Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-26


The man will die in his chair with the
death-dealing belt about his body.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArCH.i
NEW YORK, May 25.-The preparations
for the xii ling of Joseph Kemmler at Auburn
during the week beginning June "a are pro-
crossing favorablY. The proceedings on the
day of execution, so far as they are at pres
ent arranged, will be as follows: On what
ever morning shall be decided upon in the
week of the execution the prisoner will be
mott fed, and whatever opportunity he de-
sires for religious consolation and farewell
words will be given him. These over, just
before the hour fixed upon for the execution,
the officers will enter his cell and the death
warrant will be read.
His shoes will then be removed and
pair resembling regular army brogans will
be substituted. In the sole of these there
will nave been inserted a metal plate, cover
ing the whole sole, and connecting with
wires passing out through the heels. While
one officer is making this change of shoes
another will
together in front and will place around his
body, just beneath the arm pits, stout
leather strap with buckle, fastening it in
front, and snap hooks, projecting from each
side, at the back. Another officer will place
upon the back of the prisoners head a pc
culiar close fitting cap, apparently of black
rubber, made around o small metal piece
in the center. 1t will look somewhat as if
made by taking a rubber football, with a
metal cap at the holeffor center, cutting
off the end of the ball into sort of hood.
The cap will fit over almost the whole of
the head, from the base of the brain to we'll
toward the forehead. Inside of it, in the
center, about the metal piece, will be
spiral arrangement OF copper wire about five
inches in diameter, made to fit over the
part of the head that it will cover. The
wires, just before the cap is placed on the
prisoners head, will be covered with
sponge saturated with salt water.
TESTING HIS RESISTANCE.
While these arrangements are being put
on the prisoner will be sitting on chair in
his cell. This chair, not differing apparent
ly from an ordinary one, but which is being
made especially for the purpose, will be
connected with wires leading to another
room, and the prisoner, sitting in the chair,
will, without knowing it, be subjected to |
current of electricity too light to be felt, but |
heavy enough to give an expert electrician |
in the other room an exact measurement by |
the use of what is known as the Whitestone |
bridge, of electrical resistance of the man.
From the cell the procession will be much |
the same as now to the execution room |
where the deputies and other persons per-
mitted by law to witness the execution |
will be waiting. Near the center of the |
room, raised upon small platform about |
eight inches above the floor will be q large |
chair. The long, straight frame |
that forms the slanting back will be of hard |
wood pieces, three inches square, and will be |
long enough so that if seven-foot man
should lie in the chair his head would rest |
upon the back. The seat and arms will be of |
plain wood and without any peculiarities.
THE FATAL CHAIR.
The upper part of the back frame on each
side will be fitted with slot, in which will |
slide back and forth a small arrangement
with ring at the top and thumb screw
beneath. The rings are to receive the hooks
in the back of the belt about the mans
body, and the screws are to fasten the ar
in place at the spot where the
rings will meet the hooks, which will vary
to the height of the prisoner. In
thing like those in barber's shop, except
that the top proportion, instead of being
fixed, will be balanced upon pivot to per-
NIT it to dip front or back, so that the feet
will lay firmly upon it. This whole foot
rest will be arranged to slide backward and
forward and to be secured with screw at
the point where the prisoners feet will rest
upon it.
From the ceiling over the back of the chair
and over the front rest will dangle two hex-
ble wires like those from which small cleo
.ric lights swing. On the wall at one side
will be small round dial, attached to a
brass instrument. A hand upon the dial
will indicate the
INTENSITY OF THE CURRENT
hat will pass over the wires Near it on
he wall will be small double-pole switch
This is a brass instrument, similar to the
amiliar switches used to shut off or let on
the current wherever electricity is used,
out designed especially TO show at glance
whether the current is off or on, in order to
prevent accidents which carelessness in
handling the apparatus might bring
apparatus apparent in the room.
The prisoner, Immediately upon enter
ng the room, will be led to the chair, and
n a moment will be pushed back into it, the
looks in the belt about his body slipped
nto the rings in the chair and there fastened
q place by the turn of the screws. At the
anne moment his feet will be raised, the
oot rest slipped under them and fastened BY
turn of the screw, and strap on top Of
he rest will be buckled tightly over his
nkles.
In another moment the two dangling wires
7ill be fastened, one to the metal at the GEN.
er of the back of the cap, and the other to
be metal connection on the heel of each i
hoe. A black cloth will be pulled over
he face of the prisoner, the officers will
tand we'll back from the chair, and at a
ignal the executioner at the switch will
urn on the current, the volume of which
as previously been adjusted to suit the re-
istance of the prisoner, shown by the test '
n the cell. The intention is to use current (
1000 volts-the same, it is said, as that !
sed in the Westinghouse street lighting
ystem.