Evening journal., 1890-04-29

apparently indif
WARDEN DuRsToN. ferent to the rapid
approach Of death
he parceled out his few effects with ths
greatest care
lie leaves his Bible to Daniel; his pictorial
Bible primer to Mrs Durston; his game Of
''pigs in the clover to Rev Mr. Houghtoni
his testament to Bill, as be calls the other
keeper; and his slate, all written over with
his name, to Chaplain Yates
Kemmler's Requests.
Foralong time Kemmler has been anus
ing himself by writing his name on cards
furnished him by the warden, but he says
that he guesses he has no more time fos
TINT When his clean clothes were brought
TO him on Sunday he said he did not cars
for them until he put them on to die in
lie said TO the warden; "We'll do this
thing whenever you are ready We may a.
well do il the first Of the week as the Last
80 far as am concerned
Inspec ting the Death CHAIR.
The Erie county district attorney, G. r.
Quimby, and Drs. G. M. Daniels and Alfred
+. Southwick have arrived. The latter is
the original mover in the cru sade which
resulted in the abolition of the gallows and
the adoption of electricity as the laws
agent Of death. When the patty reached
Auburn they proceeded at once to the pani.
tentiary. Warden Durston met Them and
a tour Of the prison was made The party
was invited to inspect the death chair and
the room in which the execution will tsfks
place.
They went down the steps which lead to
the main entrance Under these steps is a
large door leading into the main basement
hall. The door has recently been cut
through, and the warden assured the little
coterie that they were the first outsiders
who had ever entered the prison in that
way To the right of the main hall ID the
basement Is a door leading into the room
| originally prepared for the execution.
| .rncre was found the chair made by Harold
= Brown, but ybick has since been dis.
carded Dr. S0uthwIck criticised sharply
and described a chair which he had de-
signed for that purpose Ewrs
Pr s9gthYlck's Model Chair.
'Itshould be, 7 said he, precisely similar
70 dental chair, except that the feet should
rest upon the floor. The head rest should
be adjustable and should contain scoou
shaped receptacle for a sponge filed with
saline fluid. To this receptacle the wirg
should be attached and the sponge pressed
closely 70 the top Of the spine by means of
a strap across the forehead. This should
be the only pinioning OF any kind The
seat Of the chair should be metal basin
holding a sponge full Of saline huid The
other end of the wire should be connected
with this seat. The econdemned person could
then be placed in the chair, the strap on ths
forehead adjusted and all is ia readiness.
Simplicity ndrapidity should be the prime
considerations in cases Of this kind "
The Durston Chair.
All hands, including the warden, agreed
with DIR. Southwick. The Durston chair,
in which Kemmler is to die, was sent for,
and two convicts brought It in 1t Is D
plain concern, somewhat larger than an
ordinary dining room chair. IL has a high
back, surmounted by figure made Of
oak. The base of the triangle rests on ton
Of the head Of the person seated ia the
chair, and will contain sponge attached
to the fatal wire. Between the shoulders
Is an adjustable pillow, which serves to
keep the body in an erect position.
How the Thing Is Done.
DR. Daniels seated himself in the chair.
and Warden Durston showed how the
thing is to be done by strapping him in IL.
just as Kemmler will be fastened. A broad
leathern strap passes across the abdomen
and tightens woven strap across the back,
pressing a sponge connected with the wire
against the base Of the spine. Another
strap across the chest presses the shoulders
against the pillow A third is divided in
front, the lower half passing across the
chair, the upper over the eyes; the arms ara
strapped across the biceps and over this
wrists. When relaxation takes place after
death the victim cannot, as DR. Daniels
demonstrated, fall forward or downward
more than an eighth Of an inch
Kemmier's Conversion.
Kemmler was not seen by any of the
party, nor has he been seen by any one ex-
cept his usual attendants since SATURDAY.
last. He talks Of nothing but religion
District Attorney Quimby, who convicted
him, does not believe in Kemmler's conver-
sion. Il have watched him carefully said
he, since his first Imprisonment in Buf.
falo, and do not believe he has the mora
character necessary to found a basis for
religious belief, nor has he sense enough to
comprehend the plan OF Christianity or TO
accept II if he did. He is simpistan oyer.
grown child and his mind Is chaos.
lie viii BE Frozen sHf."
DR., Southwick believes that the end VIII
be absolutely painless, and thinks the
newspapers are doing perfectly right in
preparing to publish full account of the
execution. "Kemmler will be frozen stiff, -
said the doctor, in the fraction Of Sec
ond That is the best way / know of to
describe what will happen to him. There
will be an instant of rigidity, and then OF
relaxation, but he will know nothing OF
either Life will go in a space Of time SO
small that we cannot describe IL /"
The consensus of opinion is that the exc
cution will occur some time today or early
Wednesday morning.
A Protest Against Butterworth's Bill.
NEW YORK, April pa protest against
the Butterworth anti-option bill has been
signed by a large number of cotton merch-
ants in New York, who warn southerA
growers and dealers that the bill would
be ruinous to their common interests.