The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-08-07
The Opinion of tho Physicians in
Attendance

EfeNtIC tne lT0ry
OF Executions.
ArHURS, August G.-The trial OF ne W
means OF taking human life, while
prompted by human motives, has result
ed in sickening spectacle presented by
apinioned wretch at whose body was
kept pounding for some moments an al.
terna,ing current Of electricity which,
though it ultimately destroyed his life,
subjected the criminal to a torture oi
which no living being has knowledge,
and which none can describe. Imper.
feet registry Of the currents pressure or
faulty contact OF the electrodes prevent.
cd instantaneous death. The layman
may gain some conception OF the pro.
cess Of this killing when the statement
is made, that man whose body should
be shaken into fragments could not have
suffered such pain as did Kemmler,
whose nerve cells and tissues were dis.
integrated, not in flash as designed,
but by the relatively slow strokes OF
electric hammers nnon them. Whether
the blood retainedits normal consistency,
or whether it is partially or wholly fluid.
lied by divorce OF oxygen from the
blood corpuscles can only be determined
by the autopsy which is about to be
commenced.
With ushor1, sharp shock, painless 80
far rs the world will ever know, the
soul OF kemmler was separated from bis
body at GAO o'clock this morning. A
cap adjusted to the head OF a man
ound in strange looking chair, lever
ckly swung around the arc OF a semi
circle, q quick convulsion, sudden turn
OF the lever, n pause, and room filed
with the sickening fumes OF burning
flesh and twcnty.seven witnesses OF the
first elcctricide in history knew that the
death Of Tillie Zicgler had been avenged
in law, and the crime OF William kemm'
Ter expiated go far rs human hands
could force its expistion.
AN IMPRESSIVE scENE.
An execution is always q ghastly
sight. A lynching has about it an at
tendant excitement borne OF hurried
boisierous action, which lends m arti
fetal excitement to the nerves OF the
participants and lockers alike, but tht
slow solemnity Of m execution, tht
quiet, formal preparations for iudicia
killing are depressing enough 10 weaken
the nerves and undermine the courage
OF the bravest. So, while Warden Duns
ton could have found q hundred willing
substitutes, any one OF the twenty.sever
witness which the law had compelled
him to call on, 1t is safe to Say that ne
one Of the twenty.seven found an!
pleasure in the spectacle. The effort t
surround the affair with halo Of mys
terry such as the law contemplated wa
not altogether successful. The QUITE
world didn't know the exact hour whicl
had been fixed for the event, but j
knew the time approximately, and it'll
aaaemblNges OF loiterers at the gate OF th
prieon before dawn this morning wa
good evidence that the interest in til,
event wRa general. Btsides these Gu
riosity seekers an active, anxious corp
OF newspaper reporters gathered in tn
road in front Of the prison ground an
waited for tho signal that should tel
them the execution was over.
At 5 o'clock this morning there wa
rapping at room doors and genert
awakening through the hotels at AT
burn. Warden Durston had left quie
call for bis witnesses, and they were Of
dered to report at the prison at 6 O'Clock
An hour before their coming Rev. d
Houshton and Chaplain Yates appeare
at the gate OF the prison and were nj
mitted. Alter brief consultation wit
the Warden they were taken down
kemmler's cell, where the condemne
man was awake and TALKING with hi
keeper. In bis dining room on the SCI
ond floor OF the prinon building Warde
Dursion had spread LUNCHEON and cor
vict prisoners in white caps and apron
served coffee and sandwiches to, th
hungry assemblage.
ANXIOUS NEWSPAPER MEN, ,a'.I5E
Outside the prison gates there vas
constantly suRmanting crowd, whic
examined each noScomer with curior
interest. Across the street were gtoul
OF newspaper correspondents. some I
them perChed on o platform two fc'
from the ground, in constant commun
cation with New York by TELEGRAPH
ready 10 give 10 tho world the sign
that the execution had taken place. y
The consultation Of physicians Ia
evening did not determine tho pr
gramme OF the autopsy. It's details We
left till the last minute In doubt. Wa
den Durs.on told DR.. Southwick at g.
that when kemmler wus dead he wou
determine what was to be done vii
the body. The Warden had not q
nounced the time for tho execution
take place, but it was tho general in
preston TINT 1t was to occur before u
prisoners had been let out Of their eel
early in tho morning. The prisone
kemmler, was supposed to 30 In ign
rance OF tho time fixed until tho Ward'
should summon him from bis cell
enter tho execution chamber.
HE KNEW HIS DooI.
But the little murderer was not ign
rant. lie knew from his guard 1t hi
been the intention to execute him ear
in the morning OF some day in the til
part Of the week last April. he had \
from the time Monday came that u
penalty would DO inflicted on Tdesd
or Wednesday morning. Monday
could not be, because his good irler