cleveland and his friends would repeal, established these plants. Instead of sending our money abroad to pay for armor plates it has been expended at home, and $4,000,000 which Russia would have paid to English, German or French armor plate makers it will pay to American workmen, to be expended with American merchants, trades people, carrying companies, schools, etc. The truest words that [New York] Governor Roswell P. Flower ever uttered, and the ones that ought to be remembered the longest are these: "Every sensible man is a protectionist" yet his party declared a protective tariff "unconstitutional," and Roswell sticks to the party!

OLD RESIDENT DEAD.

Mrs. McFarlan Passed Away at 2 o'clock This Morning.

   Mrs. Frances A. McFarlan, widow of John McFarlan, died at her home, 15 Port Watson-st., at 2 o'clock this morning after an illness of several weeks due to a general breaking down of the system. She had not been in good health for two or three years past, but for the greater part of the time had been able to be about the house, though at intervals having been confined to her bed. Her age was seventy-six years and five months.

   She was born in Cortland and was the third child of Moses and Polly Kinne. She had four sisters and one brother, but the only surviving members of the family are two sisters, Mrs. E. P. Goodyear of Buffalo, N. Y., and Mrs. J. C. Morse of Toledo, O. In November, 1838, she was married to Mr. John McFarlan of Cortland who died April 19, 1891. Two children were born to them, both of whom died in infancy.

   At the time of Mr. McFarlan's death Mrs. McFarlan was seriously ill with heart trouble, to which she had for years been subject, and it was thought that she could not long survive him, but with remarkable vitality she recovered. Her physicians have frequently said that had it not been for the wonderful calmness, which was always characteristic of her and which she attributed to her perfect readiness for death at any moment, she would have never lived through many of the attacks of heart trouble which came to her with increasing frequency and violence. At all these times, as indeed at all others, she had the best of care from a devoted attendant who had long been with her and who knew how and was more than anxious to anticipate her every wish.

   Mrs. McFarlan was quiet and retiring in disposition, but she was possessed of a warm and a benevolent heart and many were the acts of kindness which were extended to the poor and needy and which were done so quietly that few were aware of them, and frequently the recipient himself, did not know to whom he was indebted for assistance. She was a member of the Presbyterian church and was a liberal contributor to its support. She had a remarkable memory and was gifted in conversation and descriptive power, so that it was a great pleasure to hear her speak of the earlier days of Cortland and of the people long since passed away. If any of her friends had occasion to inform themselves in regard to facts, or people of the years long gone, they could always be sure of the correct information from Mrs. McFarlan. Though comparatively unknown to the younger generation of this place because of her quiet life, she had a large circle of warm friends among the middle aged and the older ones, and many will miss her.

   The funeral will be held at her late home on Friday at 2 o'clock and she will be buried beside her husband in the family lot in the Cortland Rural cemetery.

Around the Base of the Hill.

   The commissioners, who met yesterday afternoon in the office of Attorney H. L. Bronson to decide about a new highway to be opened around the foot of the hill between Cortland and McGrawville decided in favor of opening the road as proposed, fixing the entire damage [property award] as follows: Lyman Watrous, $50; Mrs. Lewis Brooks, $375; James K. Greenwood, $330.

New Books at the Library.

   The following new books have lately been added to the Franklin Hatch library: Life of George Wm. Curtis, Life of J. G. Holland, Whittier's Poems, Drummond's Ascent of Man, Social Evolution, Childhood in Literature and Art, Brave Little Holland, Trilby, Peter Ibbeteon, The Manxman, Under the Red Robe, Micah Clark, Round the Red Lamp, The Golden House, Out of Step, Sweet Clover, Matchmaker, Literary Courtship, Lawrence Garthe, Claudia Hyde, Mists, David Balfour, Geoffrey Hamlin, A Flash of Summer, Far From the Madding Crowd, The Old, Old Story, Three Men on a Boat, In Juvenile Books, Wolf the Saxon, Lion of St. Marks, Clive in India, By Pike and Dyke, In the Heart of the Rockies, When London Burned, Things will Take a Turn, Miss Hollingsford, Girl Neighbors, Hope Benham, Sherburne Cousins, The Fur Seal's Tooth, An Electrical Boy.

BREVITIES.

   —The dry goods stores will remain open evenings all this week.

   —To-morrow night will be observed at the Tioughnioga club as ladies' night.

   —The DuBois case was adjourned in police court to-day till Thursday at 2 P. M.

   —The annual meeting and election of officers of Cortlandville lodge, F. and A. M. will occur to-night.

   —The Cortland Whist club went to Homer last evening on a special car and were delightfully entertained by Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Carley.

   —A regular meeting of the Y. M. C. A. Amateur Photographic club will be held on Wednesday evening, Dec. 19, at 8 o'clock. All who wish to join this club should be present at that time.

   —A regular meeting of the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Y. M. C. A. will be held in the Y. M. C. A. parlor Thursday, Dec. 20, at 3 o'clock P. M. Every member is earnestly requested to be present.

   —The case of Gaylord vs. Rooks which was on trial before Justice Smith and a jury yesterday when The STANDARD went to press resulted in a verdict for the defendant, allowing him to retain possession of the premises.

   —The E. W. Bates grocery store will be closed until Thursday morning when it will be reopened by Palmer & Co. Further notice will be given in to-morrow's paper regarding the plan upon which they will conduct their business.

   —-Mrs. Marvin R. Johnson died at 2 o'clock this morning at her late home on Clinton-ave. after a long illness and great suffering caused by heart difficulty. She leaves a husband, a daughter and a son. The funeral will be on Thursday at 1:30 o'clock.

   —Niagara county supervisors are greatly excited over the rumor that the district attorney has presented to the grand jury charges against several of them that they signed and swore to certificates of continuous attendance at the board meetings when they were absent, and were drawing pay at $4 per day when they were attending to business of their own. If they attended as strictly to public business and hustled things as fast as Cortland county supervisors have been doing lately, instead of being in the box they are, they would fairly be entitled to charge the county for working over time.

FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED.

LOREN W. PHELPS OF SOLON DIES SUDDENLY.

Arsenic Poisoning Thought to be the Cause—The Man's Wife Held Under Suspicion.

   Loren N. Phelps died Saturday at his home on the Pritchard farm, about a mile east of Solon on the road to Cincinnatus, under circumstances which, in the minds of some, point very strongly to foul play.

   It is said that his wife purchased a quantity of arsenic at the drug store of C. D. Fish of McGrawville. While in apparent good health the deceased drank a glass of milk which was furnished him by his wife and soon after was taken ill. He died in a very short time, showing signs of poisoning. Coroner George D. Bradford was summoned and is making a post mortem examination.

   Both Mr. and Mrs. Phelps are members of the Solon Baptist church and are well known throughout that part of the county. Mr. Phelps was about 36 years of age. He was born in Solon and has always resided there, having run a blacksmith, cooper and machine shop for a number of years previous to last spring, when he moved to the farm on which he died. He leaves beside his wife, a son, aged about 15 years, a daughter about a year younger, and another daughter about six years of age.