The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-08-14
Kemmler Executed.

4 SECOND, AND DEATH DID NOI ENSu II
i UNTIL THIRD CONTACT OF FOUR
MINUTES.
AUBURN, n. Y, Aug. 6.-Kemmlel
4 was killed at 6:433 O'Clock this morning
The murderer's nerve. was something
/ wonderful. He never faltered. He di-
/ rected the adjustment of himself in the
chair and counseled the warden to mod
GRAFTON to secure perfect safety. The
shock was given at 6:434 and was con
tinued about Is seconds. Two minutes
after the current was cut off there was
! evidence of respiration As soon as pos
sible the current was returned, then cut
off, and again respiration was evident
after q few moments. Saliva dropped
from the mouth, the chest heaved, and
/ there was a wheeling in the throat. The
shock was again put to the prisoner,
who, the doctors remarked, was uncon-
scious from the moment of the first
shock. After a short time smoke APP
peared at the back. The flesh was
burning The spectacle was most try
ing. The man, the doctors said, suffered
no pain, however The warden says
the voltage at the first shock was 1900
volts, which run down to point named.
After the third contact of four minutes
the man was declared TO be dead.
TARDY WITNESSES.
The wardens certificate of death was
signed by all present, aud three hours
later the autopsy was begun, and it's SUI
perficial disclosures noted by the doctors.
Warden Durston became very impatient
early this morning over the hardness of
some of those invited to witness the
execution of Kemmler. Each had been
| told last night to present himself at the
prison gate not later than o'clock this
morning. Nearly all had reached the
! jail at that time, yet three of them had
not. Warden Durston nervously paced
| the halls and often looked anxiously to-
ward the big iron gate at the entrance.
AT 6:15 DR.. Spitzka arrived with u case
of instruments in hand. Doctors Shra-
dy and Jenkins, of New York, were yet
missing. They were at the breakfast
|
the affair over before o'clock, at which
time the 1 200 convicts would be marched
from the mess room to the shops.
THE UNKNOWN EXECUTOR.
| At 6:23 O'clock the warden said Seen
/ item, | will wait no longer for those who
are not here. This affair cannot be
made subject to personal convenience,
and | think it unfair to me that | should
have been kept waiting until this hour"
He then led the way to the basement of
the prison, where the fatal apparatus
and its first subject were waiting In
his final arrangements the warden had
! placed all the electrical apparatus in an
ante-room, the wires being run over the
easement to the death chamber In The
ante-room were three men whom the
warden refused 10 name. Those who
/ should see KemnSier die were never to
know who had pushed the switch to
send the death bolt to Reminders vitals.
Doctors Shrady, and Jenkins arrived
while final adjustments were being
made
PREPARING FOR DEATH.
Meantime Kemmler in his cell was be
ing prepared for the ending of his life.
He had slept soundly all night, and was
snoring at 5 O'Clock, when he was awak-
ened.
Pastor Houghton and Chaplain Yates
read to him from the Bible, and he
prayed with them. He dressed himself
o,I tOolr ecroat Inc In 5rocci,,o.
his hair. When the warden entered and
explained to him that he must have the
top of his head shaved, Kemmler de-
INJURED He was proud of a curl which
fell upon his forehead.
After some parley his hair was cut, but
the curl was saved, and, as the sequel
proved, with no good result. The shaver
spot was q by II inches in size and was
not shaved, but cropped fairly close.
BIDS FAREWELL TO THE WORLD.
After having his hair cut the prisoner
was escorted into the death chamber
and introduced by the warden to those
present. He was cool and without APP
parent dread and was evidently devoid
of nervous tension.
He made brief farewell remarks and
his voice while speaking had no tremor.
He said well, wish everybody good
luck in the world and I'm going to a
good place and the papers has been
sayin' lots Of stuff about me that amt
So"
That was all, but into the poor
have when they have acquitted them
selves of some act that they had antici-
pated to do, and with all else depicted
upon his face there was a something
that evidenced submission to force.
Those who looked into his face would
not have wondered il he had said SsI'm
fast and close here. I know I'm to be
killed, but don't hurt me, don't hurt
me'
There was apprehension, without hor-
ror, plain upon his features The cleo
trio test lamps were burning feebly and
on DR.. Macdonald commenting on the
faintness of the light Electrician Dawes
remarked that there must bes'Something
wrong about the machinery down
there.n
KEMMLER MAKES SUGGESTIONS.
There were no prayers in the death
chamber Kemmler submitted to the
straps quietly. He directed the adjust
ment Of the electrodes. He made sug-
gestions to the warden, and finally sat
in the great chair without q tremor to
await the stroke.
''Take it cool, Bill, I'm going re stay
close beside you ali the while till the
1 end, said the warden, as though to a
child who pleads with it's mother to stay
by the bedside at night till sleep shall
have come. Then he buekled strap at
one shoulder.
Il will; Til take it COOL" replied
Reinmier, and then with his elbows on
/ the great arms of the chair he drew him
4 self firmly back on the seat SO that the
electroda pressed hin. hard at the baae
Of the spine.
RECORD OF KEMMLER's LIFE.
i kemmser was Il .as.n of low mental
and moral qualities The surroundings
- L, L. i~Il. -.