Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-08-06
ELECTRIC Death.
Ihe "Jrderer KemmIcr
t3ctrOcu,pi,
GREAT NERVE DISPLAYED
Trying Sight to Witness, but the
Victim Does not Suffer.
UNCERTAINTY OF THE MANS DEATH
IhlS Manner of Execution
Leaves Vast Room for Sci.
entific Speculation.
UNCERTAINTY OF THE MANS DEATH.

I AUBURN, n. Y, Aug. Ga boil
; OF electricity was DISCHARGED int,
the vitals of VIM, Ken.mler at th,
prison here this morning. He died
SO iar as any superficial evidence,
indicated, upon the instant tba
The switch lever was pushed
in place to establish the cur
rent through his body. His eve,
were rested partly open, the invol
untary optic nerves, it is believed
being instantly paralyzed OF disinte.
grated. The heart was stopped upon
a half beat ana no tetanis convul
sion marked the instant Of dissolu.
ton.
hemmleI's nerve was something
wonderful. He never faltered. He
directed the adjustment Of himself
in the chair aud uns led the war.
den to moderation TO secure perfect
safety. The shock was given at 6:43I
u. m, and was continued abou,
eighteen seconds. Two minutes
after the current was cut off there
was respiration, then ~ soon as pos
sibia the current was ipluned, then
cut OFT and again respiration was
evident. After f,w minutes saliva
came from the mouth, the chest
heaved and there was wheeling in
the throat. The shock was again
put 10 the prisoner, who, the doctor
remarked, was unconscious from the
moment Of the first shock. In a
short time smoke appeared in the
face. The flesh was burned. 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 1900 volts,
which was run down to point not
After the third contact Of
four minutes the man was declared
dead. The warden's certificate of
death was signed by all present.
When the mask was taken off
Kemmler face, his eyes were found
half open and his expression, while
not normal nor placid, was horrible
to see.
Some eminent experts in atten-
dance said to the associated press
correspondent that while the body
was still warm in the chair no
doubt there were signs Of returning
that respiration (for res
they believed it to be- was
growing stronger, and that in time
if the current had not been turned
IN again he would have revived.
Others, among them DR.. Spitzka,
stated with equal positiveness OF
that the first shock killed
Kemmler instantly. Drs. Daniels
and Southwick (the father Of the
system of electrode) believed Kemm-
Ter dead, but they think the current
should have been continued longer
han seventeen seconds, which was
he official time of the first contact
There is no way in which positive
Of this question can
,e made. 1t will always remain
Ipsolyed. The autopsy began at
line o'clock. 1t was found wheh
he body was spread out on the table
hat a very severe rigor-mortIs set
~ There was little relaxation ana
( was with difficulty the corpse was
traightened out. On eHaInlha,
ion il was found that the secohn
.lectrode had burned through the
kin and into the flesh at the base o.
he spine, making a scar nearly nNe
ncbes in diameter. The heart
unos and other organs were TAKEN
mt and found in good healthy con-
litlon. They will be preserved iol
examination. The BRAIN
vas also taken out and it, too VIII
,e carefully examined
lEw yoRK's FOOLISH LAW obE' I'D
NEW YORK, Aug. 6.-Ihe Man
md Express, Commercial AdVer-
iser and Evening Post all s'ric''y
the law this afternoon ana
,nnIi.hed only brief announce
nent of the execution Of kemmlef
FrxF BUSINESS PRoPERI{,,-f OF
-. far a few days only. All OF
,aiT |art Of Of the property on the east sac .,e
n Gommercial street, hh"" u a, a. 'i'
ll N"ii -. Tu1uipT OF VI. l.