The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1890-08-07

had finishsd these things, and said: DO
the doctors say IL Ii all right" AZ the
waraans question DR.. Fell stepped Tor
ward with long syringe In bis hand and
quickly wetted the two sponRea which
we're as the electrodes, one on top OF the
head, the other nj the base OF the spines
The water which he put on them was I'M
pregnatsd with salt. DR.. Spitzka answered
the warden's question with sharp
.An night
which vas re-echoed by the others about
him. Ready" said Durston again, and
then good bye" He stepped to the door
and throwing II open said TO some one in
the next room, but 10 whom will probably
never be known with certainty. Every
thing Is ready" was the almost
immediate response, and as the stop
watches In the hands OF some of
the Witnesses registered 6:43A the elsctri-
current was turned on. There was a sudc
den convulsion OF the frame In the chair.
A spasm went over II from head 10 foot,
confined by straps and spring that held II
armly so that no limb or other parts OF the
body stirred more than the small fraction
Of an inch from les resting place. The
twitchine that the muscles OF the face I'M
dsrwent gave IL for moment the express
sion OF pain, but
No Cry Escaped From HIS Laps and mo-
Sound Came Forth
TO suggest that consciousness lasted more
than an infinitely small fraction of Sec
ond. The body remained In this rigid
position for seventeen seconds. The jury
and witnesses, vino remained seated up
10 this moment, came hurriedly forward
and surrounded the chair. There was no
movement in the body beyond that
Of the FIRST convulsion. AS
the tenth second expired, DIR.
Spisxka cried out Stopl The warden
stepped 10 the door and called out g Stopl "
to the man at the lever. AS the electric
current was shut of there was slight re-
Taxation Of the form In the chair, and the
quiet little group surrounding II became
business-Iiks. Doctors spiszka aud Me-
Donald declared him dead, and the rest Of
the witnesses nodded their acquiesoence.
There was no question In the minds OF any
but that the upright object before them
was dead. The body was just about 10 be
taken out OF the chair when DIR. Batch,
who was examining il, exclaimed: DR..
Mcdonald, see that rupture" In mo-
ment spitxka and Mcdonald had bent
over, and looking whore DR.. Batch was
pointing TO @ little rcd spot on the hand
that rested on the arm Of the chair. The
index finger OF the hand had curved back
ward as the fiax or muscles had contracted
and had scraped q small hole in the akin
Of the base Of the thumb. There was
nothing strange In this alone, but what
was strange was that the little rupture was
bleeding.
.TuFn she Currsns cn Tnssansiys rhss Man
IL rot bead"
cried DIR. Spitaka. Faces grew white, and
as the form fell back in the chair Warden
Durston sprang TO the doorway and cried,
Turn ON che current But the current
could not be turned on. When the signal
TO atop had come the operator pressed the
little button which gave the sign to the
engineer TO stop the dynamo.
a szost sscksning sight.
The dynamo was almost at a standstill.
| The operator sprang to the button and
gave q quick signal. There was o rapid
response, but quick as Il vas IL was moi
quick enough 10 stop the signs Of whai
| may not have been revayipg consciousness
| AS the group OF horror stricken Witnesses
stood helplessly by, all eyes fixed on
the chair, Ksmmler's lips began d
drip spittle, and In a momen
more has chest began 20 heave ant
| from his mouth came . heavy, stentorioul
sound, quickening with every respiration
| There was no voice, bat that OF the warden
crying 10 the operator to turn ON the cur
rans. The wheeling sound and half groan
which we're forced past the tightly close,
lips, sounded through the still chambe
with ghastly distinctness. Some of th
Witnesses turned away from the sight. On
OF them lay down, faint and sick. ID takes
long, iong time, to tell the story.
seemed long time in reaching the climax
In reality there wore but seventy -thre
seconds In the interval which passed be
tween the moment when the FIRST scum
issued from Kcmmler's iips until the re
sponse TO the signal came from th
dynamo. IN came with suddenness tbs
had marked the FIRST shock which passs
through Kammlar's body. The soun
which had horriaed the listeners about th
chair was out OF sharply as the body be
came more rigid. Shiny oose still drippe
from the mouth and ran down the bear
and onto his gray vest. Twice there wei
twitchings OF the body as the electricians l
the next room threw the current of and on
-
A series OF Bioody Tragedies.
| zw T0E4fa No Auw A.