Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-08-24
ELECTRICITY MAY NOT KILL.
CREMATION SHOULD FOLLOW EV.
cry EXECUTION BY THE
LIGHTNING METHOD.

BL OCh ISLAND, IL. l., July OO.-
During a conversation to-day with
a prominent New York physician
and Mr.. II. u. Stevens, fOrmly a
prominent electrician of Boston,
many doubts we're expressed as to
the wisdom of adopting electricity
as means of executing criminals
under death penalty.
The physician strongly expressed
the opinion that there might be an
element of uncertainty as to the
death of the criminal.
Mr.. Stevens related a personal
experience. He was engaged in
making some investigations on an
electric light circuit in Lowell,
Mass, supplying % arc lights Of
1000 candle power each, and, his
foot slipping on his stepladder, he
instinctiyely placed one hand on
the wire to steady himself. He
was unable to recover himself fully
and his forehead touched the wire,
thus sending a current through the
arm and presumably through one
only of the lobes Of the BRAIN
He subsequently remembered the
thought passing through his mind
that he had received such a shock
as to incapacitate him from retain
ing his position, and he impulsive-
ly caughtat the wire with his other
hand. Had he thought once more
he would infinitely have preferred
falling to receiving the full charge
of electricity through his body, but
he grasped the wire with his other
hand, receiving the tull power of
the current and putting out the
lights IN the entire circuit. His
hands, where he grasped the wire,
we're burned to the bone, and he
fell, lying unconscious on dry
ground tor six hoars.
When he was found 1t was dis
covered that the shock had burst
blood vessels in the head, and that
blood had gushed from his nose.
mouth and ears. He was taken to
a hotel, and subsequently to the
hospitable, where no signs Of life
were visible, even to experts. The
same treatment was resorted to,
however, as it is customary to use
with persons apparently drowned,
and after a long time some slight
evidence OF returning conscious.
ness rewarded the efforts of the
attendants. The tongue was then
drawn forward and whiskey poured
into his mouth, where it remained
for long time, not a bubble sp-
Dearing.
Mr.. Stevens says when he began
TO recover consciousness 1t seemed
to him as if he had neither arms
nor legs, but simply a tr unk and
head, and as he remembered moth.
ing of the circumst ances, he con-
nected the aroma of tn Q whiskey
with an idea that he must have
been 10 some way induced to drink
to intoxIcatlon, and had become
the victim of q railroad accident.
He could not for a time be per.
suaded that he had any extremi.
ties until an attendant lifted one Of
his legs, when 1t seemed to him, he
says. as If it was stretched out TO
an infinite distance, the foot being
miles away.
The special interest which the
case has at the present time is the
recent adoption OF the method of
electrical executions by the state
Of New York; and the suggestion
is offered by Mr.. Stevens that if
criminals arc to be executed by
electricity, cremation rather than
burial had better follow, thus avoid.
ing the possible occurrence Of a hor.
rible return to consciousness in the
tomb.