Yes...unfortunately they did away with the electric chair. Whenever one of those events was scheduled, up in Fort Worth we used to turn off a few lights just in case they needed some extra juice.
Interestingly (to me, at least), my dad's uncle was the last executioner at Huntsville penitentiary who actually pulled the switch on the electric chair.
Joe Byrd also initiated the clean up and development of the prisoner's cemetery (Peckerwood Hill, previously). This is where they'd bury the convicts who had no family or anyone else that'd claim 'em. They were stacked in there (buried) like cordwood.
Uncle Joe organized the clean up, identification (where possible) and maintenance of the cemetery.
By many accounts, he was a tough old bastard (Ol' Bull), but he wasn't totally without heart, either.
A little tougher time for convicts than it is today, brother. You can believe that.
Wonder what our society would be like if that's the way it was inside now.