Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-05-25
Very Sudden Death.
Thai Prepared for Criminals in
New York.
QUICK WORK BY THE LIGHTNING

All the Penitentiaries To Be Provided
with Dynamos-The Condemned Man
Sem Hence in the I5O,h Part of a Sec
Don't Step in-Description of the Dread
fnl Process.
NEW YORK, May 24-At the recent ses-
sion OF the state legislature a law was passed
Tor the execution of criminals by electricity,
and preparations for supplying the three states
prisons with electrical apparatus for that
purpose are now vigorously going ahead
ten. Austin Lathrop, the superintendent Of
state prisons, says there seems to be world
wide interest in the execution of criminals by
electricity. The first prisoner to be executed
under the new law, unless the courts inter
tere, viii be Kemmeler, a Buffalo murderer,
who has been sentenced to die by an electric
stroke in the week of June 81 Bef re that
date the electrical apparatus will have been
delivered at three prisons
The Laws Delay Anticipated
But Superintendent Lathrop does not ex-
pect Il at the first execution under the new
method will take place during the week of
June 3s Lawyers usually appeal to the
higher courts in cases of sentences for muir
der, lie said yesterday, "and I hear that q
stay OF proceedings will be asked in this case,
which the courts, as usual, will grant. We
may not have any execution under the new
law, therefore, before next year"
The Death-Dealing Machines.
There mas been considerable discussion in
electri ,al circles as to what kind of a machine
would be best suited for electrical execu-
tlons The contract for supplying the pris-
ons at Auburn, Sing Sing and Clinton with
machines was let by Superintendent Iathrop
to Harold z. Brown, the electrical engineer
at 40 Wall street, some time ago, Mr.. Brown
contra ,ting to furnish the three for IS, 100
Mr. Brown has decided that the alternating
current machine Of the Westinghouse Elec-
trlc co npany is the most effective, and has
bought three of them. after exhaustive ex-
periments with the different apparatus on
animals.
Strength of the Current
In executing criminal current of 1000
volts will be used. 1t has been found that
less than 200 volts would be sufficient but
the lar ger number will be employed to pro-
vide for all contingencies If a much stronger
current were sent through man the BODY
would be burned. The criminal is sentenced
to be executed at some time in given week.
tie wa den or superintendent to fix the day
and hour. At the appointed time, which is
fixed without the knowledge of the con-
demned man, the warden, sheriff and his as
sistants enter the cell and bind the mans
hands before him.
Dead in an Instant.
pair of shoes, in the soles of which are
the meral plates covered with sponges, which
form an electrode, and cap containing the
other electrode, are then put on him. He is
placed n a large reclining oak chair, to which
he is securely fastened The wires from the
dynam rs are then connected with the cleo
trodes mt the head and feet, the sheriff touches
the button, and in the 150th part of a second
the criminal is dead.
The Fatal shock Described.
The alternating current sends $50 positive
and the same number of negative beats from
the dynamo every second. Although one
negative and one positive current produce
death, The electricity is not turned off for
from fifteen to thirty seconds, to prevent any
of the phenomena of reflex action When
the frs shock passes through the body all
the mus Scles become rigid, and if the current
is at once checked they will gradually relax.
the limbs VIII be convulsed, and groans will
be uttered. While these manifestations are
not accompanied by pain on the part of the
criminal, it seems humane to avoid even the
appearance of torture the current is kept
up until the muscles relax, this taking about
five seconds Then the cap and shoes have
only t. be removed and the body is ready
for bur ial.