The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-08-15

to this moment, came hurrledly orwar
and surrounded the chdptA There was no
movement in the hody beyond that
of the first %convulsion. As
the tenth second expired, DIR.
Spitzka cried out "Stop!" The ward II
stepped to the door aud called out /" Stop
to the man at the lever. AS the electric
current was shut off there was a slight re.
taxation of the form in the chair, aud the
| quiet little group surrounding it became
business like. Doctors Spitzka aud Me.
Donald declared him dead. and the rest Of
the witnesses eA>e-& sheir acquiescence.
There was no es...,sn 10 the minds of any
but that the upright object before their
was dead. The body was just about to be
taken out of the chair when DIR. Batch.
who was examining it, exclaimed: DIR.
Mcdonald, see that rupture" In a mo-
ment Spitzka and Mcdonald had bent
over, and looking where DIR. Batch was
pointing to q little red spot on the hand
that rested on the arm of the chair. The
index finger Of the hand had curved back
ward as the fiex or muscles had contracted
and had scraped a small hole in the skin
of the base of the thumb. There was
nothing strange in this alone, but what
was strange was that the little rupture was
bleeding.
"Turn the Current un Instantly; This Ma
Is Not Dead"
cried DIR. Spitzka. Faces grew white. and
as the form fell back in the chair Warden
Dnrston sprang to the doorway and cried,
Turn on the current" But the current
could not be turned on. When the signal
to stop had come the operator pressed the
little button which gave the sign to the
engineer to stop the dynamo.
!. Most Sickening Sight.
The dynamo was almost at Il standstill.
The operator sprang to the button and
gave q quick signal. There was a rapid
response, but quick as it was it was not
quick enough to stop the signs of what
ma not have been revlviDg consciousness.
stood helplessly by, all eyes fixed on
the chair. Reminders lips began 10
drip spittle, and in a moment
more his chest began to heave and
from his mouth came a heavy, %stentorious
sound, quickening with every respiration.
There was no voice, but that of the warden,
crying to the operator to turn on the cur
rent. The wheeling sound aud half groans
which were forced pust the tightly closed
lips, sounded through the still chamber
With CHASTITY d%istinctness. Some of the
witnesses turned away from the sight. One
of themlay down, faint and sick. 1t takes a
long, long time, to tell the story. 1t
seemed a long time in reaching the climax.
In reality there were but seventy-thre
seconds in the interval which passed be-
tween the moment when the first sound
issued from Reminders lips until the re-
Spouse to the signal came from the
dynamo. 1t came with a suddenness that
had marked the first shock which passed
through Kemmler's body. The sound
which had Mortified the listeners about the
chair was Ont OFF sharply as the body be-
came more rigid. Shiny ooze still dripped
and onto his gray vest. Twice there were
twitchings of the body as the electricians in
the next room threw the current off and on.
There was no mistake this time about
killing.
The autopsy was begun at 8 o'clock and
was in charge of DIR. Jenkins, of New York.
On examination of the body it was found
that very severe rigor mortis had set in,
There was little relaxation, and it was with
difficulty that the corpse was Strengthened
out. 1t was found that the second clec.
trode had burned through the skin aud
into the flesh at the base of the spine,
making a scar FIVE inches in diameter.
The heat, lungs and other organs were
taken out and were found to be in q good,
healthy condition. They will be preserved
for future examination. The brain wal
also taken out and it, too, will be fully
examined.