The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-08-07

HIS guards. Pastor H0ught0n, VINO at
tended Kemmler, and Prison Chaplain
Yates were with him. They read to him
| from the Bible and he prayed with them.
He dressed himself without aid in a suit of
grey mixed goods. His hair he combed
and brushed with great care; his shoes
were well polished, and while he made
himself finally tidy the warden and a tall
stranger who is a deputy marshal from
Buffalo, entered his cell, the warden ex-
planning to Kemmler that be must have the
top of his head shaved. The prisoner de-
INJURED. He had taken great pains in
dressing his hair, and besides, as he ex-
planned to the warden, he did not
want to. be distigured. KEN,
mler's hair is dark brown and
waving, with a Hyperion curl that fell
on his forehead. OF this he was proud. In
the shadow of death his vanity asserted it
self. His hair, however, was cut; but the
curl was saved, and as the sequel proved
with so good result. The shaver spot was
~ by L inches in size and was otshaved
but cropped fairly close. While this was
| proceeding and the witnesses examined the
chair, the death belt was run by the dynamo
and the incandescent test lamps in the ante
chamber glowed family. The current was on
Inc strong power was coursing the cir
cult. The evidence was there, ''but how
fsebly they burned.n Thus exclaimed Dr.
Mcdonald, who was the only one who got
into the ante room, and that while igno-
rant of the warden's desire to keep it's Sc
crets lnviolate, and in response to DR.. Nc
Donald's comment Electrician Davis
remarked, there was something
wrong also, machinery, down there
referring to the dynamo at the end of the
circuit. This remark took place before the
electricislng, it is well to remember, and
| 6n11l tool ftrrn toe
later when the bolt was applied to
Kemmler.
The condemned man after having the
hair cut on the top of his head listened to
| the reading of the warrant by the Warden.
| When the current was first turned on the
! least unhappy of all in the room was DR..
Southwick; of Buffalo, father of electrocu-
ton on capital basis, and who has been
studying and working up the subject since
1881. "Theren he explained as
he strobe away from the
pair to a knot of witnesses
at the other end of the room, 'sthere is the
elimination of ten years work and study.
We live in higher civilization from this
day." But, even while he spoke, quick,
sharp Cry went up from those yet closely
watching the silent figure in the chair.
There had been movement in the breast
of the man whom all believed had died one
minute and forty-seyen seconds before
Narrowing scenes attending the second
electricution which followed
The doctors in general declared that the
man from the very first contact was be-
yond consciousness, and some thought the
action which started all and sent the war
den away with white face to order the
current renewed, was only reflex mus
cular action. Not so one physician who
declared he would stake his name that he
could bring kemmler back to conscious life
with a brandy hypodermic. In the meantime
one of the witnesses, Mr.. G. G. Baine, of
Washington, ID. c., had tainted and lay
upon the bench where he was being famed
When finally the electric mask was re-
moved Kemmler'S eyes were found half
open and without that CLASSY stare common
in death The lids were lifted and tests of
the pupils with bright light were made.
There was no contraction of the pupils.
Where the mask had pressed the forehead
there was livid mark, the mark of the
laws righteous indication. The nose
at its base was deeply livid hue. Purple
spots soon began nothing the hands, arms
and neck. The doctors said he was surely
dead. One of the Buffalo DOCTORS seven
minutes after the straps were removed.
cut the skin of the temple for microscopic
examination of the dead mans blood. 1t
was Immediately examined and found
slightly coagulated. On the electrodes be-
the flesh adhered to the rim of the upper
disc.
Doctors Mcdonald and Shrady examined
the head. They found there was deep
circular imprint on the top of the head made
by the sharp pressure of the electrode' s
rim. The spot where tuft of Kemmler's
hair had been cut off just before death was
found to constitute not more than one
|, third OF the area of contact with the cleo
trode, and close examination disclosed
that the edge of the copper within
the electrode had slightly burned the scalp
just where the hair had been cut off. Had
not Reminders desire to avoid disfgure-
ment by the cutting of his hair prevailed
the contact would have been more perfect
the chances of instantaneous death would
have been greater, and possibly the dis
figurementS which enSued would have been
avoided.
As to the causes of the failure to kill
Kemmler instantly, there is said by all
, physicians to be no doubt that conscious
ness was stricken instantly from his brain
, The fact that he was not instantly killed
| is the result OF improper contact or of in
sufficient voltage or pressure. The con-
tact certainly was not perfect at the head
for two-thirds of the contact was upon the
mans thick, smoothly brushed hair, the
clipped spot being one third of the size OF
the electrodes diameter
Warden Dursten says LOO volts, OF
, pressure Of current, was first applied tC
, hemmler. When questioned tonight by
an Associated Press correspondent if the
twenty incandescent lamps on the circuit
! to indicate the presence of current were
, burning when the bolt was discharged
into the murderer, he stated thai
they were. They should not have
, been. The moment before switching the
, current into Kemmler the test lamps
should have been cut out. Each lamp took
, l,0O0 volts at once out of the current sen
Kemmler. That left 700 to cause deaf b
The best authorities state that Is per cen
OF current is stopped at the points of con
i tact and that SIS per cent. is thus expended
, in the body. Eighty-five per cent of tn,
200 volts not consumed to-day by the ties
lamps is 595 volts of pressure. This is no
, enough.
, to surely kill man instantly with goot
contact, and that Of today was not perfect
The warden says all was working RICH
this morning, though last night at mid
night his appliance was IN such order that
he was not certain whether the execution
2 would take place to-day, even though he
had summoned his guests to the prison al
. an early hour this morning. Warden Ours
, ton has been through a terrific ordeal, ant
the knavery Of men has been pressed Upor
, him SO much where least expected that, a.
he says he scarcely knows whether to trus
himself. HE will approach the electrocidine
5 OF Fish, now here, with more light.
, The concensus of opinion among wit
, nesses here today is that not the slightes
doubt exists but that human being ma,
be instantaneously killed by LOCO volts ap
( piled through perfect contact and continue,
| twenty seconds.
The body of Kemmler will be disposed O
t to- morrow in the prison burying groun,
with quick lime to hasten dissolution.
Electrician Harold p Rromn,r 0ninian