Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-07
PRESIDENT CELMAN RESIGNS
A Batch of Political Events of
Present Interest.
THE LATEST FROM CENTRAL AMeRlc,
SHALL WE KEMMLERIZE.
A New Phase OF the Discussion of
Electrocution Begins.

l.Ou
ond between 1,500 and 1000. Electrician
Barnes. who in the dynamo room,
SAID to one of the physicians in attendance
yesterday that at no time the voltage more
than 400 and that it fell frequently to 800
Dr Daniels of Buffalo. who performed the
delicate work of removing the brain and spinal
cord OF the dead man at the autopsy. has gone
home, taking with him parts of the spinal cord
and other specimens for experiment Ii ia
learned today for the first time that
IN the consultation of the doctors Tuesday
night Warden Durston made a proposition
TO hold the execution at = O'Clock that night,
but 1t was determined by vote of those pres
ent that it would be better to hold il in the
daytime. Wardon Durs:on stated to United
Press representative this afternoon that the
remains Of kemmler still lie in the room in
the prison where the autopsy was held yester-
day. He has not decided where the remains
will be finally buried
NO DISPOSITION OF THK BODY.
Warden Durston stated this afternoon that
the remains of Kemmler still lie in the
room in the prison where the autopsy
was held yesterday He has not decided
where the remains will be finally buried
Dr. Daniels of Buffalo. who performed the
delicate work of removing the brain and spinal
cord OF the dead man at the autopsy. has gone
home, taking with him parts of the spinal cord
and other specimens for experiment.
THE FATHER OF ELEoIRooUTIoN SPEAKS.
BUFFALO, NY, August 7.-Dr. A. P. South
wick, father Of the electrical execution Law.
said today in an interview: Il feel lust as |
have always felt on the matter. There is moth
ing against the system at ALL and the fact is
there has been a great deal of senseless,
sensatonai talk about the execu-
tion. For instance, the big story in
regard to the sickening spectacle of froth,
saliva, &c.. coming from Reminders mouth is
ridiculous. 1t was perfectly natural thing
and was caused by the muscular contraction of
the stomach. 1t was nothing unusual at all.
In fact a party of ladies could sit in a
room where an execution of this
KIND was going on and not see any
thing repulsiye whatever. If the mistake of
ordering OH the current so quickly had not
been made there would have been none of this
talk. The burning of the flesh was also ex-
sggerated. That was caused simply by the
1act that the sponge under the electrode was
too small A light current was passing
through then, and the sponge having dried
out, the electrode just touched the skin. /
think kemmler's nerve affected those there as
much as anything. 1t looked to me, though. as
an evidence of mental incapacity. He seemed
to be without fear, and helped to adjust the
straps In way that was simply astonishing.
No, sir. / do not consider that this will be the
last execution by electricity There will be lots
OF them. 1t has been proved that the idea is
correct and think that the law is the best
one. The execution was a success Kemmler
never knew what happened to him and died
absolutely without pain.
APPROVES OF ELEcrRIcITY.
NEW YORK, August deputy Coroner VIM
T. Jenkins returned to this city today after
having witnessed the Kemmler execution. He
said that he believed that if the current had
been kept on continuously Kemmler would
have have died easily. He did not know
current shut off after the first shock when it
was thought that life was extinct. He thinks
killing is preferable by electricity than by
hanging, providing the current is continuous
until life is extinct.
WHAT THEY SAT- IN NEW YORK
New YORK, August 7.-Dr. Spitzka, who was
present at the execution Of VIM. Kemmler at
Auburn prison yesterday. makes the following
statement: ''The aspersion attributed to a ply
sician from Buffalo that the undersigned or
dered currents stopped or in any way directed
the steps rendered necessary at the Kemmler
execution Is utterly unfounded No one in the
execution chamber knew or could know any,
thing about the voltage nor did any one order
the current turned off. 1t was turned off in
accordance with a previous understanding.
DIR. Carlos Macdonald and myself between
whom and myself complete harmony existed),
in being asked by the warden what time should
be taken, agreed to fifteen seconds. and actually
seventeen were allowed to elapse. When
hemmlers death appeared doubtful suggested
in a hurried way to the warden to have it IN
stantly turned on again and it was the warden
who gave the order then and there.
Il went to Auburn solely to make the exam
lnatlon OF the brain and not as an assistant ex-
ecutioner. The dynamo, as judged by the ac-
ton OF Reminders body, acted very irregularly
Thesource of this it will be interesting to ascer-
tain well as the animus which dictated the
gratuitous and untrue statements of the person
alluded to- if really made by him. As an ayowed
opponent and as one known to be such, of the
electrical method, / went to Auburn, Under
these circumstances it was scarcely consistent
for me to volunteer as a performer Of that
method. Had either my associate, DIR. Carlos
Macdonald, or myself been able to anticipate
such misstatements being made, we certainly
should have declined to act in the medical
capacity which we alone held. My sole sugges-
tion, conceded with by all present-the turn
ing on of the second current-was dictated by
humanity in view Of doubts as to complete de-
struction Of life.
Respectfully, E. C. SrIrzKA"
WHAT BOSTON SAYS.
BosroN, MASS, August THE morning
papers comment on Kemmlers electrocution a.
follows:
The Globe: The killing of criminals by cleo
vestigation shall fully establish the truth Of
the sickening story that comes from the prison
there will never be another legal killing by
electricity in this or any other country.
The Journal: The relative humanity of the
new method as compared with the old must
turn upon the question whether the prisoner
was conscious during the delay. The physi-
clans present are agreed that there was no suf-
fering after the first shock, and il they are cor
rect in that opinion the experiment. may per-
haps be regarded as measurably successful,
though the results are hardly such as to war
rant q general adoption of the new method
The Advertiser: 1t was sought by the new law
to provide for the instant death Of the criminal
ct q time and in a manner which would rob an
execution of the morbid sensationalism which
attended death on the gsllows. In respect
to the criminal the law was successful .
But al regards the effect Of its operation upon
society il was successful only in 30 far as il
kept from the scene Of death Q large number
of spectators. In all other essential respects
ii was o failure.
The Herald says that there has been, perhaps,
no person under capital sentence in modern
times who has passed through such an ordeal
of mental suffering a. has kemmler. He has
had to pass through repeated periods Of elation
and depression; has had to prepare TO meet
death aud then to find the work Of preparation
90 that in his the terrors Incl
dent TO capital punishment have been trebly
intensified. This was altogether due 10 the en-
tirely uncalled-for interference of certain COM
panies engaged in the manufacture VI electrical
apparatuA