The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-26
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.

ELECTRICITY IN PLACE OF HEMP-vIEws OF
MEDIco-ELEcrRIcIAN ON THE PROPOSED SUE
sTITUTE FOR HANGING.
The subject of carrying out the death penalty
through the medium Of electricity and of thus sub
shutting a more humane. effective and impressive
agency the law than the present continues to
form a theme of discussion among many thoughtful
people. DR.. George NJ Beard. of Twenty-ninth
street. we'll known by his studies in electricity as
applied to nervous diseases. interviewed yester
day by HERALD reporter.
..what do you think Doctor" asked the reporter.
of the idea of using electricity place Of hemp for
carrying out the death penaltyy'
al have thought much of the matter for years and
believed that the time would when such
method Of execution would be employed"
"what advantages would you say it possesses?"
"The instantancousness with which death is
accomplished. man killed by lightning never
knows what he dies OF, and should we succeed in
obtaining electrical apparatus of sufficient power
and ono that could be readily and unerringly con-
troed this style of execution would prove the most
delicate possible. while inspiring in the multitude
much greater degree of awe and reverence for the
law. 1t is the general belief that drowning is the
best and easiest death to die, and that men who
perish happy but the first choking sensations
man killed by lightning can have sensation, for
in small fraction OF instant he is though he
had never BEEN.
''Is it practicable to construct an apparatus that
will carry out the ideaY'
81 believe be made practicable. In order to
determine just what OF apparatus and how large
and powerful it may be needed for the purpose in
view experiments on animals would be necessary.
These could be made under the control of competent
experts. and don't think there would be any insu-
perabe difficulty to surmount- am satisfied that no
electrician or neurologist would be able to state
without experiments just how powerful q battery
would needed. One thing is sure. and that is that
made in any apparatus for this object In
dividuals vary wonderfully in their con-
d1csvi to nnS IN %rs~
. people act differently when struck by Lightning.
There has lately been case reported in England
where a was struck by lightning and his cloth
ing down to his boots entirely stripped from his
body. and yet he was not killed; but more singular
still, his nervous system sustained no shock. In
this the extraordinarily of the person
very likely not good as the average. else he would
must have apparatus OF great and reserved
power If would make sure Of killing all those
whom the law may condemn to death The differ
is illustrated by the familiar experiment
of lighting the gas with the finger. In houses that
are bull. rock soil that conducts well. If one
slides little distance across the carpet with slippers
on. fictiona electricity is excited which is con-
Quoted through the body and lights the gas. Some
persons can do this easily and surely. Others under
the same circumstances rarely or never succeed.
POWERFUL INDUCTION COIL.
"What style OF apparatus would YOU suggest?
Probably that cannot be answered until after the
experiments be made. Very likely however. very
powerful induction coil OF some kind. such have
seen at Stevens Institute in Hoboken and also in
| Paris would do the work."
..How would you make the appication?"
''The brain is the most sensitive part OF the body
| to electricity and the quickest way to kill man
would be to send the electric shock from right to
left OF his head. very feeble current. such as we
use in medicine, will cause dizziness when used in
| this way"
"Do you believe the necessary experiments can be
made in this countryY'
..In that there might be some difficulty as we'll
here in England. The AngloSaxon is q Of
towards in all scientific matters and hostile to all
experiments that threaten to advance biological
science. Scientific men, who should now attempt to
make these necessary experiments. might get hanged
themselves in seeking to save others from hanging
1t is doubtful IL there be any country outside of
Germany that would allow experiments OF the kind
required.
every poorly. 1t Is because 1t ressts electricity
that physologic and curative effects produced
by electricity passing through it. 1t is the resist
which the body interposes to electricity that
makes it possible to kill persons by it."
DIR. DoREMUs NOT so SURE OF ELECTRICITY.
The reporter found DR.. Doremus in his laboratory
foot of Twonty-sixth street. and in answer to the
question to whether he approved of hanging, he
answered.
"with Abraham Lincoln. I believe that the worst
use to which you can put man is to hang him."
'what would you do with him?"
| "Not hang him."
would you have him despatched by electricity9'
sIwould have him made use of for the benefit Of
science and humanity. would not decide definitely
ON electricity but experiment in various directions
and always OF course with the utmost possible hu-
| mainly. This subject Of substituting something
| else for hanging discussed year ago by the
Legal Society. and one gentleman from Phila
| dephia advocated the of gas There poisons
| that act with electric rapidity and There
is an extract of prussic acid the vapor from drop
| of which produces death iDstan taneously. This q
| chemist has to handle with great care"
..Do you think the OF electricity practicable 2?
at IL TO be feared It would be unprecedented The
| necessary apparatus would have to be large and
powerful to do aud effective work every time II
| might be- employed. In the absence OF any expert
once in that direction cannot positively say how
large how powerful 1t should be for the taking
| of human life'
"What kind Of an instrument would il be?"
II suppose something like what they have at the
Royal Polytechnic Institute, London, q description
| of which is here in this book" Aud the reporter
| quoted the following :-.Length of coil, o 1t. IL
in.; diameter, 2 IT,; weight 10 cwt.. including Az
lbs. OF hard rubber. The core Is feet long and
in diameter. of No. 16 iron wire. The primary coil
consists OF las pounds t3770 yards) OF No. Is wire
| The secondary coil consists of $50 miles Of wire
| Weighing COG pounds. The condenser IL In six
| parts, each containing 125 square feet Of tin foil
With FIVE large Bunsen cells the spark II inches
IN length and with fifty cells this has been increased
| to 20 inches"
| $50 YOU See continued tho Doctor, when the re
| porter had finished the description 1.-THE hangman
or rat the executoner of the future will have
know little about science or some day by mistake
| he may execute himself"
| EXECUTIONS TOO MERCIFUL NOW.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Taking advantage OF the well known impartiality
OF the HERALD in presenting both sides of question
t.l-.