The Osceola times., 1883-07-07
DEATH IN An ARM CHAIR.
How Mr.. shcr,dan Proposes 10 Get Con
siemne,l Criminals out of the Way.
n. Y. sun.

demned Criminals out Of the Way.
n. Y. sun.
Mr.. II. B. Sheridan, the patentee of
some twenty electrical machines and the
electrician of the Sheridan Electric COM
pany, has applied for a patent for what
o he terms IAN improved device for execut-
ing criminals condemned to DEATH He
accompanied his application by an as
signment transferring to the government
the right to use his invention. He also
intends to give it to all foreign govern
ments that may desire it. The Patent
office returned the assignment to him,
saying it had no power to receive it, and
telling him to seek out the proper
authority.
Mr. Sheridan's device is method of
causing instantaneous death without pain
to the criminal, and without dis6guring
his body. 1t consists of an ordinary
arm chair with lugs containing some
substance which will insnlate 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
a foot rest on which is fitted brass
plate. The back OF the chair is as high
az mans shoulders. At the top is a
small knob with hole for peg. The
positive wire Of a dynamo-electric ma
chine runs up the back OF the chair, and
ends in the knob. The negative wire
runs to resistance coil under the chair,
ard 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 second negative wire TO the
other knob. The wires can be connect
ed with machine miles away by con-
Quoting wires.
The chair is in condition TO be used in
two ways, as the two sets of wires are
not operated together. If the foot-rest
wire is used some preparation is 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 pro-
cess. Ii is connected with a small silk
cable, which hangs loosely and ends in a
brass peg This collar is put on the
criminal in his cell in the same manner
as the moose end used in hangings. He
is then brought out with feet barred, and
is seated in the chair. Straps iasten his
arms to the chair legs. 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 by screw The bare
feet of the criminal rest on the brass
plate of the foot rest. The circuit would
now he complete were it not that the
positive wire is broken at n short dis
tance from the chair. Connection can
he established at once by turning a
switch, or by pressing a button. The full
charge OF electricity enters the criminals
body at the spinal chord and passes out
at his feet. The resistance coil, which
it meets under the chair, aggravates its
force, and prevents it from injuring the
dynamo machine on its return. The
criminal is killed instantaneously and
without pain, az the electricity acts much
more quickly than the nerves of sensa-
ton.
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 ease no collar is needed,
and the subject need not be barefoot. 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 signal the executioner to
turn the switch, or he could press a but
ton in the floor, and in second all would
be over.
Mr.. Sheridan says that he invented
this machine in the interest of humanity,
and that he gives the invention to the
government, as he does not wish to make
any money out OF it. He sa that there
is no possibility of its failing to do its
work quickly and well. 1t will prevent
all such dreadful scenes as the struggles
of Cornetti at White Plains. Mr. Sheri-
dan says that he will manufacture one
of his arm chairs at once and get il in
full working order. He intends to have
a bill introduced in the Legislature next
fall authorizing its use