Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-05-02
Only Two Reporters Will be Allowed
to See the First Death by
Electricity.
The Electrician who is to Move tn
Fatal Lever, Not Anxious
For the Job.
HIS Contract With the State Expires
Wednesday, and He May
Not Officiate.
1t May be on Wednesday.

AUBURN, N. Y, April 28.-The first
day of the week fixed for the electro
cu.ion of Kemmler is drawing to close
and Warden Durston's lips are still
sealed as to the precise day of carrying
out the dread sentence. The condemned
has not manifested the slightest concern
as to his last day on earth, while the
score or more of newspaper correspon-
dents that haunt the hotels and prison
corridors are consumed with curiosity on
the subject. The warden adheres infex-
IDLY to his resolution to permit but two
newspaper men, representatives of two
press associations, to witness the execu-
ton, and nothing will move him. The
arrivals to-day, outside of the horde of
New York reporters, have included Elec-
trician Davis. assistant to Harold P.
Brown, who will get the electrical appli-
ances in shape for immediate use and
conduct the final test; District Attorney
Quimby, of Erie county; DIR. Carlos F.
Mcdonald, of New York, and DIR. South
wick, of Buffalo. nothing new was de-
veloped except that preparations for the
last act continue to be made.
THE CHAIR OF DEATH,
about which so much has been written
and 80 little known, was to-day shown an
Associated Press representative by War
den Durston. It was found stored in the
state shop of the prison, and the entire
mechanism of this mysterious accessory
was fully explained. In the same room
were two other chairs of similar design
and material. The were all manufac-
tured within the walls of the prison un-
der the direction of Warden Durston,
and are intended for use in two other
places where electricity is to be used in
the execution of criminals Sing
and Dannemora prisons. In room ad-
jacent to the one where the chairs were
stored, two convicts were working in
dustriously applying a coat Of black
walnut stain to mysterious looking box.
The warden was asked what it was, and
he replied,
KEMMLERS COFFIN.
The chair has now been removed to
the room of execution and the coffin will
follow tomorrow. The interment will be
made in the prison yard. It has been
given out that all communication with
the prison will be suspended tomorrow
and all telephone and telegraph wires cut
out, which probably means that the off,
cials will be too busy preparing for the
event to attend to business, but it may
mean that the execution is to take place
that day and it is this speck of doubt that
worries the watchers. The Western Un-
ion has established branch Office across
the road from the prison to expedite the
business and facilitate the transmission
Of the avalanche of matter that is now
put upon the wires nightly. Latest news
about the murderer, VIM. Kemmler, is
that he is still alive and no one knows
definitely at what hour or what day the
shock of the laws thunderbolt will be
sent through his body. It had been al
most settled upon that the execution was
to take place on Tuesday, but the
machinery of the death room had not
been put in order when the working
hours were over this evening, and it is
be completed until late tomorrow.
Warden Durston, who is in absolute
charge, said this afternoon that the exc
cution certainly would not occur during