The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-08-07
KEMMLER ELECTR0CUTED.
TWO SHOCKS NECESSARY TO
PRODUCE DEATH.
CHASTITY sounds in the Death Chamber at
KiIling-Life Ended with "A short. sharp


the head Of "A man bound captive in a
strengthening chair, lever quickly
swung around the are of a scmi-clrclc, a
quick cOnyulson, n sudden revival OF mus
cular action, another turn OF the lever. a
pause, a room filled with sickenng fumes
and twenty y-seyen witnesses Of the first elcc-
tricide in history knew that the death of
Tilie Iiegler had been avenged in law, and
the crime Of William kemmler eXpiated, so
far as human hands could force its .eXpia-
ton.
REQUIRING NERVE.
An execution is always a CHASTITY sight
| 4 bnching bee has about it an attendant
excitement, born OF hurried, boistcrOus ac-
| tiOn, which lends an artificial strength TO
the nerves of participants and on-lOOkers
alike: but the slow sclemnity Of public
execution; the quiet, formal preparations
for judicial killing, are depressing enough
to weaken the nerves and undermine the
courage of the brayest.
KEMMLER's APPEARANCE.
At G:3S the door at the right of the exc
cutiOn chair. leading towards the execution
room. opened. aud Warden Durston ap-
| peared In the doorway. behind him walked
a sprucc-looking, broad-shouldered little
man, full bearded, With carefully arranged
hair clustering around his forehead. lie
was dressed in a suit Of new clothing "a
sack coat and vest of dark gray material.
trousers Of mixed yellow pattern. and a
white shirt. whose polished front was eX-
posed directly below a little bow Of lawn of
a black and white check pattern.
COOLEST IN THE PARTY.
This was William kemmlcr. Behind him
walked Dr. W. l.. lloughtOn and Chaplain
| Yates kemmlcr was by far the coolest
man in the party. He did not look about
the room with any special degree Of inter- |
est. lie hcsitated as the door was closed |
behind him and carefully locked by an A. |
tendant on the other side. a. though he did
not know exactly what TO do.
"Giye me chair, will yOuW said the
warden.
Some one quickly handed him a wooden |
chair. which he placed in front and little |
| 10 the right of the execution chair. facing |
the little circle Of men. kemmler sat down
cOmp0sodly, looked about him, and then up |
and down without any evidence Of fear or
of special interest i'm the event His face /
was Indifferent. lie looked. if anything, ~ |
though he was rather pleased at being the
centre Of interest. Warden Durston stood |
at the left of the chair, with his hand on the |
back of il. and almost at the moment that |
kcmmler took his seat he began 10 speak |
in short, quick periods.
TIE FAREWELL SPEECH.
"Now, gentlemen" he said. "this l. |
William kommcr, | have warned him that |
he has got Ia die and If he has anything 10 |
say he Will say it," As the warden finished |
| kemmlcr looked up and said IN "a high |
keyed voice without any hesitation, and a. |
though be had prepared himself with the |
-uecch: "Wcll. | wish every one good luck /
i'm this world. and think | am going TO "a |
good place. and the papers have been say |
ing "a lot of stun that isn't SO. That's all | |
have to say"
PREPARATIONS.
With the conclusion of the speech be /
turned his back ON the Jury, took of his /
coat and handed it 10 the warden. This /
disclosed the fact that "A hole had been cut |
from the band Of the trousers down. 50 as to /
expose the base of the spine. When his /
coat was OF kcmmlcr turned IN the dlrec- |
tiOn of the door through which he had come |
into IN room and began 10 unbuttOn his vest.
| At the same time the warden was drawing |
| the interfering drapery of his shirt through |
the hole in the trousers and cutting IT Oh so
as to leave the little surface of flesh. against
which one Of the electrodes was To press
! absolutely bare.
Warden Durston called attention To the
fact that it was not necessary to remove |
his vest. and kemmler calmly buttoned II |
again and carefully arranged his tie.
"DON'r HURRY"
.Don't hurry about this matter" said the
warden: ''be perfectly cool" lie was per
| fectly cool: he was by all odds the coolest
man in the room. W hen his tic was ar
ranged. bee sat down IN the electric char as
quietly as though he was sitting down 10
dinner.
ADJUSTING THE STRAPS.
Warden Durston stood on the right and
! George Nieliug. of ALBANY, on the lclt.
They began Immediately TO adjust the
straps around kemmler's body. the con
demncd man holding up his arms 80 as To
giye them every assistance. W hen the
straps had been adjusted about the body,
the arms were fastened down, and then the
warden leaned over and parted hemmler :
feet, so as to bring his legs near the legs OF
| the chair.
While the straps were being arranged.
Hcmmler said 10 the warden and his as
.istanf. Take your time. don't bee in a
hurry. be sure that everything i all risht.
! Two or three times he repeated thesc
phrases. Warden Durst0n reassured him
| with the remark that it would not hurt hin.
and that he (Durst0n) would be with MN
all through.
INTEREST IL TIE RESULT.
But il was not fear that kemmler felt, il
was rather certain pride ia the eNacihes9
Of the experiment. lie seemed to have
| greater interest in its success than lhose
who had made the preparations for II, ana
who were watching It's progres, 10 lls hial
| fatal conclusion.
When the straps had been adjusted To me
body and limbs, the warden placed Ms
| hand on kemmei's head and held 1t against
the rubber cushion which ran down the
| back OF the chair. kemmlers eyes were
turned toward the opposite side Ot the room;
before. they had followed the warden IN his
movements about. Then the condemned
man made one or two remarks IN per-
fectly clear. composed voice.
"GooD LUCK TO ALL"
.sWell. wish everybody good luck was
one Of them. and " "DnIstOn, see that thihs7
are all right was another. Deputy iei-
in0 unfastened the thumb screws which
held the figure ~" at the back OF the chair
in Mace. and began 10 lower it SO that the
rubber cap which held the saturated sponge
messed AGAINST the top OF kemmlers mead.
The warden assisted in the preparation Dl
hnldine Kemmler's head. When the cap had
been adjusted and clamped IN place
Kemmler said, "Oh, you'd better press
that down further. | guess-press mat
down" 30 the head piece was IN
clamped and pressed further down.
while il was being done kcmmler SAID;
..WelI. | want to do the best can. | cant
do any better than that" Warden Dursion
took in his hand the leather harness when
was to be adjusted To hemmlers mead; IL
was a muzzle Of broad leather straps when
went across the forehead and the chin on
the man in the chair. The top strap pressed
down against the nose Of kcmmler until IL
fattened il DOWN slightly over his face.
"GoD BLESS YOU"
As the harness was put IN place Dr.
Spitzka, who was standing near the chair,
said softly: God bless you, hemInler,n ana
the condemned man answered, "IhahA
youu softly. The door leading into the room
where the switches were arranged was
| partly open. A man stood IN the doorway
| Reyond him there Were two other men;
which of them was to touch the lever aud
make The connection with the chain WAS not
known. Warden Durston says 1t never VIII
| be known.
DYNAMO AT FULL SPEED.