, 1890-08-07
TOO WEAK A CURRENT.
Signs of Life After the First
Application.
ONE OF The WITNESSES FAlNTS.
The Victim Probably Unconscious
of Any Pain-The Post
Mortem Report.


cution chair, leading toward the execu-
tion room, opened and Warden Dur
ston's figure appeared in the doorway.
Behind him walked spruce-looking
broad d-shouldered, little man, full
bearded, with carefully arranged hair
clustering around his forehead. lie was
dressed In n new suit--sack coat and q
vest of dark grey material, trousers of n
mixed yellow pattern, u white shirt, Its
polished front exposed directly below a
little bow of black and white checked
pattern. This was William kemmlcr,
the man who was about to undergo the
sentence OF death. Behind him walked
DIR. w. L. Houghton and Chaplain
Yates.
Kemmler was by far the coolest man
In the party. He did not look about the
room with any special degree OF inter
est He hcsitated as the door closed be-
hind him and was carefully locked by
nm attendant on the other side, as II he
did not know exactly what to do.
''Give me chair, will your" said the
warden.
Some one quickly handed him .
wooden chair, which ho placed In front
and a little to tho right of the execution
chair, facing the little circle OF men.
Kemmler sat down composedly, and
looked about without any evidence Of
fear or of any special interest in the
event. His face was not stoIid or in
different. He looked II anything rather
pleased at being the center of interest
Warden Durston stood at the left of the
chair with his hand on the back of it,
and almost the instant Kemmler took
his seat he began to speak In short
quick periods.
snow, gentlemen" he said, This is
William Kemmler. have warned him
that he is to die. and II he has anything
to say he will say it."
As tho warden finished, Kemmler
looked up, and said In high-kcyed
voice, without any hesitation, and as
though he had prepared himself for the
speech: "Well, wish every one good
luck in this world, and think am go
ing to good place. The papers have
been saying lot of stuff that isn't SO.
That is all have to say"
With the conclusion of his speech he
turned his back on the jury. took Oft his
coat and handed it to the warden. This
disclosed the fact that hole had been
cut from the band of the trousers down,
SO as to expose the base of the spine.
When his coat was off Kemmler
turned in the direction of tho door
through which he had came into tho
room, and began unbottoning his vest.
At the same time the warden drew the
interfering drapery of his shirt through
the hole in his trousers and cut 1t of, so
as to leave little surface of bare flesh
against which one of the electrodes was
to press. Warden Durstcn called kemm-
ler's attention to the fact that 1t was not
necessary to remove his vest, and
Kcmmler calmly buttoned 1t again and
carefully arranged his tie.
"Don't hurry about this matter" he
said to the warden; "be perfectly COOL"
He was perfectly cool. He was by
ell odds the coolest man in the room.
When his tie was arranged he sat
down in tho electric chair as Though he
was sitting down to dinner. Warden
Durston stood on the right, and George
Vieling, of Albany, on the left. They
began Immediately to adjust the straps,
the condemned man holding up his
arms 30 as to give them every assist
ance. When the strap had been ad-
justed about the body the arms were
fastened down, and then the warden
looked over and parted Kemmler's feet
30 as to bring his legs near the legs OF
the chair. While the straps we're being
arranged Kemmler said:
"Take your time; don't be in hurry
be sure that everything is all right"
Two or three times he repeated these
phrases.
Warden Durston treasured him with
the remark that 1t would not hurt him,
and that he (Durston) would be with
him all through. Bat it was not fear
that Kemmler felt; 1t was rather GER
tain pride in the exactness of the expert
ment. He seemed to have u greater in
terest in its success than those who had
made preparations for 1t, who were
watching its progress 10 its final fatal
conclusion. When the straps had been
adjusted the warden placed his hand on
Kemmler's head and held it against
rubber cushion which ran down the back
OF the chair. Kemmlers eyes were
turned toward the opposite side of the
room. Before they had followed the
warden in his movement. Then the
doomed man made a few remarks in a
perfectly clear and composed tone of
"Well wish every body good luck"
was one OF them; and "Durston see that
things are all right" was another.
Deputy Vieling unfastened the thumb
screws which held the chair in place
and began to lower 1t SO that the rubber
tx.x ~ N N nd
pressed against the top OF Kemmler's
head. The warden assisted in holding
Kemmler's head.
Kemmler said: ooh, you'd better
press that down further, guess. Press
that down"
SO the bead piece was unclasped and
pressed further down,
While IL was being done, Kemmler
said: "Weli, want to do the best
can; can't do any better than that"
Warden Durston took in his hand the
leather harness which was TO be adjusted
TO kemm mler's head. IL was muzzle of
broad leather the straps of which went
across the forehead and the chin. The
top strap pressed down against the nose
of Kemmlsr until 1t hattened 1t slightly
over his face. The harness was put in
place, and then DR.. Spitzka, who was
standing near the chair, said: "God
The condemned man answered (.
Thank you"
THE DEATH SCENE.
Softly q door leading into the room
where the switches were arranged was
partly opened. A man stood in the
doorway. Beyond him there were two
other men. Which one OF them was TO
touch the lever sndk make the conncc.