Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-06-07
WILL DIE pA1NLES,
PREPARATIONS FOR Exr,,
KEAiMLER, AT AURI,pS ING

y" e"e Chair n,
ber Cap, the Metal-soled 81, The
Other Apparatus. ''"'es
New York special,
The proceedings on the dav -
to death Kemmler, the musd u, 9D'
is to be executed by electricity ct
SO far as they are at present ~ "a, Az
will be as follows: On whatevera ma
shall be decided upon in thu VINO MOI
execution the prisoner will ba se 70
and whatever opportunity hs ao noi
religious consolation and fareW oS,se
will be given him. These oyar
fore the hour fixed upon for tba > ,JJ JUS
the officers will enter his ceu cAee
death warran. will be read. Ill., 10
will then be removed, and a n ,i,s
bling regular army brogans viii l ba
tuted. In the sole of these ths,
have been inserted a metal plate eos
the whole sole, and connecting WIN; sls
passing out through the heels III
one officer is making this ch.,
shoes another will fasten t%a
oner's hands together in A'
and will place around
body, just beneath the armnits
leather strap, with a buckle fasta,
in front, and snap hooks proiect;naa
each side at the back. Anothar.
will place upon the back OF the nr r;
head a peculiar close-fitting can
emily of black rubber, made p,,g
small metal piece in the center
look somewhat as if made by tai!
rubber football, and with meta,
the hole for center, cutting OF n
of the ball into sort of hood tn
will tit over almost the whole OF the
from the base OF the brain to we'll w.
the forehead. Inside of it, in the
about the metal piece, will he snir
rangement of copper wire, aboa.
inches in diameter, and made 10 fl
over the part Of the head that 4
cover. The wires, just before the
| placed on the prisoners head, vi
covered with sponge saturated will
water.
While these arrangements are bein
on the prisoner will be sitting on i
in his cell. This chair, not dlt}erind
parently from an ordinary one, but y
is being made especially for the nun
will be connected with wires lea,hl
another room, and the prisoner sittj}
the chair will without knowing it be
| jected to current of electricity too
to be felt, but heavy enough to d
expert electrician in the other roor|
exact measurement, by the use Of WI
known as the Milestone bridge" d
electrical resistance of the man. Th1
take only an instant, and will be dop]
fore the officers have the prisoner /
to leave the cell.
From the cell the procession will
much as now to the execution room, i
the deputies and other persons perm
by law to witness the execution vii
waiting.
Near the center of the room. raised
small platform about eight inches d
the floor, will be chair, made some
like large reclining chair. The
straight frame that forms the slaI
back will be of hardwood pieces.
inches square, and will be long enoul
that if q seven-foot man should lie B
chair his head would rest upon the
The seat and arms will bI
plain wood and without any 4
iarities. The upper part of the
frame on each side will be
with slot, in which will slide baci
forth a small arrangement with ri
the top and n thumbscrew beneath
rings are to receive the hooks in the
of the belt about the mans body, al
screws are to fasten the arrangeme
place at the spot where the ring
meet the hooks, which will vary &C
ing to the height of the prisoner
front of the chair will be a foot
something like those in BARRIERS
except that the top portion, instead G
ing fixed, will be balanced on ply
permit it to dip front or back, SO tia
feet will lie firmly upon it. This '
foot-rest will be arranged to slide
ward and forward, and to be SCI
with screw at the point where The
oner's feet will rest upon it.
From the ceiling over the back 0
chair and over the foot rest will dangl
flexible wires, like those from whichs
electric lights swing. On the wall a
side will be small round dial alta
to brass instrument. A hand upcl
dial will indicate the intensity OF
current that will pass over the VI
Near it on the wall will be small do
pole switch, brass instrument simil
the familiar switches used to shut {
let on the current wherever electric
used, but designed especially to she
q glance whether the current is oil o
in order to prevent accidents which
| lessness in handling the apparatus Il
bring about. This will be all Of thu
paratus apparent in the room.
The prisoner, Immediately upon 81
ing the room, will be led to the char
IN moment will be pushed back in
the hooks in the belt about the
slipped into the rings in the chair
there fastened in place by the turn
screws. At the same moment his
will be raised, the foot-rest Sill
under them and fastened by
OF the screw, and a strap on
Of the rest will be buckled tightly
his ankles. In another moment the
dangling wires will be fastened, Oh
the metal at the center Of the back Of
cap and the other to the metal connei
on the heel of each shoe. A black
will be pulled over tho face of the
oner, the officers will stand well
from the chair. and at a signal the es
TONER at the switch will turn on the
rent, the volume of which has previo
been adjusted to suit the resistant
the prisoner. as shown by the test IL
cell.
Only the experience of Joseph Ael
Ter can certainly tell what will hal
then, but if the confidence OF tho'
charge or the efficiency of the appa'
is we'll founded, at the instant tnl
switch is touched there will be !
stitfening Of the prisoners body, a a. !,
quivering of the limbs, life WILL IN
for bare instant, like the needle
ylyrt he H. Il so1n