The evening world., 1890-04-29
'7HE ENDNEAR
Preparations for Reminders
ElectroCution Complete.
Expert Harold P. Brown Arrives
in Auburn This Morning,
And Finds the Arrangements for The
Execution Satisfactory.
The Murderer's Conversion n Dis
puted Point Among the Keepers.
tsrycrAL TO THE EVENING worLp.I

"Eh'hN "
AUBURN. April 29.-The murderer's last
night on earth. his waiting for the hour. the
moment of his death by the violence OF the
law. the hand of Justice, has always been the
subject OF CHASTITY interest.
What can a man do with no plans for. no
interest in the future? What does he
think?
Newspapers have devoted columns to de-
piciing the physical and mental man al he
sits in his cell. awaiting the coming day
whose setting gun he will never see.
Every act, every word. has been scanned
for some clue to the thought of the doomed
man.
Here. behind the gloomy stone walls OF
Auburn Prison. lies a man who has already
passed forty eight hours, each one of which
might have been his last.
At any momen since Sunday midnight
the m to die might have been served
on William Kemmler,
An EVENING WORLD reporter. pacing last
evening the silent corridor OF the prison,
directly over the hambcrin which kcmmler
awaited tie messenger of death. was
startled by the sound of voices singing.
There came swelling up the stone-cSsed
stairway from the basement the sweet
strains of that o OF the Christian: Tell
Me the Old, Old Story"
1t was the prison choir. composed OF twenty
convicts. led by a coruet.
1t was their evening for practice, aud they
had gathered. a. is their wont, in q little
school-room Oh the basement floor. The
room is next door to the chamber IN which
Reminders steel a is built-the very room
in which the chair of death, known as the
- Figure L." il To be placed when William
Reminders life is taken.
For an hour the choir carolcd simple, de-
y~otionAl melodies in that room, and then
awful ailencs and gloom settled over the
south wing " again.
DR. Spltzka. OF New York. who has fairly
surrendered up his life's best energies TO
science, came in a little later aud Warden
Dnrston and the reporter went with him
down the dark stairway TO that gloomy
chamber.
Warden Durston led the way through the
darkness, saying Follow me IA look
sharp"
But strive as they might, no eyes conld
pierce that gloom and the visitors stumbled
over something in the path.
The atmosphere OF the basement was
uaAlp dhh hiAAlh anu SohhhSifO - Niahh
perspiTation.
The Warden struck a match. lighted a
solitary little Jet of gas ana after a moment
the unused eyes of the visitors deserted the
object over which they had stumbled. II
was the Figure L."
Warden Durston and DIR. Spitzks talked
enthusiastically over it, aud the Warden
illustrated its working with himself as the
subject.
Reminders cell was adjoining this room on
one side, and the school-room in which the
church choir a was Just beyond.
The footsteps of Reminders death watch
could be plainly heard as he paced he floor
OF +" the chamber Of death"
1t was a grueGome place. and the reporter
vas heartily glad when the two enthusiasts
finished Their task and retrsced their steps
to the keepers hal! above,
All along the grated front of the prison
wall, at each side Of the entrance. there
was gathered a crowd Of awe-strieken men
and women. staring ia at the wing where
Kemmler's cell is known To be.
Little group of citizens we're gathered,
too. on any corner, or in any convenient
place 10 discuss the coming event.
What Was Kemmler doing?
When the watch changed ct midnight:
Shen Guard w. II. Wempls passed in 10 the
chamber Of death and old Daniel Ne
kaaghton emerged. an EVzSIza 6oELD
reporter met the latter and walked Nth
Aim 70 bis pretty Little homs. more than )