The Portland daily press., 1890-08-07

dynamo which takes power from the shop
below. 1t is fifty horse power machine,
which is the mechanical force. allowing for
waste in gearing and transmission, deemed
necessary to maintain fifty of the arc, or big
white street lamps. The qualifications of
this dynamo are:
Commercial voltage dorce currenD 900
Mean
Speed (revolution of ofarmature) e)...........1 500
This machine is so constructed as to gener-
ate what is known as an alternating current.
1t lay terms it may be said that In alternat-
Ing current dynamos the electric force under
goes rapid periodic changes, being one mo-
ment at zero. increasing to maximum, di-
minishing to zero; then, reversing in direc
tion, IL again rises to a maximum. to fall
again to zero. The average of these rapidly
changing strengths is sometimes called the
electro-motive force of the DYNAMO. The
Auburn machine is capable of about 250 Of
these reversals every second, or about 1900
every minute. When applied to the crimi-
nal, as in Kemmler's case, these rapidly al
ternating throbs have each about the physical
force necessary to lift 1877 pounds l foot in
one second. The nerve cells and tissues are
believed to be racked and smitten, first in
one direction and then another. by this ter
rifle and mysterious force, about IA 600 times
every minute. 1t is like beating an object
with heavy hammer alternately on either
side, with great force, very rapidly. In the
case Of electricizing, the nerve cells are be-
lieved to be torn from the glands. or ganglia,
disintegrated-ki killed.
Edison has stated, under oath, that one
tenth OF an ampere the electrical unit OF
quantity, ana 1000 volts IA volt being the
electrical unit of pressurel would be enough
to kill man.
If Edison is right. then the silent machine
within its mysterious thews the generatiye
power to decimate great city in an incredi-
bly, short space of time.
From the dynamo In the loft of the mar BILE
shop in Auburn prison heavy wires lead
through gauge on the wall up to the top of
the building which is known as the south
wing. Thence they trail along the roofs,
over the main part of the prison, and creep
their way stealthily among the vines that
cover the prison front, down to the base
ment and through square window into the
fateful room.
Once the convcts-there are now more
than 1900 in Auburn prison-aet in the space
which is now the room where Kemmler died.
1t used to be part of the mess room. Near
one of its high square windows the writer
once saw eX-Bank President Fish, at mar
row shelf running along the wall, eating his
plate of beans ana tin mug of soup. The
room thus taken from the mess hall is about
Near one corner of the room is a low broad
and heavy door. In opens into short cor
ridor leading to the solitary chamber with its
iron cage, where Kemmler awaited DEATH
and where, perhaps, others will do the
same.
An old fashioned chandelier drops from
the ceiling and reaches out two rusty arms
in awkward curves TO hold at the end Of each
a blackened gas burner
Between the windows on the street side of
the room the wall is faced with matched
boards to hold the electrical apparatus. The
wires from theldistantdynamO lead in through
the corner window to volt or force meter
fastened against the board facing. By this
the swiftness Of the death current was meas
ured. On the circuit also is case of "a in
candescent lamps. These lamps glow when
the current is there, and give a ngible as
surance that the silent agent OF death is
throbbing along the copper arteries. At the
right of the lamp is a switch, which, when
Shut closes or completes a sub-clrcuit which
lights the lamps, but does not involve the
| death chair and its appliances. The current
| in this circuit Is reduced so as not to over
| flow or burn out the lamps, by means of an
| instrument known as reductor.
Quite near and at the right of the lamp
| switch Is the all potent switch of the main
| and has rubber handle, so that the execu-
| tioner may not be electricized instead of the
| criminal in the chair. The closing of this
| lever into the metal jaws that receive 1t es-
| tablishes circuit through the electrodes at
| the chair
From the ceiling near the ancient gas fix
| ture depends the death carrying wire, the
| criminal sitting with his right side to the
| street windows, facing northward. The
back of the chair is toward the door where
| the criminal enters, so that walking obliaue-
| ly from the door he takes the seat without
| turning.
A button on the wall, when pressed,
sounds signal In the dynamo room; the
| belt is put on the machine to innocently do
Its terrible errand, and upon signal 1t may be
at once turned off after its work is done.
| The chair in which Kemmler met his death
is a heavy wooden affair made in the prison
| and so provided with straps that the con-
demned mans body could be firmly fastened
into 1t; Tns>central rest to the back is
furnished by stout broad bar of wood at
the top of which, above the sitter's head. is
mortised in stout stick which is braced
| from above. The outlines are nearly those
Of the figure 4. Though the stick thus PRO
lectlng forward from the back bar, and over
above the head. 1t is a little aperture, yet
though 1t passed the current which was the
agent of Kemmler's death.
The back bar, crowned with its miniatur e
glbbet, Is movable, up or down, through iron
collar clamps at the back Of the seat and of
the board head rest. Through the hole in
the projecting stick above the head is passed
the heavy wire stem of the electrode that
/ TeSCS upon tH6 utdus anu through WHICH Lle
death current flows. Opposite the base of
the spinal column another ihole in the up
right back bar admits the current wire to
the other pole and its electrode.7
The electrodes are heavy yet flexible rub
Der cups, about four inches in diameter, and
having inside copper disk or coil of copper
wire-in this case coil. The
duced into the rubber cup through the apex
and is connected with the wire coiled around
the inside of the cup. A sponge is fitted into
the cavity of the cup, closely against the
wire coil. The sponge will hold gill oi
water. One electrode is passed down upon
the head of the criminal. clinging somewhat
because of exhaustion OF air.
Thus, when the electrode is in position
there is practically. only a gill Of water be-
tween the wire coil and the subjects flesh
The sponge is the ultimate conductor of the
| charge and dripping with one of natures
best conductors, surely fits every wrinkle
into every pore, over every excreSence Con
tact is perfect upon the skin previously
saponified.
Fastened to the head-rest is pad, heavily
insulated with rubber. fastened to fit the
curves of the neck and upper spinal column
The criminals head is drawn back hard and
tight into this neck saddle, by the heayy
leather mask that fits the forehead, shades
the eyes and envelops the chin, but Leaves
| the nose and mouth exposed. There are
straps upon the mask that buckle back about
the upright central DaT' Tae head is fixed
wrists, the elbows; the. legs are bound; {
stout broad strap circles the waist and hold
it fast: the electrode for the head is CON
nected through the stick projecting above
the head, the other through the bar to Tho
base of the spine, and the occupant of tht
chair has been made part OF circuit through