The following Execution Schedule was found in Floyd Cochran’s prison file in the State Archives. The reference to “condemned men” suggests that two men were scheduled to be executed on the same date. Annotations (“they” changed to “he”) suggest that this changed and Cochran was executed by himself on September 26, 1947.
EXECUTION SCHEDULE
Thursday evening August 15, 1946
11:00 P.M.
All towers will be doubled.
2 Guards will be assigned to Front Door.
2 Guards will be assigned to Round Gate.
2 Guards assigned to #16 Tower Gate.
1 Guard assigned to Cleaning Plant Gate.
2 Guards assigned to Power House.
1 Guard assigned to Turbine Room.
(Note: All inmates working at Power House and Turbine Room will be kept inside the Power House and Turbine Room until the execution is completed and the ambulances have left the premises through the Railroad gate.)
2 Guards will be assigned to Lower Yard at the Railroad Gate and will assist in keeping inmates assigned to Power House and Turbine Room inside the Power House building and will also assist in opening and closing the Railroad gates.
2 Guards outside Railroad Gate with shot guns.
11:15 P.M.
The Deputy Warden will proceed to the Gas Chamber with the druggist and the men assigned to the valves. He will see that all equipment, such as Gas Masks, Acids, Pellets, Ammonia, Trunks and Blinders, are taken to the Chamber at this time. Upon arrival at the Chamber he will inspect all working apparatus. The ammonia reservoirs will be filled, making sure that all stop cocks are closed and lower intake vents are sealed, and the men assigned to such valves will take their places and they will see that no one tampers with the valves. DO NOT PERMIT ANY ONE TO STAND ON VALVES.
11:30 P.N.
The condemned men will be taken from the Death Row and each placed in a car and taken immediately to the Death Cell at the Gas Chamber. Immediately upon arriving at the Death Cell he will be stripped of all clothing and dressed in the Black Trunks which he will wear in the Chamber.
The Assistant Deputy Warden will leave the Visiting Room with all witnesses and will conduct them to the Gas Chamber. Before going through the DWO Gate he will make sure that the car bearing the condemned man has left the front of B and C Hall. If the car has not left, the witnesses will be held at the DWO Gate until the car leaves. He will caution all witnesses to remain as quietly as possible while passing through the yards. Upon arrival at the Chamber all witnesses will be admitted to the witness side of the Chamber.
Friday August 16th, 1946
12:01 A.M.
The death warrant will be read to the condemned man and immediately after the reading of the Death Warrant the Blinders will be placed over the eyes of the condemned man and he will be led into the Chamber. While the death warrant is being read the cyanic pellets will be placed in the trap. After the victim is strapped in the chair the jar containing the acid will be placed under the chair and the lid removed and placed on the floor inside the chamber behind the chair. After the lid is removed the attendants will leave the Chamber and will proceed to close and seal the door. After the door is properly closed and sealed, the Warden will pull the lever which drops the pellets into the acid.
When the victim is pronounced dead by the Prison Physician the exhaust fan will be set in motion and the stopcocks on the ammonia reservoirs will be opened and the air intake valves will be released. the caps on the ammonia reservoirs should be loosened but not taken off.