Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-08-09
EXPERTS DIFFER.
Spltzka blamed for the Partial Failure of
the Execution.

BUFFALO, y. Y, August S.-The
wrangle over the Kemmler execution
continues. The attack made by Spitzka,
OF New York, on Dr. Daniels, of this
city, created considerable OF sensation
here, where DR.. Daniels is held in high
regard. Interviews were had with a
number Of the witnesses from this city
who attended the Kemmler electrocu-
tion, and all coincided in the opinion
that DIR. Spitzka had made a fatal mis-
take In his estimate of the time re-
Quired for the shock to produce death
Sheriff Jenkins was very outSpOken.
He said: The kemmler execution, had
it been properly managed, would have
proved entirely successful in my judg-
ment."
"Who was responsible for the bad
management" he was asked.
DR. Spitzka. The Warden was not
willing To rely upon his own judgment
In the application. He said to the doc
tors: Now, gentlemen, you know much
better than I do how long the current
ought 10 be administered. sDr. Spitzka,
who assumed TO speak for everybody,
declared briSkly that three seconds
would do the work Mr.. DurStOn
thercupou inquired II il would be safe
20 turn the current on for 10 or Il sec
OudS, and Dr. Spitzka answered by re-
affirming his former declaration. When
the current was turned on the chest
heayed and the whole body Stitfened out
but quickly settled back into the chair
apparently lifeleSS. Or. SpitZka in
stantly appealed 10 DurstOn to have the
current turned of, which, as You know,
was done NJ the end Of Il seconds.
suddenly we We're Mortified TO see the
chest move. followed by what appeared
Co be deep and labored respiration. The
current was again turned on, and the
rest YOU know. l believe that II the
current had been kept on for proper
time az first, the execution would have
| been % complete success"
THINKS EDISON WRONG.
Or. George f. Fell was asked what he
I thought of the criticism made by Edison
of the manner Of conducting the electric
/ Icurrent 20 the body Of kemmler.
Il think he is wrong; all wrong,
promptly said the doctor. "A current
/ IA sod directly to tho hr;in destrovS all
consciousness. A current passed
\ through the body may or may not de-
stroy consciousness. 1 know this TO be
So from my own experience. l have
/ taken heavy shocks through the hands
myself. which | could not have taken
/ through the brain. / have known cases
where one side of the brain would be az
fccted and the other not affected at all by
| currents traversing the body. The power
h. haN
side. and vet remain active on the 9TH
or. The application OF electrodes TO
/ the head and base OF the spinal column
/ insured the currents traverSing the
spine and acting directly on the nerve
centers and the brain. Consciousness
would DE annulled. Should the current
| be weak and insufficient TO kill outright,
/ the man would not be tortured. \
current sent through the body might,
/ unless il was OF exceedingly high volt
age, but partly benumb the brain, and
/ sufficient consciousness would remain
20 receive the sensation OF pain. The
method Of application which was en-
ploved / believe 20 be the most certain
I and so the most humane
DR.. Fell also emphatically said that
ne disagreed with only one who said
that Kemmler was not killed by the
first shock. II that shock had been OF
higher voltage or longer continued
there would not have been the muScu-
lar contractions OF the diaphragm which
rcsembled breathing. The execution
was imperfect only because Of mechan-
ical difficulties. The remedy lay not in
the application Of electricity to the
condemned. but in the current 70 the