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James J. Slocum
Jimmy Slocum played minor league ball in the 1880s for several teams including Wilkes-Barre and New Haven. He was described as a large, powerful guy – husky.
After his playing career ended, he toiled at an occasional job, never anything solid; in truth, he was unemployed, supported by his wife Ellen. The couple lived in a rundown apartment building in New York City at 114 Roosevelt Street. The New York Times described the building as containing “miserable rooms.”
Slocum was said to drink a little too much. He was also well known to the local authorities for the trouble he caused. The police referred to him as “a loafer and a bum.”
THE CRIME
By the time Christmas rolled around in 1889, Slocum was on a bender. He came home drunk on New Year’s Eve and started fighting with his 31-year-old wife, not an unusual event. Two days later, on January 2 her body was found lying in the bed with her skull crushed in. The murder weapon was a small axe, a hatchet. Slocum would later claim he used a water pitcher, but nonetheless a bloody axe was later presented to the jury as evidence.
Slocum was no where to be found. On January 20 he was finally capture after “an exciting chase across house tops.”
THE CASE
Slocum was imprisoned at the Tombs in New York City. On March 12, 1890 he was found guilty of first degree murder and taken to Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York. Soon thereafter, he was sentenced to death by electrocution by Judge Martine. The even was to take place the week of May 4, 1890.
Slocum appealed to the Court of Appeals on the grounds of insufficient counsel. The initial ruling was confirmed, setting the new execution date for the week of March 15, 1891. Slocum appealed again to the U.S. Circuit Court but was denied on March 12, 1891. The execution was set for the following week.
However, the U.S. Circuit Court remitted the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. The highest court in the nation acted quickly and dismissed Slocum’s case. The new execution date was set for the week of July 5, 1891.
THE PUNISHMENT
On June 4, 1888 New York Governor Daniel B. Hill signed a bill permitting the use of the electric chair in New York State. Slocum would be the first prisoner executed by the chair at Sing Sing Prison.
All Slocum knew was that the execution was to take place the week of July 5. He was not informed of the exact date.
On Monday July 6 the death warrant was read. The following morning Slocum was removed from his cell. Three other inmates were removed as well; it would be a mass execution. The order of execution was determined:
James J. Slocum, Caucasian
Harris Smiler, Caucasian
Shibayo Jugiro, Japanese
Joseph Wood, Negro
Slocum was taken to the death chamber at 4:31 am on the morning of July 7, 1891. He entered the chamber at 4:33 am. He did not resist and sat in the chair peacefully. He even cooperated when he was strapped down. He was not asked for any final words and he did not offer any.
Two electrodes were attached, one to his head, the other to his right calf. They would provide 1,458 volts of electricity.
A system was worked out for the newspapermen and those holding vigil outside the prison gates. Different colored flags would be raised when each of the inmates were pronounced dead. Slocum’s flag was white. In the crass era much was made of the fact that Wood’s flag was black.
It took two minutes and 40 seconds to fasten Slocum. A current was then applied for 27 seconds. Slocum still had a strong pulse and he reestablished respiration. At 4:39 am the current was reapplied for 26 seconds, heart and respiration functioning ceased. The body was allowed to sit in order to cool and await the doctor’s death pronouncement.
Slocum was declared dead at 4:42 am. His body was removed from the death chamber at 5:00 am. Smiler was brought in at 5:05 am.
Slocum was interred in the prison cemetery on July 8. At least four other professional ballplayers have been executed.
Jimmy Slocum played minor league ball in the 1880s for several teams including Wilkes-Barre and New Haven. He was described as a large, powerful guy – husky.
After his playing career ended, he toiled at an occasional job, never anything solid; in truth, he was unemployed, supported by his wife Ellen. The couple lived in a rundown apartment building in New York City at 114 Roosevelt Street. The New York Times described the building as containing “miserable rooms.”
Slocum was said to drink a little too much. He was also well known to the local authorities for the trouble he caused. The police referred to him as “a loafer and a bum.”
THE CRIME
By the time Christmas rolled around in 1889, Slocum was on a bender. He came home drunk on New Year’s Eve and started fighting with his 31-year-old wife, not an unusual event. Two days later, on January 2 her body was found lying in the bed with her skull crushed in. The murder weapon was a small axe, a hatchet. Slocum would later claim he used a water pitcher, but nonetheless a bloody axe was later presented to the jury as evidence.
Slocum was no where to be found. On January 20 he was finally capture after “an exciting chase across house tops.”
THE CASE
Slocum was imprisoned at the Tombs in New York City. On March 12, 1890 he was found guilty of first degree murder and taken to Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York. Soon thereafter, he was sentenced to death by electrocution by Judge Martine. The even was to take place the week of May 4, 1890.
Slocum appealed to the Court of Appeals on the grounds of insufficient counsel. The initial ruling was confirmed, setting the new execution date for the week of March 15, 1891. Slocum appealed again to the U.S. Circuit Court but was denied on March 12, 1891. The execution was set for the following week.
However, the U.S. Circuit Court remitted the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. The highest court in the nation acted quickly and dismissed Slocum’s case. The new execution date was set for the week of July 5, 1891.
THE PUNISHMENT
On June 4, 1888 New York Governor Daniel B. Hill signed a bill permitting the use of the electric chair in New York State. Slocum would be the first prisoner executed by the chair at Sing Sing Prison.
All Slocum knew was that the execution was to take place the week of July 5. He was not informed of the exact date.
On Monday July 6 the death warrant was read. The following morning Slocum was removed from his cell. Three other inmates were removed as well; it would be a mass execution. The order of execution was determined:
James J. Slocum, Caucasian
Harris Smiler, Caucasian
Shibayo Jugiro, Japanese
Joseph Wood, Negro
Slocum was taken to the death chamber at 4:31 am on the morning of July 7, 1891. He entered the chamber at 4:33 am. He did not resist and sat in the chair peacefully. He even cooperated when he was strapped down. He was not asked for any final words and he did not offer any.
Two electrodes were attached, one to his head, the other to his right calf. They would provide 1,458 volts of electricity.
A system was worked out for the newspapermen and those holding vigil outside the prison gates. Different colored flags would be raised when each of the inmates were pronounced dead. Slocum’s flag was white. In the crass era much was made of the fact that Wood’s flag was black.
It took two minutes and 40 seconds to fasten Slocum. A current was then applied for 27 seconds. Slocum still had a strong pulse and he reestablished respiration. At 4:39 am the current was reapplied for 26 seconds, heart and respiration functioning ceased. The body was allowed to sit in order to cool and await the doctor’s death pronouncement.
Slocum was declared dead at 4:42 am. His body was removed from the death chamber at 5:00 am. Smiler was brought in at 5:05 am.
Slocum was interred in the prison cemetery on July 8. At least four other professional ballplayers have been executed.
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