The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-07

ton. To bring it from its hiding place was
the last act Of preparation for Kemmler's
execution
The chair is not Of horrid appearance. It
has no lines Of beauty. but with its foot
rest it affords comfortable position to the
occupant There Is not a curved line on its
sturdy frame Upright and cross bars.
arms and ruDgs are of heavy hardwood.
square and straight.
Aud the arms OF the chair They are
wide, very wide. Not for comfort of the
occupant, no. Why thenl See the broad.
heavy buckles on the outer lower edges, and
the equally bread stout straps on the inner
side-one where the wrist falls, the otner
where the elbow would rest. These might
bind a forearm very, very close 20 the
broad chair arms.
The chair has perforated wooden seat.
The side posts of the back reach above
where a human head would rest. There
are more buckles too, and straps on these
posts just below where the shoulder would
rest, 20 pinion the upper arms. The 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 q
stout stick which Is braced from above.
The outlines are nearly tdose of the figure
4. Through the stick thus projecting for
ward from the back bar and over the sit
ter's head is a one-quarter-inch hole di-
rectly above the head. 1t is a little aper-
ture, yet through it passed the current
which was the agent of Reminders death.
The back bar, crowned with the mini
ature gibbet, Is movable, up or down,
through iron cOllar-clamps at the back Of
the seat and Of the broad head rest
Through the hole in the projecting stick
above the head is passed the heavy wire
stem OF the electrode that rests upon the
head, and through which the death current
flows. Opposite the base Of the spin al
column another hole in the upright back
bar admits the current wire to the other
pole and its eiectrode
The electrodes are heavy yet flexible rub
Der cups, about four inches in diameter. and
having inside a copper disk or coil of copper
WREN this case a coil The heavy cur
rent wire is introduced 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 a gill of water. One electrode is
pressed 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 gill of water be-
tween the wire coil and the subjects flesh.
The spongeis the ultimate conductor of the
charge, and, dripping with one Of natures
best conductors, surely fits every wrinkle,
Contact is perfect upon the skin previously
SapOnitied.
Fastened to the head rest is a pad, heav-
| lily insulated with rubber, fashioned to fit
the curves of the neck and upper spinal col
umn- The criminals head is drawn back
| hard and tight into this neck saddle, by the
| heavy 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 bar. The head is
| fixed and fast. The arms are pinioned, the
wrists, the elbows; the legs are bound, a
stout broad strap circles the waist and holds
| it fast; the electrode for the head is con-
neoted through the stick projecting above
| the head, the other through the bar to the
barred base of the spine, and the occupant Of
the chair has been made part of a circuit
| through which, when the current is switched
on, flashes the force that kills.
Successful use of this means of death de-
| ponds upon perfect contact of the exec
| trodes. Imperfect contact causes burning
| Of the flesh and slow and awful dissolution.
| The physical fact in such case would be
that the current. flowing continuously, is
damned up when it reaches the skin by i'm
perfect contact Of the conductor with it.
The current, hurrying forward with terri
BILE force and great volume, must be ex-
pended. This must he done in light or heat
In case Of electriciAng by the methods
| employed it would expend itself ia heat, an
| arc or break being formed, and burning of
! the flesh would result. By use of the sponge
electrode, as above explained, perfect con-
tact is secured and instant death is certain.