Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-08-07

nose and greater part of the beard. The |
mouth was left free Nieling unfastened
the wooden thumbscrews aud began to
move the figure four down. His hand |
trembled little as he did 1t, and the cup
did not ft down upon the head in a secure
way. rs Kemmler thought Oh you'd
better press that down further, guess
he said. Press that down. The warden
followed his instruct ons and pressed IL
down more securely. Then Kemmler broke
out IN another spasmodic remark: "Well, |
want to do the best can,n he said u
can't do any better than that
The Last Good-by.
As he spoke DIR. Fell with long ean in
his hand, was wetting the sponges at the
two electrodes. A little group OF doctors
stood about the chair. Kemmler was pin
ioned so close shat he could hardly have
moved a muscle except those Of his mouth
The Warden took a last look at the straps.
'Ihis is all right he said
"All right, said DR.. Spitzka, aud then
be bent over and said, God bless You,
kemmler.n
THANK you," said the little man,
quietly.
Ready Goodby,n said the warden to
kemmler There was no response. The
warden stepped to the door leading into
the next room. 1t was theR forty-three
and one-halt minutes past o'clock by the
prison clock. Everything is ready" said
the warden TO some one hidden from view
IN the next room.
The Deadly Answer.
The answer came like a flash in the sud
den conyulsion that went over the frame
in the chair Ifat seemed rigid before
under the influence OF the straps, IL was
doubly SO now as il strained against them.
The seconds ticked of Dr. Mcdonald,
who was holding the stop watch, said
stop" The warden stepped to the door
of the next room and repeated the word
As the syllable passed his lips the forehead
OF the man Ia the chair grew dars ia color,
while his nose, or SO much Of Il ns WAS ex-
posed appeared dark rcd The witnesses
drew nearer to the chair.
Hes dead said Spitzka, authorita-
lively. You will notice the post-mortem
appearance of the nose Immediately There
is that remarkable change which cannot
be mistaken for anything else, that re-
markable appearance Of the nose.n
Signs Of Life.
The other doctors nodded assent. They
looked at the body critically for few min
utes and then sptzka said: "Oh, undo that
now. The body can be taken to the hos
pital. 1t was while this busnesslike
conversation was going ON that Dr. Balch
made discovery Mcdonald he cried
Mcdonald, look at that rupture lie
pointed at an abrasion Of the skin on
kenmler's right thumb In the contrac-
tiOn of the muscles the finger had scraped
against il and removed the skin, aud from
that little wound blood was flowing-an
almost certain indication Of life A low
cry of horror went through the assemblage
'.The Man Il Not Deadf,
Turn on the current excitedly cried
/ DIR. Spitzka. "This man IS not dead. . The
crowd fell back from the chair "a though
they were in danger The warden sprane
20 the elosel door and pounded on il with
his hand
Start the currentp' he cried. As he
spoke a fluid began to drop from Kemm-
| ler's mouth and 70 run down his beard n
| groaniRss sound came from his lips, re-
| peatcd and growing louder each time. The
man was coming 20 life. The spectators
grew faint and sick. Men who had stood
over dead and dying men and had cut men
to pieces without m emotion grew pale and
turned their heads away. One witness was
forced to lie down while one Of the doctors
famed him. But the end came at last.
There was another convulsion OF the body.
and again it became rigid with the rigidity
Of iron.
The BODY Burned.
"That man wasn't dead" cried Spitzka
excitediy. As he spoke the body twitched
again. The electrician had given the cur
rent new alienation, and now 1000 volts
were pnying in short, successive shocks
n lsatsfa !
with the FIRST convulsion
| keep it on now until he's killed. said
one OF the doctors
The body twitched again, and again was
rigid.
Keep IL on Keep 10 onn cried Warden
/ Durstou through the door Silence reigned
for moment A bell without began to
toll solemnly Ii ceased, and again there
was silence Then from the chair came a
sizzling sound, as of meat cooking on a
| pan. Following it Immediately burst OF
smoke came from the body and filed the
air of the room with the odor Of burning
| hair.
There was a cry from all the members Of
the little group, and Warden Durston
cried through the door, leading into the
next room to turn the current off. II
stopped and again the body retained al
most all Of its rigor DIR. Fell had been
quick with his can Of salted water when
the second current was turned on. He
had wetted the electrodes again and wetted
them thoroughly lie hreathed a sigh Of
relief when the current was turned Off
"Well, there's one thing about this" he
said, "The man never suffered a bit of
pain, and strange to say, doctors do not
disagree on this point, as all Of those who
witnessed the execution joined Or. Fell
later in this expression Of opinion.
He Pulled the Lever.
1t is said that George b. Irish, Of Albanv
n. a., pulled the lever which closed tia
circuit through Kemmler's body. He was
one of the three persons in the room ad-
joining the execution cell. she other two
were Electrician Davis aud one Of the
prison keepers
kemmler's Crime.
. kemmler's crime was the brutal murder
at Buffalo, March 20. 1889. Of Mrs Fred
Zeigler, with whom he had eloped from
Philadelphia n year and half before he
killed her. Kemmler then lived in the
Quaker City and did business in selling
market truck He became ACQUAINTED
with Mrs. Xiegler and a mutual attach
ment was followed by an elopement. Mrs
ziegler took along her 4-year-old daughter
Ella, who was the principal witness gainst
her mothers paramour
For some months the gui. Y couple lived
happily in Buffalo, going under the name
of Hart. A bitter quarrel finally took place.
Kemmler grabbed Ratchet, hit his victim
on the head and felled her to the floor.
Then with tiendish brutality he followed
up the assault, chopping at the PROSTATE