New-York tribune., 1890-08-07
DE1TH BY ELECTRICITY.

DEATH BY ELECTRiCITK
In considering how far electricity as the
agent of the law in the iniliction o. the dea'h
penalty has been proved a success by the eX-
perience in kcmmlers case, we should recall
what was sought 10 be gained by Its use. The
alternative is hanging. No form OF death
which draws blood or discovers the body would
ho tolerated in America The ancient method
of inducing n condemned man to commit suicide
bv drinking poison, while it could probably be
rendered painless is certainly not speedy
method. and its efficacy depends too mach on
the will OF the victim There are only the
two possible methods that our civilization Will
sanction electricity and the rope. II Is Only
because we are so familiar with hanging that
its utterly brutal conditions are tolerated One
onlv needs 10 reflect upon The internal tortuleN
that arc involved in a suspension by the neck
with a tightened rope cutting into the he>h
70 satisfy himself that no suffering cOnld be
profounder or more exquisite than that endured
bv a hanged man. No trick of knot-tyinG or
of sudden and dextcrous jerking has ever been
devised which insureS an instantaneous end.
The chance of this rests upon numerous con
ditions which can never be certainly supplied
To witness the long and desperate struggles
of poor wretch who is undergoing the slow
process Of strangulatiOn is To witness spec
taclc of unspeakabe horror
10 is probable that the spectacle of kcmm-
ler's death was equally dreadful. but il is also
probable that sensation fled al the fist ap-
Droach of the electric current This execution
cannot be regarded as anything more than an
experiment, and as an experiment it was not
| ,lo@, bQ ,,Ip W. V
and neither were the nerves Of those who APP
plicd it. Unless there is something about the
human constitution which supplies an unusual
resistance t. the electric fluid. 10 proper occa-
sion existed for the burning of KcmmlcrS
flesh This has generally, though not always
occurred in accidental deaths from electricity
and the explanation Of it is that the victm
was left for so long time in contact with the
wires. Dogs. sheep, and even cattle. how
ever. have been killed by a current without
this shocking effect, and undoubtedly kcmm-
Ter might have been if only science had definite
" decided the length Of time and the number
of volts necessary to cxtnguiSh human lllc
The fear is that this may differ with different
men and under different conditions, and that
the question of time and power Will never BE-
precisely and invariably fixed. The effects
produced upon KcmmcrS body resulted first
from an attempt to avert them ana then 10
make sure Of the extinction of life.
Unouestionably there were serious defects
in Warden DurstJns mechanical arrange
ments. The switchboard should have been in
the execution room. and the hand of an cN-
perienccd electrician should have directed Ia"
movements of the lever. There should h1vc
been no failure in the development OF a steady
regular current To these two circumstances.
which can, Of course easily be obyiatcd here
after. some Of the horrors of thi> particular
case NAV be a.clibcd. That there will now be
a loud Outciy against the new 10" Is - be-
expected, and probably all sorts oi cXpcd!cnt'
will be resortcd to to prevent another applica-
ton of it, such cxpcdicntS ought not 10 sue
ceed While we cannot consider 1t settled
. hat the law should endure. further tests of
its dcsirahility should be had. These will be
in the interest Of mercy and civilization.
Kcmmler's sufcrings. whatever they may have
! cen. were certainly no greater than he would
have had to endure had he been chokcd T.
death and they were probably infinitely l">>.
! Much Of the cont DrtiOn he went through was
| mechanical and not the result of feeling. and
the probability still remains that II can be
cntilely prevented, and that the apparent re-
suits Of the death-StrOke will suhNlde in an
instant after il has been dealt.