The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-05-24
EXECUTING CRIMINALS.
An Apparatus for Killing Men Without
Pain.

New YORK, May 23.-Mr. Fl. B. Sher.
idan. the patentee of some twenty electri
cal machines and the electrician OF the
Sheridan Electrical Company, has applied
for a patent for what he term, an improved
device Tor executing criminals condemned
TO death. He accompanied hts applica-
ton 10y an assignment transferring TO the
Government the right to use his invention
He also intends TO give it to all foreign
governments that may desire Il. The Pat
ent Office returned the assignment to him,
saying that II had no power TO receive
II, and telling him to seek out
the proper authority. Mr. Sheridan's
device Is d method OF causing instanta-
neOus death without pain to the criminal
and without dis6guring his body. 1t con.
sists OF an ordinary arm chair, with legs
containing some substance which will insll-
late the body OF the chair from the floor.
The arms end in two brass knobs, on
which the hands OF the criminal will rest.
The chair has foot-r on which Ia fitted
brass plate, The back OF the chair is as
high ds mans shoulders. At the top is
small knob with a hole for apeg. The pos
tive wire Ola
DINAMo-ELECTRIC MACHINE
runs up the back of the chair and ends
in the knob. The negative
wire runs TO a resistance coil
under the chair and thence to the brass
plate In the foot-rest. Another positive
wire runs to one OF the brass knobs on the
arms Of the chair and a second negative
wire TO the other knob. The wires can be
connected with machine miles away by
conducting wires. The chair is in condition
TO be used In two ways, as the two sets of
wires are not operated together. IL the
foot rest wire Is used some preparation IL
needed, A small silken collar is fitted
tightly on the neck OF the criminal. II has
on the inside, at the back, small brass
button which fits closely against the
spinal process. Ii 10 connected
with a small silk cable which hangs
loosely and ends In brass peg. The
collar is put on the criminal in his cell In
the same manner Ms the moose end
used In hangings. He Is then brought out
with feet barred, and is seated In the chair.
Straps fasten his arms 10 the chair arms
and his legs to the chair. The brass peg Of
the silk cable Is inserted In the hole In the
brass knob at the back Of the chair and is
there held bya screw. The bare feet OF
the criminal rest on the brass plate of the
foot-rest. The circuit would now be COM
plete were II not that the positive wire ia
broken at u short distance from the chair.
Connection can he established at once bv
turning switch, or by pressing the but
ton, The full charge OF electricity
ENTERS THE CRIMINALS BODY
at the spinal cord, and passes
out at his feet. The resistance
coil which II meets under the
chair aggrayaes It's force, and prevents it
from inluring the dynamo machine on Its
return. The criminal is killed instantan-
eorsly and without pain, as the electricity
acts much NOR" quickly than the nerves Of
sensation. The second method OF using
the chair is to discharge the current into
the palms OF the hands through the large
brass knobs ~ In this case ano collar il
needed, and the subject need not he bare
footed. In either case all the wires and
apparatus excepting the small collar would
be out Of sight and the criminal would see
nothing but an ordinary chair The sheriff
could give q signal, the eXccutioncr could
complete the circuit and the criminal s
death result instantly and painlcssly. Mr.
sheridan believes this method Of executing
condemned criminals for more humane
than by the often bungling use Of the moose
and scaffold.