The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-08-06
AN ELECTRIC HORROR.
New York's First and Pro
bly, Last Execution by
Dynamo --Kemmler's
Courage.

in the Jail here this morning by means
of electricity. The details of the execu-
tion were most horrible and the current
was turned on three times before life was
extinct.
Kemnler displayed wonderful nerve
throughout the terrible ordeal, and his
calm bearing excited the admiration of
those who were present.
Kemmler was reused from his sleep at
O'Clock. He was perfectly self-possessed
and dressed himself with unusual care.
He ate light breakfast and looked out
of the aperture OF his window. He saw
the rowd gathered up against the rail-
ing, but he made no comment.
At twenty minutes past six the COM
mitteemen began to arrive in twos and
threes. They had to literally force their
way through the crowd, which, though
small, was very compact and determined.
Ten minutes later Deputy Coz oner
Jenkins and DR.. Shrady of New York
elbowed their way through the crowd.
They were the last. They had
hardly entered the main hall of the
prison before Warden Durston invited all
the gentlemen present to step down to
the execution room, and they filed down
the staircase.
THE CONDEMNED MAN BROUGHT IN.
AS soon as they all entered the con-
demned man was brought in. He looked
about him without the slightest sign of
fear and bowed to the Warden.
Warden Durston introduced him to
| those present, saying, This is William
Kemmler."
The condemned man gazed steadily at
the assembled crowd and said, "How do
you do?"
r,Of, fr0o I,oir ,inh bod r1o
beside the fatal seat. The man obsyed
implicitly, and seated himself.
When asked if he had anything to say
Kemmler SAID:
"Yes. I wish you all good luck in this
world and the next. think l am going
not treated me right. That is the only
thing have to say. / wish you all very
good luck"
Upon being told what to do he care
fully and deliberately removed his
coat and vest, and placed them on
the chair he had just vacated He was
told to sit down in the fatal chair and
he did SO quietly and calmly as If he was
about to seat himself at the table. He
placed his arms in position and looked
steadily at the Warden, who stepped for
ward.
The silence in the death chamber was
intense. 1t seemed as if those present
could hardly breath.
Kemmler was asked to stand up, and he
did SO. readily. He was perfectly cool, and
decidedly more self-possessed than any
one who was in the same room.
Joseph Vieiing. Deputy Sheriff of Erie
county. began to adjust the straps. He
buckled one about the body, two about
the legs and one about the right arm.
Then he fastened Kemmler's head to the
head rest with handkerchief which
covered the eyes.
COOL TO THE LAST.
He had scarcely finished this when
Kemmler spoke up. Joe" he said, YOU
forgot to strap the other arm"
| Vieling looked and saw the mistake,
and promptly rectified it, although by
this time his hands were trembling
violently.
"Good-by and good luck to you ALL" ex-
claimed Kemmler in firm strong voice.
THE ELECTRICITY TURNED ON.
| At exactly forty-dye minutes past six
| the Warden gave the prearranged signal
and after brief interval the man who
was at the switchboard in the adjoining
| room switched the levers
| Those who were looking at the strapped
down man SOW a sudden twitch pass over
| the body, the limbs seemed to shrink up
about an inch or so, and there was a
| dreadful contortion of the body. The
mouth worked convulsively, saliva spat-
| tered out, and it seemed as If the writh-
| ing form would tear itself away from the
| binding straps.
It was a frightful spectacle and even
| the physicians turned their heads away.
There was a heavy. deep drawn breath of
relief as II the soul was glad to be freed,
and the murderer lay quite still in the
clasp of the wooden arms.
DR.. Spitzka stepped forward, and after
brief examination pronounced him
dead.
The doctors spoke then of removing his
body, but to this the Warden objected.
The current was turned off and the
electrodes taken from the head.
| THE BODY SHOWS SIGNS OF LIFE.
A great deep breath came from the
form in the chair, the chest heaved con-
vulsively and the same frightful conuor-
tions as before were witnessed by those
who had the hardihood to gaze upon the
dreadful scene.
Everyone present was dumb with hor-
ror. District Attorney Quimby tottered
out half fainting while Kemmler was
frothing at the mouth and attempting to
chew his lips.
Hurriedly the rubber cap was placed
back in its position on the top of his head
and signal was hastily given for anoth-
er and heavier shock.
AS the current entered the body there
was a sickening smell OF burning flesh
and hair, which filled the chamber. The
current was burning the murderer just
as it did Lineman Feeks. although per-
haps not quite so severely.
The current was kept up for seventeen
seconds precisely. and then the savants
present pronounced that he was dead
The physicians said that the breathing
and contortions were only natural re-
action, and perhaps they ought to know.
1t was then 6.48.
After it was a positive fact that he was
dead the Warden would not allow the
body to be touched until he himself was
satisfied that life was extinct. Outside
the prison all this time the croud waited
and wondered when the news would come
out.
Within ten minutes after the execu-
ton, news Of which the crowd had not
vet learned, the bell in the front tower
tolled. This was the signal which an
nounced that the convicts were being
called for breakfast.
Almost Immediately the waiting guards
and keepers filed in through the biz gate,
which had been opened for them.
THREE SHOCKS WERE NECESSARY.
1t was said that KemInler did not di Q
until third shock had been admins
tered.
Within half an hour the committee be-
gan to file out Without an exception
they gave the most glowing reports of
the success Of the execution.
At nine o'clock the physicians reas-
sembled in the prison and began work on
the autopsy.
DR.. SpitZka said
II regard this as by far more dignified
ovacufiot, law thnu opv hop.Y;n,r l,,va