St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-07
SAINT PAUL.
TALKS ABOUT TOWN.

William J. Bell will be remembered
rs the man who, about three years ago,
accidentally received the full current
from a Westinghouse lectric light wire
for about fifteen seconds. Since that
time he has been much interested in the
subject of electrOcution, and he has
been associated closely with Harold L.
Brown, who was employed ny New
York state to conduct a series OF expert
ments on the subject and to take charge
of the first few executions. Inrough
the influence of the Westinghouse IN.
terests. however, the execution OF
Kemmler was placed in other hands.
Thinking that Mr.. Bell's views on the
recent horrible failure would be OF IN
terest GLOBE reporter went to see MIN
Ibis office at q West Fifth street.
"Yes,'' he said, ''they made horrl-
BILE botch of kemmler's execution In
some way. If Harold P. Brown had
conducted it there would have been
nothing of the sort. Electrocutlon Is
certainly the best and most scientific
method OF killing criminals that can be
devised. My own experience SHOWS
that very plainly. The only sensation
| had at all when | was struck was a
very slight chill that was almost lnstan-
taneous,. Everything after that is per,
feet blank. am thoroughly convinced
that Reminders death was absolutely
painless. The horrible exhibition made
could have been avoided by making
better connections between the cleo
trodes and Kemmler's body, by leaving
the current on for thirty seconds, as the
law requires. and by using little high
er voltage. Had this been done, the
death would have been quiet and pain
less. and there would have been no mu-
tilatiOn whatever.
Theilabor star is in the ascendant.
The flag of the toiling population has
been holsted high over the banners of
capital and monopoly, the city's repre-
sentatives have legalized the eight-hour
day, and labor is correSpOndingly JUDI
liant. The councils resolution liking
eight hours as days work for city EN-
ployes. does not, of course, include the
thousands of men employed by private
firms and corporations, nor perhaps Will
it be of direct benefit to this class. AS
precedent, however, it is extremely
valuable to the latter class, and Will
without a doubt do more towards Secur-
Ing the ultimate general adoption of the
eight-hour system than any other action
could have accomplished, The action
Of the council in this matter has re-
reived the approval OF all citizens alike.
and the benefits to accrue to the day
workers are incalculable.
The tide of organization, which Is now
at the flood all over the United States,
is flowing lust as high in st. Paul as in
most cities of like proportion. The
latest move in the way of labor organl-
cation is that inaugurated few even
ings ago by the waiter girls Of the city.
1t is but few weeks ago that the male
walters met and organized and adopted
II scale of wages by which they propose
to stand summer and winter. On Tues
day night the girl walters from the no.
tells and cafes all over the city, to the
number of several hundred. met at labor
Headquarters, on East Seventh street,
and adopted the same scale.
Few would suspect the average
young woman who waits at
table of being gifted i'll oratOrY. Well,
the meeting the other night proved the
truth of the statement that no ones
ability can be gagged until trial has
been had. They were SOber-faced.
shy-looking crowd at first, and the ring
leaders of the dining room rebellion had
the talking all to themselves. After a
time, though, other members of the
short-aproned brigade became enthused,
aud at last one girl stood up before the
house and delivered herself of opinions
which. from her appearance, no one
would have suspected her of possessing,
in style that would have done credit
to a woman's rights lecturer. That
started the ball rolling, and in less than
half an hour several short, sharp ad-
dresses were run off which. if printed,
would be interesting reading for various