Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-04-28
In DEATHS SHADOW
Kemmler's.. Life Now in Warden
Durst0n's Hands.
THE WEEK OF DOOM BEGUN.
Before Midnight Of Saturday Next the
Law Must be Avenged.

The Condemned Man at Last Fully Re-
aliases His Position-Tho Execution
Likely to Occur Wednesday or Thurs-
day at the Latest-soisntihc Men Who
Are to be Present Arriving To-Day
AUBURN, N. Y, April 2S.-The life of
William Kemmler was at m Midnight, by
virtue of the sentence of the court,
placed in the hands of Warden Durston.
That gentleman will decide the hour in
which the murdere r shall be taken off,
which must be before midnight of Sat
urday next, unless the Governor inter
feres. which is not at all likely, no ap-
peal in Reminders behalf having been
4 received by him.
! Considerable time and attention has
! been given to the death machinery and
several changes in the construction of
l the chair have been made since it was
first pronounced complete. The en-
| tire electrical contrivance was con-
structed under the supervision of
Harold z. Rrown, an electrical engineer
of New YORK. The machines are West
inghouse dynamos and the current to
be used is known as the alternating
current, which comes in pulsating
waves, and which recent experiments
! demonstrated to be the most deadly Of
| all currents. The death chair is
| constructed on the model of an invalid's
reclining chair, and is made of hard
| wood. 1t has foot-rest like that of
BARRIERS chair. This chair, with
| the necessary apparatus, is in q cell
only short distance from the one in
which Kemmler is confined. When the
| time arrives for him to meet death he
will be conducted to the execution room
and there, before seating him in the
chair, the guards will fasten his hands in
| front and put strong leather strap
with buckles under the armpits. These
buckles, when the condemned is seated,
will be connected with the rings on the
arms of the chair, and sponge with wire
connection placed at the base Of the spine.
4 Then the cap-apeculiar affair construc-
| ted of black rubber-will be adjusted.
Inside the cap is spiral of copper wire,
five inches in diameter, which fits we'll
over the crown of the head, and which,
before being. finally adjusted, will be
covered with a sponge, wet with salt
water. From the ceiling of the room
and Immediately over the chair hang
two flexible wires, while on the cell
wall is IN electrical dial to indicate the
Intensity of the current, and which is
| operated by small double switch,
| similar to those used in telegraph offices
| for turning on and off the current. One
of these wires will be adjusted to the
connection in the top of the helmet like
cap and the other to the sponge at tho
base of the spine. This is change
from the original plan, it being at the
first intended to place one of the wires
at his feet.
Before the final touch is given to the
switch that shall send the victim to
eternity. a connection is made with an
subject feels slight electric
|
or unpleasant. This is done to
apply what is known as the wheat
stone Test" for the purpose of ascer-
tanning Kemmler's electrical resistance,
and occupies only a moment; The
black cloth is then pulled over Kemm-
ler's face; the officers stand back while
the last prayer is said by the prison
chaplain the signal is given the exc
cutioner gives the switch little push
to one side and 900 volts of the alter
mating current pass through the muir
derer in the chair. There is muscular
spasm, a faint quivering of the limbs
and the law is avenged.
Kemmler did not retire until after
midnight, something unusual for him
| since his confinement here. He became
very restless as midnight approached
When the clock struck twelve he
walked to the window. Through the
narrow squares and the cobwebs he
gray clouds that lowered over the
prison. The April rain was dripping
from the budding trees and the grass
was bright and green.
"a mean day, Dan," remarked Kemm-
Ter to his keeper; otis enough to make
q man feel bad"
He stood there for several minutes
without moving a muscle. Then he
turned and walked back to the cell.
It now seems pretty certain that the
execution will not take place as early
as was expected. If there is no break
in the present arrangements Kemmler
will be executed on Wednesday, prob
ably before noon. But there may be a
postponement until Thursday.
The scientific men who are to witness
the execution began arriving to-day,
but all Of them will not reach the city
till Tuesday.
The warden is little nervous over
the execution.
'I have not the slightest doubt that
Kemmler will be killed Instantly he
said, "but there is some danger of
burning the body. The current is of
terrible power. It may be that it will
scar the condemned man. The law pro-
vides that the current shall pass rough
the mans body until he is dead. It
seems to me that it would be wiser if
the current was turned on for few
seconds and then turned off. Alternat-
ing in this way would make the current
more deadly and lessen the possibility
of burning"
| Death NJ . Notad Ranublican Leader