Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-07

down so as to expose the base Of the
spine.
Don't hurry about this matter,
said the warden. "'Be perfectly COOL
He was perfectly cool-he was by al
odds the
COOLEST MAN IN THE ROOM.
When his tie was arranged he sat down
in the electric char as quietly as though
he was sitting down to dinner. Warueh
Durston stood on the right and George
Vieling of Albany on the left. They De-
gan Immediately to adjust the straps
around kemmier's body, the condemned
man holding up his arms so as TO give
them every assistance. When the straps
had been adjusted about the body ms
arms we're fastened down, and then the
warden leaned over and parted Kemm-
Ier's feet, SO as to bring his legs near the
legs of the chair. While the straps were
being arranged Kemmler said TO the
warden and his ASSISTANTS
''Take your time, don t be in hurry;
be sure that everything is all right.
1t was not fear that Kemmler felt-lt
was rather a certain pride in the exact
ness of the experiment. He seemed TO
have greater interest in its success than
those who had made the preparations Tor
| II. and who were watching its progress
| to its
| FINAL FATAL CONCLUSION.
When the straps had been adjusted to
| the body and limbs the warden placed
| his hand on Kemmler' IS head and held IL
| against the rubber cushion when ran
| down the back of the chair. kemmler
| eyes were turned toward the opposite
side of the room. Before, they had
followed the warden in his movements
nod M
one or two remarks in q perfectly clear,
! composed tone of voice. 'Well, wish
every body good luck was one of them,
and HDurston, see that things are all
| right, - was another.
Deputy Vieling unfastened the thumb
screw, which held figure 90 at the
back of the chair in place, and began to
lower it so that the rubber cup which
held saturated sponge pressed against
the top of Kemmler's head. The
warden assisted in the prepara-
ton by holding Reminders head.
When the cup had been adjusted
and clamped in place KEN mler SAID,
"Oh, you had better press that down
further, guess.
| So the head piece was unclamped ana
pressed further down. While it was be-
| ing done Kemmler said, "Well, want
to do the best l can. 1 can't do any
better than that.
Warden Durston took in his hand the
leather harness which was to be ADJUST
ed to Reminders head. 1t was
MUzzLE OF BROAD LEATHER STRAPS
which went across the forehead ana chln
of the man in the chair The top strap
pressed down against the nose of kemm-
Ter until It fiattened it down slightly
1 70 Dlt
put III place DR.. Spltzka, who was stand
ing near the chair, said softly, 'G0d
bless you, Kemmler, ~ ana the con-
! demned man answered, "Thank you.
Softly the door leading into the room
where the switches were arranged wal
: partly opened. A man STOOD in th'
! doorway beyond him. There were two
: other men. Which of them wa
! to touch the lever anc
. make connection with the chal
was not known Warden Durston say;
it will never be known. The dynamo iu
the machine shop was running at good
speed and the volt meter on the wal
registered little more than 1000 volts
Y Warden DurstOn turned to the assembled
j doctors and those Immediately aroun'
the execution char and said, ''Do tn
8 doctors say it is all right?'' AT the war
8 denis question DR.. Tell stepped forward
9 with q long syringe in his hand an'
9 quickly but deftly wetted two sponge
= which were at the electrodes, one on to-
9 of the head and the other at the base
= the spine. The water which he put Of
Q them was
9 IMPREGNATED WITH SALT.
DR.. Spitzka answered the warden
question with q sharp 'all right, !
which was re-echoed by the others ahou
him, 'sReady,' said Durston, again
!, and then "Good- bye. - He stepped t
y the door and through the opening said t.
u u someone in the next room, bn
L to whom will probably neye
70 be known with certainty, every thlng
ready" In almost immediate response
Il and as soon as the stop watches in til
hands of some of the witnesses registere
6.43M electric currents was turned on
There was a sndden convulsion OF tn
frame in the chair, a spasm went over
from head to foot, confined by straI
ls and springs that held it firmly, SO tbs
* no limb or either parts of the bod
|, stirred more than a small fraction of
te inch from its resting place. The tWltch
= ing that the muscles of the face under
le went gave 1t for moment
ID AN EXPRESSION OF PAIN,
u but no cry escaped his lips which we
10 free to move at will. No sound can
q forth to suggest that consciousne
IL lasted more than an infinite fraction of
second. The body renamed
i. this rigid position for sevente'
y seconds. The jury and witnesses wi
20 had remained seated up to this momel
~ came hurriedly forward and surround'
ne the chair. There was no movement
K the body beyond that Of the first col
vulsion. DR.. NJ. Mcdonald held stol
ne watch in his hand and as the secon'
few by he noted their passage. ID
j. Spitzka, too, looked ut the stop watc
and as the tenth second expired
HE CRIED OUT, STOP, STOP,
ed as did other voices about fhe chair. I
warden turned to the doorway and call
out ssstop" to the man at the lever.
CO quick movement of an arm and t
he electric current was switched off. The
as was a relaxation of the body IN {
of chair, a slight relaxation, but the stra
held it so firmly that there was not
of Quarter of an inch variation in the POI
OF ton of any part of tho frame. L
tat quiet little group around the chair gr