Harris A. Smiler — early Sing Sing electrocution, executed July 7, 1891
Profile of Harris A. Smiler, one of the first men executed by electric chair at Sing Sing on July 7, 1891, and his role in the early history of capital punishment in New York.
Harris A. Smiler was one of the earliest prisoners put to death by electrocution at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York. He was executed on July 7, 1891, at the age of 32, as part of a group of four inmates scheduled for that date.
Background
The electric chair was installed at Sing Sing in 1891. Its adoption there followed the device’s first use a year earlier on William Kemmler at Auburn Prison, also in New York State. The change in method marked a significant shift in how capital punishment was carried out in the state.
Early electrocutions at Sing Sing
On July 7, 1891, four men were executed at Sing Sing:
- Harris A. Smiler (age 32)
- James Slocum (age 22)
- Joseph Wood (age 21)
- Schihick Judigo (age 35)
The next inmate executed by electrocution at Sing Sing was Martin D. Loppy (age 51) on December 7, 1891. The remainder of the first ten inmates to be electrocuted at Sing Sing were:
- Charles McElvaine (age 20) — February 8, 1892
- Jeremiah Cotte (age 40) — March 28, 1892
- Fred McGuire (age 24) — December 19, 1892
- James L. Hamilton (age 40) — April 3, 1893
- Carlyle Harris (age 23) — May 8, 1893
By the end of the 1890s, records indicate that 29 inmates had been executed at Sing Sing by electrocution.
Questions and answers
Q: Who was Harris A. Smiler?
A: Harris A. Smiler was one of the first four convicts to be executed by electrocution at Sing Sing Prison in New York.
Q: When was Harris A. Smiler executed?
A: Harris A. Smiler was executed on July 7, 1891.
Q: Who else was executed along with Harris A. Smiler?
A: James Slocum (age 22), Joseph Wood (age 21), and Schihick Judigo (age 35) were also executed along with Harris A. Smiler.
Q: Who was the fifth convict to be electrocuted at Sing Sing?
A: The fifth convict to be electrocuted at Sing Sing was Martin D. Loppy.
Q: When was the electric chair installed in Sing Sing Prison?
A: The electric chair was installed in Sing Sing Prison in 1891.
Q: How many inmates were executed by electrocution at Sing Sing by the end of the decade?
A: By the end of the decade, 29 inmates had been executed by electrocution at Sing Sing.
Q: Where was electrocution first used to execute a convict?
A: Electrocution was first used to execute a convict at Auburn Prison in New York State.
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Author
AlegsaOnline.com Harris A. Smiler — early Sing Sing electrocution, executed July 7, 1891 Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/42553