Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-08-07
KEMMLER EXECUTED.
A Scene Never to be Forgotten
BY Those Present.
-Four Applications Of Electric Current
Necessary to Do the Work.
Doctors Say as Died Vithout Pain. =
The Horrible Details.


| the electrical companies to prevent execa-
tons by electricity have proved uaayailing
ksmmier. the murderer, has been electro
cutaA. At 8 IS Wsraen D1rston accom-
panied by kemmier, DIR. w. E. Houghton
and Chaplain Yates entered the execution
room. kemmier WAS by far the coolest
man in the party. He sat down composed
ly, looking about him without any evidence
of fear or of special interest in the event.
He looked. if anything, as though he was
rather pleased at being the centre of in
terest. Warden Durston stood At the lefI
of the chair. and, as kemmler took his seat.
said Now. gentlemen, this is
William kemmler; have warned
him that he has got to die. and II
hs has anything 10 say he will say it, .
As the warden finished hemmier looked
up and said in a high-kcyed voice without
any hesitation and as though he hat pre-
pared himself with the speech. Well, I
wish every one good luck 10 this world and
1 ] tNipk | an goIrg 10 good place, and
tue pagers have been saying lot of stuff
that is not 50. That's all have To say. -
At the conclusion OF this speech he ic
moved his Coat. calmly arranged his neckiis
and sat down in the elt ctrie chair, qulc ~
o. II slsAluE uDN II W dtHucEf oiAfs NGEt
adjusted around his body, bis arm, fasten
ed down and feet placed close [, the legs Of
the chair While this WAS being Gooe
kemmer repeatedly cautioned the warden
aot to hurry and b. sure esers thine was I
r gfIt. IL was not Though fear
that Kemnler thus spoke. but
rather through certain pride
in the exactntss Of the experiment
The head piece was cismped in place
and the heather harness adjusted to the
head and face. During this time Kemmler
maintained the same unrufiled demesnor
an 1 talked calmly TO the warden about the
adjustment Of various parts of electrical
chairs. The door leading into the room
where the electrical switches were arranged
va, partly open, = man standing In the
doorway Beyond him we're two other
men. Which of these was TO touch the
lever and make connection with the char
was not known, and Warden Durston say
never will be knosn. Everything wxs
now in readiness, and n; a SIGNAL from the
warden. at CASA the eleutiic current vas
turrcd on. There was a sudden convulsi n
of the form in the chair, a spasm went over
il from head to foot. confined by the straps
and springs that held it firmly 50 that 90
limb or other por ion of the body stirred
more than a small fraction of an inch
from the resting place. The twitchBg that
the muscles of the face underwent, gave to
il for a moment the expression Of pain
But no cry escaped from the lips which
were free to work at will ami no sound
came forth TO suggest that consciousness
lasted more than an infnitesmal fraction
of n second beyond calculation OF the hu-
man mind The body retained this rigid
position, and for II seconds there WAS no
movement of the body bey0nl the first con-
vulsion. At the expiration of ten seconds
the currsnt was switched off. There was
a slight relaxation of the body in the chair.
but the straps held it so firmly that there
was not quarter of an inch variation in
the position of any part of his frame
There was no question in the mind of any
present that the man before them was life
less. Preparations for postmortem ex
summation were beirg z discussed when Dr
Bach suddenly noticed a red spot on thc
hand resting on the right arm of the chair
and from which blood wss dropping.
lnstnft tiy the order was given TO again turn
on the current. The dynamo was almost
at a standstill, ard although the engineer
quickly responded to the command. il was
not quick enough 10 anticipate the signs Of
what may or may not have been reviyiny
consciousness. As the group of horror
>tric ken witnesses stood helplcs ,ly Nv all
eyes fixed en- his chair, Kemmler's lips be-
gan - dip saliva and in q moment NOR
bis chest moved and from hi, mouth came
heavy, stertorous sounds, quckening aJd
inc rcssing win every respiration. The
wheeling sourd, half groan. which for, q
it't 2sa hghty closed hps' sounded
'hfo"2h 'he sun ensmeer WIN ghs'uN o.
uhc'hess' some OF me witnesses hNd
70 'n'n away itot" the Eht ana on
OF mem lay Gown hiat ana SICK
In :" seconds affr' the or1er tor s. o M
current toe response came AMI the s"nn'
tba' mad horrihsd the listeners sho"' ,h'
cnair was cut on thHfp'' ~ VI" b"dF ne
came r'slo' ne oyi an" vas tuh up y
i's h'Ehest speed ana again ana aeslh inil
current OF z'ooo volls as sent through the
eodF IN toe chslr- he wsrdens cerhheste
OF desth was signed ny All prest ~ ano NE
parry nrVke up y, .''o 10 meet AZ . ~
"heh 'he noey Nuuiu oe readS LOT All ~
,lpsy- "heh the MASK was t'seh 'u
hemmief race ms eyes were if'1d hai
open sna MS t&P'e'sieh' "h,ie hss 1or"A'
- sf ~ w. " s"A'y "Ff
m Inc autopsy vas not an elaborate ahar-
Inc important part OF the aniopsy Wss the
u'iefpseol INV examinations, Whlch VIII ps
aore oy Inv physeians separately. lhev
WIZ sake parts "t hen'hler oouy TO tb'
MONIES ana examine ihese catefuiiy 81 theF
letsute' ihey VIII get 'osether ana tra'n
afepNt covering tle Nhoie case. hemu
Ief 'as' nisN. hem"itr ate good sup
per iAs, nlght ana ne seemed IN no way de-
pressed IN spHlts' IL ls probsbly true that
Tue man wanted 10 die. nat ne looked 'or-
~arn win more reief than dread to escape
from the terrible SUSPENSE sno torture OF
tea' sun'e' rsnesn infefno IN "hleh 'he wiz
ing GAYS OF 'hs past week nave neF ssed
ne toi' i'ahtei MeNsufhson' one ct the
seppers' 90 Mopdsy, tost ne wanted 10 60
ara ne ~ the GEM msh VINO ca led on
mn al ~ 90 yesterday morning the SAM
'hihe' ana mere Is every reason 10 peiiese
this could explain the astounding stoicsu
,h;,as !, a ,"a. - a -. .pk,