Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-06
DETAILS WELL TOLD.
How the Brave Wretch Went to His
Doom.

AUBURN, NY, August 6.-with a short. sharp
shock-painless 80 far as the world will ever
know-the soul of William Kemmlsr was sepa-
rated from his body at $40 o'clock this morn
ing. cup adjusted to the head Of a man
bound captive in a strange-looking chair. a
lever quickly swung around the arc OF a semi
circle quick convulsion. a sudden revival of
muscular action, another turn of the
lever, pause, . room filed with sick
ening fumes-and 27 witnesses of the first
electricide in history knew that the death of
Tillie Zeigler had been avenged in law and the
crime of VIM. Kemmler expiated SO far as
human hands could force its expiation. An
execution is always CHASTITY sight A lynch
ing bee has about it attendant excitement
born of hurried, boisterous action, which lends
an artificial strength to the nerves of partici-
pants and onlookers alike. But the slow
solemnity Of public execution, the quiet,
formal preparations for Judicial killing. are
depressing enough to weaken the nerves and
undermine the courage of the bravest So.
while Warden Durston could have found
a hundred willing substitutes for any
one OF the twentysevsn witnesses which the
law had compelled him to call
in, 1t Is safe to say that no one Of tine twenty
seven found any hilarious enjoyment in the
spectacle. 1t Is something to be able to saw
that you have witnessed the first electricide.
Perhaps that thought repaid many of the wit
nesses for the endurance of the silent horror OF
the spectacle. But the scene in that little room
deep walled within the Auburn prison will live
in the memories of those who saw it as the
fearful descriptions of Zola's fresh-born atroci-
ties haunt the mind and appeal to the second
sense for months and even years.
WAITING IN UNCERTAINTY.
The effort to surround the affair with a halo
Of mystery such as the law contemplated was
not altogether successful. The outer world
did not know the exact hour which had been
fixed for the event, but it knew the time an
proximately and the little assemblage of
loiterers at the gate Of the prison before dawn
this morning was good evidence that the inter-
est In the event was keen and general Besides
these curiosity seekers All active, anxious
corps Of newspaper reporters gathered in the
broad road in front Of the prison grounds and
waited for the signal that should tell them
that the execution was over. Just across the
road in the dimly lighted freight room of the
New York Central railroad, at little tables i'm
provised for the purpose, sat long row of
telegraph operators, sent from New YORK city
by the Western Union Telegraph Company,
watching for the sign of release on dozen
messages fled for different papers in New York
and elsewhere. The fingers Of the operators
hung trembling over the keys. The first click
from the sounder meant to the man at the
other end Of the line that the tragedy had
been enacted Al one end of the telegraph
desk sat the press operator, while the special
representatives Of the press who had come 10
Auburn ut the invitation of Warden Durston
sat among the jurymen In the little prison cell
noting the adjustment of the straps that bound
the prisoner TO the electric chair and ali the
preparations which swiftly preceded the last
sct In the celebrated Kemmler case.
TIE vIsIroRs PRESENT..
The Witnesses Of the execution had gathered
in response to the call of Warden Durston at
6 o'clock this morning. The law named twenty
seven - the number Of those who should Wit
ness the execution - assistants or in some OFF,
cial capacity. OF these District Attorney
Quinby and the sheriff Of Erie county, the
county in which Kemmler was convicted, were
two. The prisoner had been allowed the
privilege Of selecting two spiritual advisers and
he hAd chosen the chaplain Of the prison, Mr. |
Yates, and Dr.. Houghton Of the First Methodist
Church, his constant companion in his afaic- |