Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-08-14

risk, though then, Ms all well knew, there
was no rink. IL the shock had not killed
him the heat alone must have destroyed
the brain. The order was given and the
electrodes were removed. This time
there was no motion. Kemmler was,
indeed, dead. All the physicians united
in saying that the man was unconscious
during this terrible time.
They thought he was dead before the
first current was stopped. How little Is
their knowledge They think he was un-
conscious. No man knows certainly. To
the eyes of the laymsn it seemed as
though he WAS in pain, and felt that pain
Just before ne was struck with that awful
bolt OF fire.
EDIsoS's OPINION.
New YORK, Aug. 6.-Thomas A. Edison
In al interview tonight stated taat the
mistake of the execution was in applying
the electricity 10 Kemmler's head instead
Of the hands. The hair and bones are
non-oonduotors while the fash and blood
Of the arms are good conductors.
WERE THE LAMPS LIFT BURNING?
Finally, the causes of failure to kill
kemmler instantly. There ia said by all
the physicians to be no doubt that con-
seriousness was stricken instantly from
his brain. The fact that he was not in
Btantly killed is the result OF improper
contact or OF insufficient vol age or pres.
sure. Contact certainly was not perfect
at the head, for two-thirds OF the contact
was upon the mans thick, smoothly
brushed hair. the clipped spot being one
third the sizs Of the electrodes diameter.
There has been no information that
Reminders back at point OF contact had
been saponifi5d to cleanse away the fatty
substances in the pores which offers high
Resistance. There Is little doubt that no
caustic was applied t Kemmler, il his
perhaps pardonable vanity was permitted
to prevent, rs it did, proper barring OF the
scalp for contact.
Warden Durston says 1000 volts OF
pressure of current was tirst applied to
Kemmler. When questioned tonight by
the Associated Press if the 20 incan-
descent lamps on the circuit, to indicate
presence Of current, were burning when
the bolt was dicehsrged into the muir
derer, he stated they were. They should
not have been. The moment before
switch ng the current into Kemmler the
test lamps should have been put out,
Each lamp consumes so volts, hence the
20 tDok l 200 volts at ones out Of the
current sent to Ksmmler. That LETT 700 10
cause death.
The best authorities state that Is per
cent OF current is stopped at the points
OF contact, and thai SO is thus expended |
Ia the body. Eighty five per cent OF the
700 volts not consumed today by tha |
test lamps il $50 volts of pressure. This |
10 not enough to surely kill man in.
stantly with good contact, and that Of
to-day was not perfect. Only one OF to. |
days witnesses got within the secret |
room where the apparatus ia, and while
there he was told by the person in /
charge, and before Ksmmler was put in /
the chair, that the machinery HdoRa I
there" meaning Ut the dynamo room,
was not working right" But within
10 minutes Kamln,er was shocked.
Either tue machinery recovered o. the I
bolt was sent out with uncertainty IS 20
all being right. The warden says all was
working right this morning, though last
night At midnight his appliances were ia
such order that he was not certain
whether the execution would take placa
to-day, even though he had Summoned
his guests to the prison at an early hour
this morning. Warden DurAtoE has been
through terrific ordeal, and thu kaayery
of men has been pressed upon MIN so I
much where least expected that, rs he
says, he scarcely knows whether to trust
himself. He will approach the electri-
Ching Of Fish, now here, with more light.
The consensus of opinion among The
WITNESSES here to-day is that not the
slightest doubt exists but that human
being may be instantly killed by 600
volts applied through perfect contact ami
continued 20 seconds.