The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-08-13

to1top the dynamo, The oynnmo MAS
nmost at standstill and the volt meter |
regIstered a almost inpsrceptible cur
-rent The operAtor Sprang 70 the but
ton and gave quick signal. There was
. rapid response, but 1t was not quick
enough TO anticipate the signs Of what
may or may not have been reviving con-
sciousness.
As the group OF horror-stricken. wit
nesses stood helplessly by, all eyes fixed
on the chair, Kemmler's lips began to
drip spittle and In moment more his
chest moved and from his mouth csmea
heavy sound. quicKening and increasing
with every respiration-if respiration 1t
was. The wheezing sound, half groan,
which forced itself past the tightly
closed lips sounded through the still
chamber. with, CHASTITY distinctnesa
Some bf the Witnesses turned away from
the sight There were but soventy-three
seconds in the interval which elapsed
between the moment when the first
sound issued from Kemmler's lips until
the response to the signal came from
the dynamo room. Is kA
The dynamo was run up to its highest
speed and again and again the full cur
rent Of 1000 volts was sent through tho
body In the chair. 1t was kept In action
| four and a half minutes. Suddenly
there arose from the body white vapor
bearing with 1t pungent and sicken-
ing odor. The body was burning, Again
there were cries to stop the current and
again the warden sprang to the door and
Qaye the order to his assistants. The
current stopped and again there was the
relaxation Of the body. No doubt that
this time the current had done its work.
DR.. Fell turned and said: swell, there
Is no doubt about one thing. The man
never suffered an iota Of pain"
1t Is said that George b. Irish, OF Al
bany, N. Y, pulled the lever which
closed the circuit through kemmlers
body. He was one Of the three persons
in the room adjoining the execution
cell. The other two we're electrician
Davis and one Of the prison keepers. II
is understood that the voltage was be-
, tween 900 and $500 on the first shock,
, and that 1t ran up 10 1900 on the second.
: After the execution the doctors held
an autopsy. The body Of the dead mar
still sat In the electric chair, the limb
rigid, the expression Of the face (bu'
|, for the discolorations Of the skin) un
!, changed. The rigJr Of the body was
. matter Of comment and surprise amont
: the physicians. The jaw had not fallei
: and the pleasant expression with which
, Kemmler had greeted the witnesses a
: he entered the execution room still lin
pered about tho features. sagE
The eramination OF the brain showe'
= that II was hardened directly under tn
: spot where the electric current ha
! come in contact with the skull and tina
= the blood, at that spot was hardened
!, showing that the current had had actio
A direct on the brain.
: The following is an editorial whic
7 DR., George y. Shrady, editor OF tn
= Medical Record, OF New York, tell
: Rraphed last night 10 that Journal: "rh
!. llengthened agony Of suspense regart
!, ing fhe eficienoy Of electricity as
u means Of executing criminals has boo
finally Terminated In the legal KILN
= OF Kemmler. As was reasonably anti
a lipated death was instantaneous and
q | Tar as can be judged the unfortuna
" subject Of the experiment died witho'
- pain, The spectacle presented wa
!. howeyer, By no means edifying to SUI
:. As hopsn for improvements OF the Q
I nethods I8sR 4
n | rWbiie we allow that electricity b
y Been success as far as the killing
A concer rned, we must also admit that
:. have gained little II anything over q
~ ordinary method OF execution by han
ing. The preliminaries OF electro-tha
"a asia are far from pleasant TO contel
~ plate. Alongside Of those for hangi
:, they are pretentiously horrible. The
a Is something more than weird In :
- preparation OF the machine, the del
erate fixati on OF the villain, the adju
ment OF the electrode and the thousa
deaths in contemplating one, Will
more than offsets the quick thou
damnable taking of. The horro
though hidden are nevertheless fe
There is something else TO be thouR
= OF than the mere quickness OF dea
While the latter might have been
umphantly done, the agony Of the CRU
nal during the preparations must
.r terrible as compared with that OF hal
|, nl ing.n 4hggd 20 iD1 ESQ glGu IN
4, "The experience in the Keumler ca
" in spite Of all the precautions TAX
n h have shown many difiiculties In the v
N oia general adoption Of the method
= Is far from simple in It's application.
q / REQ uires elaborate and careful prep.
~ tons; II mpltiplies machinery, Will
"a without expert manipulation, Is liza
70 faiiin its working and bring ab
49, disastrous rssults; II may be q sourc
Pei, danger 70 the executioners and spe'
Wit tors; Il increases the expense OF
,ur. cntions; but worse than all in the
,ye, essary preparation Of the yietimpth
,on. Is crowded upon him in q few second
Iop- smount Of horror and suspense wi
nds holds mo compsfison with asny Of
Dr. forms Of, rapid demolition, save thos
ias being thrust into the muzzle OF loa
..ke y J. :. IA "A ~ A A n nj IN bOmb.