St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-29
three men and squad of reporters were

three men and squad of reporters were
taken this afternoon to the death cham
Der by Warden Durston. DR.. South
wick, as the father of the new method
and as member of the Gerry Electric
al commission, was much interested in
seeing the chair in which Kemmler will
sit 1t is of wooden framework with
mOveable cfOSSpiece at the top of the
back. This cross piece may be showed
up or down according to the height OF
the occupant. Through hole in it wire
meath, which will fit on the victims
head. Down the back of the chair an
other wire will pass, connecting with
another electrode at the base of the
spine. Saturated sponges will be placed
between the electrodes and the body in
order to prevent burning. The whole
chair looks like
Clumsy Barber'S Chair
except the protecting crosspiece at the
top and the broad leather straps fast
ened to the back and arms. One strap
will pass around the abdomen and an
other around the chest. There will be
two binding each arm and one very
broad one around the face. The face
strap is slit so as to leave the victims
nose projecting. This device takes the
place of the black cap and cOnceals the
last look of anguish that passes
over a mans c0untenance when
he is within an instant OF
execution. 1t was asserted to-day that
the current used to cause death would
be of between two and three anperes in
volume, and between 2,50O and 2,7O0
volts in force. This will be obtained
lNy r,t,n nil 70 Hu,, of tho itc
usual commercial speed. This voltage
would supply about 1000 lights. War
den Durston also exhibited the chair
which Electrician Brown had fur
nished, but which was rejected.
1t is like steamer chair, made
solidly of planks and too rough
in construction to be considered
of possible service. DR.. Daniels was
strapped into Warden Durston's chair
and tried to move. He could not. 1t
is possible that after the shock has been
administered there will De rel axation
of the muscles, but the head cannot eS-
cape from the electrode. DR.. SOuthwick
discussed the two chairs and said the
warden's was much better, though he
thought there was too much cOmplica-
tion III the strapping. The death room
adjoins Kemmler'S cell corridor. 1t
looks out on the front yard of the prison
and has nothing in it now except the
switchboards and
Wires and Meters.
The dynamo is on the other side of the
prison rectangle in the iron hollow and
nearly 1000 feet away. The twenty
seven men who will be present at the
killing have not all been announced.
Elbridge L. Gerry, of New York, and
Matthew Hale, of Albany, who with
DR.. Southwick formed the committee
that recommended the legislature to
adopt the electrical method, are eX
pected tomorrow. DR.. SpitSka and
DR.. Flint, of New York, who
are to assist in the autopsy,
will probably come at the same
time. Kemmler has passed the day in
about the same way that he has the past
week. He has read his Bible as we'll as
he could and listened to his religious
keeper, Daniel McNaughtOn, Dr.. Rough-
ton aud Chaplain Yates. He made his
will tonight, giving pictorial Bible to
Keeper McNaughtOn, a pigs in clover
puzzle to Rev. DR.. Houghton, a testa-
ment to Keeper Wempie, the skeptic,
ana slate covered with autographs to
Chaplain Yates. Mrs. burton left Au-
burn tonight so as not to be in the
prison during the execution. She has
done more than any one else to convert
Kemmler.