Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-08-14

respiration 1t was. There was no voice.
but that of the warden crying to tho
operator to turn or the current; and tho
wheeling sound-half groan-which
forced itself past the tightly-closed lips,
sounded through the still chamber with
CHASTITY distinctness. Some of the wit
ness turned away from the sight
One OF them lay down faint and sick.
1t takes a long time to tell the
story. 1t seemed long time in reach
ing a climax. In reality there were
but seventy seconds in the inter-
val which elapsed between the moment
when the first sound issued from Kemm-
ler's lips until the response to the sig
nal came from the dynamo-rC0m. 1t
came with the same suddenness that
had marked the first shock which
passed through Kemmler's body. The
sound which had Mortified the listen
ers about the chair was cut
off sharply as the body once more
became rigid. The Shiny ooze still
dropped from the mouth and ran slowly
in three lines down the beard and on
to the gray vest. Twice there were
twitchings of the body as the cleo
tricians in the next room turned the
current on and off. There was to be no
mistake this time about the killing.
The dynamo was run up to its
highest speed and again and
again the full current Of 2,G00 volts
was sent through the body in the chair.
How long it was kept in action no one
knows. To the excited group of men
about the chair it seemed an intermin.
L r.
front of the volt-meter in the ad ioining
room and threw the switch-lever over
back ward and forward time had no
measurement
DR.. Daniel, who looked at his watch
excitedly, and who thought he had an
approximate idea of the time, at least,
said that it was four and half minutes
in all. The warden'S assistant, who stood
over the dynamo said that on the Sec
ond signal. the machinery was run only
three and half minutes altogether.
1t will never be known with any degree
of accuracy what the space of time
was. No one was anxious to give the
signal to stop. All dreaded the re-
sponsibility of Offering the man a
chance to revive or to give again at
least those appearances of returning
animation which had startled and
sickened the witnesses few minutes
before. As the anxious group stood
silently watching the body, suddenly
there arose from it a white vapor bearing
with it pungent and sickening odor.
The body was burning. Again there
were cries to stop the current and again
the warden sprang to the door and gave
the quick order to his assistants. The
current stopped, and again there was
the relaxation Of the body. No doubt
that this time the current had done its
work-if not we'll, at least completed
1t is said tonight that George Il.
Irish, of Albany, n. y, pulled the
lever which closed the circuit through
kemmler's body. He was one of the
three persons in the room adjoining the
execution cell. The other two were
Elec trician Davis and one of the prison
keepers.
Mr.. Irish said to the special corr
of the United Press that
the voltage was at no time below what
the doctors had said last night it ought
to be- 1t is understood that the voltage
was between one thousand and fifteen
L
ran up to two thousand on the second.
The Autopsy.
AUBURN, \. Y, Aug. 1.-Before $50
a. m. most of the doctors had returned
to the prison to prepare for the autopsy.
The body of the dead man still sat in
the electric chair, the limbs rigid, the
expression of the face (but for the dis
cOlorations of the skim unchanged.
The rigor or the body was matter for
comment and surprise among the ply
sicians. The jaw had not fallen, and
the pleasant expression with which
Kemmler had greeted the witnesses as
he entered the execution room, still
fingered about the features.
1t was determined that DR.. Jenkins,
of New York, instead of DR.. Daniel |
should do the work with the surgeons |
knife. because of his long experience |!
in performing autopsies on persons |
killed by electricity. Both DR.. Daniel !
and DR.. jenkins stripped off their coats
and vests and the surgeons case was |
opened and the glittering array of |
knives and saws brought out The |
body was lifted from the chair and |
placed on the table in the center of the |
room. 1t still preserved its rigidity. |
A small wooden box was placed under
the head to support it and the limbs
we're straightened out as far as possi-
Die. Then a convict was summoned |
rom the prison to take off the clothing.
The removal revealed a scar nearly |
i've inches in diameter where the sec
ond electrode had pressed against the |
base of the spine, showing that the cur
'ent had burned through into the flesh.
The body looked healthy and we'll
nourished.
DR.. Shardy at this point suggested |
5he necessity of making the examina-
ton as formal as though it was to be
5aken for original investigation, and
volunteered to act as secretary, and
take the report in shorthand. This
was agreed upon and the first step taken
was to bind clinical thermometer to
the nape of the neck and take the
The record demonstrated .
that the man was dead beyond all .
question.
The table, on suggestion, was moved
over to the corner of the cell, directly
lnder the window, where better
light could be had. When it was in posi-
ion a general survey of the body was
aiken, and its external condition care
fully noted. Then DR.. Jenkins took
MS surgeons knife and began opera
ions The body was cut open. The
heart, lungs, and otter organs were
taken out, and their condition noted
They were all put in
Mueller's fluid for preservation and fut-
Ire examination.