New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-20
SOME STRANGE SENSATIONS
WITNESSES IN THE KEMMLER CASE,
THEY TELL HOW LIGHTNING AND ELECTRICITY
FEEI-KNocKING THE FILLING OUT OF

THEY TELL HOW LIGHTNING AND ELECTRICITY
YEEL-KNocKING THE FILLING OUT OF
TEETH AND pELTING WITH BRICKS.
The last witness to testify for the relator I'm this
CITY took the stand in the Kemmler reference case
Yesterday and next week the commonwealth VIII oc-
cupy several days with its evidence The proceedings
Yesterday were in the nature OF tale OF horrors,
for nearly all the witnesses described their experiences
with lightning and other electric shocks. Their &C
counts of their sensations while the bolt or current
was passing through them, and while they were 10
covering the use of their muscles and faculties easily
convinced the listener that the pain caused by cleo
tricity Is certainly most excruciatng.
The first witness was Alfred West, brcklayer. of
No AL West Forty seventh-s who testified to having
been struck by lightning in june $780, while stand
inp with two companions under tree at Fort Lee,
N 7 He heard the thunderbolt and the next moment
was living unconscious twenty feet away. When he
recovered his senses he heard somo one pronounce him
dead, but he gradually grew better The bolt had
struck him on the chest, and had burned place TWO
inches wide down his right side and leg tearing on
his shoe. His watch was found lying some twenty
five feet away. At first his left arm was drawn up
under his chin and both his legs were paralyzcd, but
This soon wore off and Mr.. West able to ask for
and enjoy glass of Jersey lightning cup OF tea
and a piece OF pie lie was In bed three weeks on
account Of his burns
n Carpenter smith, OF Philadelphia, who has had
fourteen years experience as an electrical engineer
next told of an interesting encounter that he had with
electricity which in his was generated by artl-
fetal means. Through carelessness he ailo"ed MIN
self to become part of the circuit OF an alternating
current of about 900 volts but was not made I'M
conscious IIc described his sensations as feeling
that all the filing was being knocked rom MS teeth'
and that he was peltcd with number Oh Dncks. no
received some burns on his hands where they had been
in contact with the dynamo, but otherwise had re-
covered from the shock in few hours lie lau hsu
four or five shocks from the fun force OF an a''rnaps
current Of 1000 volts and had many times received
shocks of less intensity. Tie strongest current nc
had ever had pa..ed through him was ohs vi aooui
900 volts which was OF the continuous MIL h hn
Workrren in electric light works received many
hnt eidor allowed them to interfere with their WORK:
He had never seen man killed by eiectncy' Due hao
rea pr oi Aired L. IoomIs Of No 10 West Thirty
81 was called on testify that he knew OF no curre
now generated by ARTIFICIAL means d instsntaneousW
and then benjamin D.. Acker, OF the Keystone Len.
ana rowe man stn,osed to have been killed by cleo
tcIty. Who afterwari came to lie again This man,
nn Which he stood was damp, received the fun cur
fe to iG he earth dragging The wire With him and was
moi rescued for or eight mlntcs MS iaco VIZ
Derp snre that he was dead. In short while how
ever he began TO breathe, and IN leW nous Wa
up
tbis case as In several others testified 10 py ouler
winesses the burns extended under the SKIN seVeral
inches the only outward signs Of them being az me
snots where the current entered and leit ue panl,
MIR Acker had himself received several Strong shOShs
and had Seen many other men receive theui' for
him As for Mr. smith, electric snock had no giea
ierrprs as he had many persons reserve ,hcn
with but momentary effects, except Tor the shght
burns. - 100 - . ~ .,,,,a and
fourtepntI-st who Is employed a. an insloe iheman
bv me Manhattan Electric Light Company hed up
Two badly burned hands mute witnesses 70 the pa
mi effects of an electric shock Last TUESDAY, WINE
in the works of the company, Mr. Maekin slipped anu
fel with Doth hands on a Fort Wayne Jenn'c'
dynamo which giving current OF zoo volts'
~ did not lose cOnsciOusncss.' said the WITNESS,
" but felt that terrible vibration pass ng through my
body and made up my mind that was gong 10 see
The angels. | felt as II something Inside me r WaS
going 10 burst when some one turned OF IN. sWiIcn
and relieved me from my torture air. MackH ;
fingers were so badly burned that he VIII DO uhaoio
TO 20 10 work for some time: ., 1....,,,
nc last witness examined was lMdwlg Gntmann,
an electrical engineer also In the employ o. The Masl
haitian COMPANY He testified 10 the strength OF ms
rurrent which burned Mackln and also to the proDaoie
voltage of the current which the dog Dash, wnose
story was told al the reference case several Gay ;
AGO received. Dash 10 all appearances Nlled Dy
the shock witch according 10 Mr.. Gutmann, must
have had an electro motive force of 500 or 900 VOLTS
and then came TO life again.
'"v The hearing was then adjourned untl 10 a. M on
day