New-York tribune., 1890-04-29
THE MYSTERY AT AUBURN
.,r,,rrxrrors SECRECY CONCERNING THE
HOUR OF KEMMLER'S DEATH

pp1soNER sToLID-H1s REhl"io0'
FRIENDS THINK HIM CONVERT
ED MANA GLANCE AT THE
ELEcTR1cAL APPLIANCES
INV 1v,EeaArm TO THE rKIBcNEl
Auburn. " Y, April 2s.-An a''e"pV 90 DS'.IN NV
&c II is Intellectual has been maze TO suiio""' ''.'
nrenarations for Kemmlers execution "ioi q" al
of dreadful mystery. For the ilrsV .iiie " nuin'i'
life is to be wilfully destroyed py eieo''iois anu
under a new-fanged law which ASSUMES o""S
is none of the public's business 10 Ano" """O
bappens TO man after he has peeh oon''e'u'eo !"
die all possible obstacles arc piaceu ny 'ne ~"
,ho,,ties in the way of efforts TO obtain full ana
~ ;.tormation. Such obstacles have, of
oours. heen overcome So many of the officials
nd electricians connected with the execution are
wanting in sympathy with the endeavors 10 sup
rress facts of such obvious Importance to the
nuhlic that the truth leaks out. kemmlers eN-
nerence is 10 settle a question of great and grave
moment and il is recognized by such men as DR..
Southwic< and District-Attorney Quimby that 1T
is in the public interest have the result of this
execution fully reported.
II is not vet given out however, when the
death-stroke will be dealt. There are some rea-
sons for believing that it will occur early TO-
morrow morning. though persons who ought To
he informed hint that it will take place on Wednes-
day. Warden Durston will not say definitely
There is no doubt that he wants the affair of his
hands and will delay no longer than is necessary.
The criminal and the apparatus are both ready
Mrs Durston. whose benevolent disposition has
been much affected by Kemmler's fate and who
does not wish TO he near when he is Killed,
left the prison tonight The electrical experts
and other invited witnesses have begun 10 arrive
and by tomorrow morning it is probable that all
will be here for whose presence the Warden is
waiting.
It happens fortunately that William Kemmler
is the man upon whom this first test is to be
made. He has no nerves to 5e effected, no sensi-
bilities TO he excited He is dull, british
creature far less intelligent ana useful than most
of the animals who have been sacrificed hitherto
in electrical experiments. He seems TO have no
real appreciation of his situation. He knows
that he must die and by novel method. but
he manifests no special interest in the matter.
He is an undersized fellow, thick-set and heavy.
His features and manner are thoroughly disa-
greeable. A lopisded jaw and a pair of wide,
thick lips add to the impression produced by
his eyes. He does not look positively malevolent,
but there is such a preponderance of the brute
about him that it seems entirely natural TO find
him condemned as murderer His victim was
woman of his sort with whom he was liv
ing. The long and short Of his crime is that She
pestered and enraged him and he chopped her in
pieces, Just as any other wild beast might have
done II may be doubted if he realized that he
had done anything Involving moral ofence.
This idea has come to him. if it has at ALL
since his trial and conviction and it has been
enforced upon his mind chiefly by Mrs Durston
the Wardens kindly wife. She found Kemmler's
nfnI n Il
He had no idea of Deity and was apparently
without any knowledge of the Bible whatever.
Mrs. Durston, the Rev. Mr. Houghton, a Meth
odist clergyman Of Auburn and one OF two OF
the keepers have employed themselves in an ef-
fort 70 secure his conversion. They found that
they had TO begin at the beginning He had
not heard of Adam original sin. He knew
nothing of the mistakes committed in Eden, nor
Of his relation to them Ignorant of the con-
demnation. he was equally ignorant of the atone
ment, and heard of Jesus of Nazareth first from
Mrs. Durston. Her statement Of Christ's mission
came 10 him with all the force of new and
novel piece of intelligence He accepted it, how
ever. as fact. and now expresses sorrow for his
crime and faith in the Saviour. The value Of
such professions any one may determine for him
self Dstrict-AttOrney Quimby, of Buffalo, who
prosecuted him. says that there is no basis in his
nature for the reception of a moral idea; that he
is the merest animal, harmless enough if not
angered. but savage and dangerous if aroused.
"All this talk about his conversion" said the
District-Attorney. =" is sentimental nonsense. 1t
would he as easy to convert bear as Kemmler
They have the same sort of moral perception"
Kemmler's cell is upon the basement floor In
The main building Of the prison It's walls are Of
steel bars. latticed closely. 1t opens into
row passageway, and this leads into the death
chamber. The cell contains only narrow iron
bed. chair and small table, all firmly fastened
10 the floor. Its contents and its occupant are
within the easy view of the watchman who in
cessantly PAGES, night and day. along the passage
way. Until recently Kemmler has been permitted
70 entertain himself with slate, upon which Mrs
Durston instructed him in writing. He could
neither read write before he came TO
Auburn Prison, but now he has learned
to make his signature in mechanical way, and
has spent hours scrawling it upon his slate Since
the death-watch set, however, the slate, and
everything else with which he could possibly in
fict wound upon himself, have been taken
from him, and he is allowed to spend his few
remaining hours only in eating, sleeping and
walking. The animal in him takes kindly 10
these occupations. He eats prodisiously, walks
~ 'iS % ND suiIouIulhes permit, ana sleeps
peacefully.
The chamber Of death has a commonplace ap-
rearance 1t is entered by the passage way that
leads to the muriercr's cell 1t Is about eighteen
ieet long by twenty-five feet wide and is now
ehtrey empty, except for stationary bath
tuD that stands at one side and wash basin in
the corner, reminiscent of the uses 10 which the
room was formerly put Ii was the shop Of tie
prison barber, and was cleared away for its pro-
posed use. Two grated windows overlook the
street Between them is a switchboard in which
wenty-fonr incandesccnt lights shine, and by its
hde volt-ine're stands for testing and regulat-
ing The elec'nc current Two levers stand out
irom the SWITCHBOARD. One turns the current
,h'o The lncandescent burners, the other passes
into the wires, which will presently put
end 10 Kemmers life.