The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-08-07
HORRIBLE DEATH SCENE


AUBURN, N. Y. Aug. S.-The trial
OF q new means of taking hu-
man life, while prompsed hy humane mo-
tives, has resulted In sichening specta-
che, presented By n pinioned wretch ut
whose vital ceuAsr was kept pounding for
SOMA moments IN alternating current Of
electricity which, though Il ultimately
destroyed his life. subjected the crimi-
nal 70 torture Of which no living BE-
ing has knowledge and none can describe.
An imperfect registry Of The currents
pressure or faulty contact OF the elcc-
trodes prevented instantaneous death.
The layman may gain some conception OF
the pr6cess of this killing from the fact
that the statement 10 made that q person
whose body should be shaken into frag-
ments could not have suffered such pain
a. did Kemmler, whose nerve cells and
nerves were disinteerated, not In q fash
a. designed, but by the relatively slow
strokes of the electric hammers upon
them. Whether the blood retains its
normal consistency or whether it is par.
TALLY or wholly fluidised by the divorce of
oxygen from the blood corpulscles can
only be determined by tine autopsy which
IL about to be commenced. Only DELHI.
crate pen can adequately describe the
scene, and this detail will soon follow.
Kemmler's nerve was something won
derful. He never faltered. He directed
the adjustment of himself I'm the chair and
counseled the warden to moderation to
secure perfect safety. The shock was
given at 6:43E, and was continued about
1S seconds. Two minutes after the cur
rent was cut of there was respiration. As
soon as possible the current was returned,
then cut of and again respiration was
evident. After o few moments saliva
came from the mouth, the chest heaved
and there was q wheezing in the
throat. The shock was again put
TO the prisoner, who the doctors re-
marked was unconscious from the mo-
ment of the first shock. After q short
time smoke appeared at the base. The
flesh was burning. The spectacle
was most trying, The man, the doctors
said, suffered no pain, however. The
warden says the voltage at the first shock
was at l,s0O volts, which run down to o
poipt not named. After the third con-
tact of four minutes the man was declared
dead. The wartleu's certificate of death
vas signed by all present and the party
broke up nj Z 80 70 meet ut s:l5, when the
bS1y would be ready for the autopsy.
L when tho mask was taken on OF Kemr
ler's face his eyes were found half OF u
and his expression while not normal or
placid was not horrifyinR to see.
At 6:3s the door at the right of the exc
cution chair leading toward the execution
room opened and Warden Durston's g
figure appeared in the doorway.
Behind him walked spruce
looking, broad shouldered little man,
full bearded, with carefully ar
ranged hair clustering around his fore
head. He was dressed in suit of new
clothing, sack coat and vest of dark
gray material, trousers of a mixed yellow
pattern with shirt whose polished front
was exposed directl, below a little bow of
black and white check pattern. This was
| William Kemmler, the man who was
about 10 undergo the sentence Of death.
Behind him walked DIR. w. Il. Houghton
and Chaplain Yates. Kemmler was by
far the coolest man in the party. He did
not look about the room with any special
degree of interest. He hesitated as the
door closed behind him, and carefully
looked Mt the attendant on the other side
| as though he did not know axactly what
10 do.
"Give me n chair, will you ?" said the
warden.
Some one quickly handed him wooden
chair which he placed IN front and little
| to the right Of the execution chair facing q
little circle of men. Kemmler sat down
composedly, looked about him, then uT
and down without any evidence of fear OF
special interest In the event. His face
was not stolid, was not indifferent. He
looked. II anything, as though he waf
rather pleased at being the center OF in
terest. Warden Durston stood at the left
| of the chair with his hand on the back OF
| il, and almost at the moment Kemmler
took his seat he began TO speak in short.
quick periods. snow gentlemen,' he
said. ''this Is William kemmler. I have
warned him he has got TO die, and IL hs
| has ANYTHING TO say he will say IT,"