Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-08-14

W. Il AuHs NV fsAc o.
m. district attorney Quimby left the
prison and announced that Kemmler
had been executed at 7:05 a. m.
With a short sharp shOck-painless,
so far as the world will ever know-the
soul of William Kemmler was seperat-
ed from his body at $40 o'clock this
morning. A cup adjusted to the head
ola man bound captive in a strange
looking chair, lever quickly swung
around the arc Of a semi-circle, a quick
convulsion, a sudden revival of mus
cular action, another turn of the lever,
a pause, a room filled with sickening
fumes-and q witnesses Of ...
THE FIRST ELECTRICIDE IN HISTORY
Knew that the death of Tillie Ziegler
had been avenged in law and the crime
of William Kemmler expiated, SO far as
human hands could force its eXpation.
sight. A lynching bee has about 1t an
attendant excitement born Of hurried,
boisterous action, which lends an arti-
ficial strength to the nerves OF partici-
pant and on-lookers alike. But the
slow solemnity of a public execution,
the quiet, formal preparations for a ju-
dicial killing, are depressing enough to
weaken the nerves and undermine the
courage of the bravest.
So while Warden Durston could have
found hundred willing substitutes for
any one of the q witnesses which the
law had compelled him to call in, 1t is
safe to say that no one of the q found
any hilarious enjoyment in the specta-
Gle. It is something to be able to say
that you have witnessed the first electri-
eide. perhaps that thought repaid many
of the witnesses for the endurance of the
silent horror of the spectacle. But the
scene in that little room, deep-walled
within the Auburn prison, will live in
the memories of those who saw 1t as
the fearful descriptions of Zola's fresh
born atrocities haunt the mind and ap-
peal to the second sense for months
and even years.
THE HALO OF MYSTERY LACKING.
The effort to surround the affair with
halo of mystery, such as the law con-
templated was not altogether success
full. The outer world did not know the
exact hour which had been fixed for
the event, but it knew the time ap-
proximately, and the little assemblage
ofloiterers at the gate of the prison be-
fore dawn this morning, was good evil
dence that the interest in the event
was keen and general. Besides the cur
iosity-seekers, an active, anxious corps
of newspaper reporters gathered in the
broad road in the prison grounds and
waited for the signal that should tell
them that the execution was over.
Just across the road in the dimly
lighted freight room of the New York
Central railroad, at little tables impro-
vised for the purpose, sat long row of
telegraph operators sent from New
York by the Western Union Telegraph
company, watching for the sign of re-
lease on dozen messages filed for diff
fsrent papers in New York and else
where.
The fingers of the operators hung
trembling over the keys. The first
click from the sounder meant to the
man at the other end Of the line that q
tragedy had been enacted. At one end
of the telegraph desk sat the operator
Of the United Press, while the special
representative of the United Press who
had come to Auburn at the invitation
of Warden Durston, sat among the
jurymen in the little prison cell, noting
the adjustment of the straps that bound
the prisoner to the electric chair and
all the preparations which swiftly pre-
ceeded the last act in the celebrated
Kemmler case.
WHO THE WITNESSES WERE.
The witnesses of the execution had
gathered in response to the call Of
Warden Durston at 6 o'clock this
morning. The law named q as the
number of those who should witness
the execution as assistants or in some
official capacity.
OF these, District Attorney Quinby
and the sheriff of Erie county, the
county in which Kemmler was con-
victed, were two. The prisoner had
been allowed the privilege of selecting
two spiritual advisers, and he had
chosen the chaplain of the prison, Mr..
Yates, and DIR. Houghton, of the First
Methodist church, his constant COM
panion in his affection since the light
of religion first dawned upon him.
The law further named as persons to
be invited to the execution by the war
den, one Judge of the supreme bench
of the state, two doctors, two electrical
experts and jury of IL persons. These
with the warden and himself and six
assistants make up the list of 27 per-
sons.
The exact list of the witnesses pres
ent in the order in which they signed
the certificate of death is as follows:
Charles F. Durston, DR.. Louis Balch
and DIR. w. j. Nellis, of Albany; DIR.
w. I. Jenkins, New York; DIR. Charles
Fowler, of Buffalo; DR.. Henry A. Ar
que, of Corning; DR.. @. M. Daniels, OF
Buffalo; DIR. A. P. Southwick, of Buffa-
10; Rev. DIR. Houghton, ofAuburn; DIR.
III. E. Allison, of Auburn; DIR. Il. X.
Smith, of Auburn; Robert Dunlap, OF
New York; DR.. Spitzka, of New York;
DR.. Carlos F. Macdonald, ofNew York;
DIR. George E. Fell, of Buffalo; Sheriff
Oliver A. Jenkins, of Buffalo; John G.
Vieling, of Albany; Rev. Horatio Yates
of Auburn; Tracy G. b. Becker. of Buff
alo; w. C. Conway; Geo. G. Balm, o.
the United Press. and r. w. Mack, o.
the Associated Press. District Attor
ney Qninby, Of Buffalo, saw the pre-
parations for the event, but he was ta
ken sick and he left the chamber be
fore the execution. He fainted In th'
hallway.
THE WITNESSES COME TOGETHER.
At S O'Clock this morning there was
rapping at room doors, and = genera