The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-08-15

| Jue ihlti bWlJCu. Il 0eTb WAS uulCk
convulsivo start Of the bound figure in
the chair, little squeaking sound of
istraining straps, breathless watchers
with every sense bent upon the move
less wretch bound head, hand and
foot, and no sound save bird song in
/ the bright sunshine outside the wind
lows.
After that oolvulsive start that
marked that stroke of lightning upon
Kemmler, there was no movement of
muscle nor twitching of nerve. The
features, from bridge of nose TO chin,
seemed to have pursed up as those
of one facing the sleety storm or of
one breasting powerful dust-bearing
wind.
But was it DEATH Who should sayi
No man of science dared near his ear
to the heart within the rigid figure
| there. The vicious virus from the
machines iron loins was yet flowing
through the man so lately speaking,
moving there. The law demanded
| that the current of electricity should
be maintained against his vitals until
death should come. But who should
tell when death had come.
And so they watched and listened
in the silent room, five, ten, fifteen,
seventeen seconds The time was very
short, but to each one there it seemed
like the span of an hour.
THE CURRENT SHUT OFF.
"There, that's enough; take off the
current" said the warden's chosen
physicians, Macdonald and Spitzka,
and the warden passed a word within
the adjoining room, where some one
had let on the current and where the
same one cut it off
Then Dr.. Spitzka and other doctors
came about and dented the flesh with
their fingers and watched the play of
white and red upon withdrawal. In
that supreme shock the murders fist
had become so clenched IN the convul-
sion that the nail of the fore-6nger had
dug into the base of the thumb. Mean
while button pressed in the secret
room had signaled the stopping of the
dynamo.
Happiest of all in the room was DR..
Southwic of Buffalo, the father of
eleotrcizing in capital cases and who
has been studying aud working upon
the subject since 1881.
"There," he exclaimed as he strobe
away from the chair to knot of wit
nesses at the other end of the room,
"there is the culmiuation of tea years
work aud study. We live in higher
civilization for this day.
A SCENE OF HORROR.
But even while he spoke, a sharp
| cry went up from those closely watch
ing about the bent figure in the chair.
| Then m )ans of horrer from strong
men who looked. There had been, as
they closely scaunei "a movement in the
breast of the man whom all believed
had died one minute aud forty seven
seconds before, The doctor and eject
tricians could scarce at first believe
their eyes were true, but doubt was
banished quickly, for there was another
movement accompanied by sudden
lgasp, and then the breast began to
heave with long, deep, stertorous res
piratious.
Then went forth the Cry Of sicken-
ing horror at the spectacle of man
half killed under the operation of the
law. "Start the currant, start the cur
rent again." shouted DR.. Spitzka.
Others cried out likewise to have the
narrowing scene brought to close.
: All crowded about the chair and
, watched the laboring wretch whose
: breast, despite the broad, tight bandl
: about him, was rising and falling will
strong force Slightly foaming salivs
was exuded from the mouth, the en-
tire body racked In the Efforts of the
. organs to resume their functions and
!, deep fear fell upon some lest conscious
J., ness should return.
d Meantime G. G. Balm, of Washing
e ton D. c., had tainted and lay upon ;
n bench, where he was being famed.
h This specta Gle was continued fror
le 6.45 until CAT o'clock. Then ther
Is came again to the frail figure with
4, the chair and Its bands another shocl
le under which the straps were straine
s. again. The lungs, however, file
X again and again while the current W,
IN pouring through the unconscious bod
IN The warden and his electrical help
were anxious beyond measure aud tV
n and aquarter minutes after the curreI
ne had been reapphed the switch W
de opened and shut rapidly two time
ed Each time the body in the chair W
ss lifted by the shock, as though one 81
M ting should be suddenly pricked {
us burned at the elbows and unfit Il
so shoulders with such suddeness as
'as lift the body we'll nigh clear. I'll
IN shoulders lifted TO the level of the TO
of the ears and the features contract
lc- as described.
u.s. THE BODY ON FIRE.
er- The re-application of the currel
ng was continued from 6 495 to g.
ell, O'Clock, inteI mitted twice at the swift
,he as described. At 6.5l A. M. anoth
es, groan of dismay was heard near t
nd chair, and smoke was observed curlil
uff up from Kemmler's back
"He's burning!" shouted one.
Gut off the curreut" cried anoth'
for ''He's dead; there's no use keepi
elf. up the current longer said some o
i'm. else.
md Again the warden gave the sigr
ms to open the switch, aud the body
eat the chair, surcharged with four distil
ard shocks that had been given it develc
vas ed no further movement.
nd "He's unquesiionably dead" 50
nth DR.. Macdonald, "and he would ncS
our have moved after the spasm of the fl
AXE shock had the current we had be
in maintained twenty seconds, ami
in time with a stronger current.