davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-13
MR. MARTIN. OF TEXAs.

known, for Maj. Martin threatened death
TO any man who told them, aud actually
assaulted one reporter.
BILLY" Mason, of Chicago, will also be
missed, and Little Giant" Mccarthy,
"Sawmill" Rogers. of Arkansas, and Nc
Clammy, of North Carolina: in fact. when
one looks over the list Of the bright and
witty, the old familiar and the solid, the
comicai and the slightly ridiculous ones
who wall not come back. be is compelled to
wonder who the remarkable and eccentric
characters in the next congress viii be.
J. II. BEADLE
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-13
Distress in Ireland.

Mr. Balfour, head of the govern rent"
in Ireland, has made flying trip th..ugh
the districts where the potato crop failed,
and states positively that the distress is
not greater than the country as a whole
can relieve. Railroad building viii lie be-
gun at once. which he thinks will furnish
T>ousv enough for the uo.,'.-3 -alis-
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-13
Washington.

Copyright by American Press Association
Having seen the congress of the United
States open its session and enjoyed many
hours in listening to its debates / naturally
wanted to take go" at the house of COM
mons while in London before the recent
autumn adjournment, but that thing
"cawn't be done any day, don't you know"
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-13

wAen Baby was SICK, we gave Der Castoria,
When she WAS Child. she cried Cor CAstoria,
When she became Miss. she chung to Castoria,
When she had Children. she gave them CAstorla
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-13
OF LEGISLATIVE GIANTS
KNOWN AS BRITAlN'S PARLIAMENT
AND THE AMERICAN CONGRESS.

How the Sessions of These Great Law
Making Bodies Are opened-Some Not
abilities who viii BE Seen No More at
Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-07

thumbscrew which held back the chair
in place and began to lower it so that
the rubber cap which had the saturated
sponge pressed against the top OF
Kemmler's head.
THE DOOMED MANS NERVE.
The warden assisted in holding
Kemmler's head. Kemmler said, "Oh,
you had better press that down, part
ner, guess; press that down." So the
head piece was unclamped and pressed
further down. While it was being
done Kemmler said, swell, l want to
do the best can; can't do any better
than that"
Warden Durston took in his hand
the leather harness which was TO
be adjusted to Kemmler's head.
1t was muzzle of broad leather
straps, which went across the fore
head and chin. The top of the
strap pressed down against the
nose of Kemmler until it tlattened it
down slightly over his face. The har-
ness was put in place, DR.. Spitzka who
was atanding near the chair, said God
bless you, Kemler,' and the condemned
man answered, "Thank you.'' Soft
Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-07
OTHER DETAILS.
Something Wrong with the Machin-
ery--A Bungling Job.

Something Wrong with the Machin-
ery--A Bungling Job.
AUBURN, NEW YORK, Aug. 6.-As-
sociated Press.]. Kemmler had gone
peacefully to sleep in the night and
had slept soundly and was snoring still
at o'clock when he was awakened by
one of his guards. Pastor Houghton,
who attended Kemmler and Prison
Chaplain Yates were with him. They
read to him from the Bible and he
prayed with them. He dressed himself
without aid in a suit of gray mixed
goods. His hair he combed and brushed
with great care. His shoes were we'll
polished and while he made himself
finally tidy the warden and tall
stranger, who is deputy marshal in
Buffalo, entered the cell. The warden
explained to Kemmler that he must
have the top of his head shaved. The
prisoner demurred. He had taken
great pains in dressing his hair and
beside. as he explained to the warden,
he did not want to be dishgured.
Kemmler's hair is dark brown and
wavy with hyperion curl that fell on
his forehead, OF this he was proud.
In the shadow of death his vanity
asserted itself. His hair how
ever, was cut, but the curl
was saved and. as the sequel proved,
with no good results. The shaven spot
was 24 by 1t inches in size, and was
not really shaven but was cropped
fairly close.
While this was proceeding the wit
nesses examined the chair. The death
belt was run by the dynamo, and the
incandescent test lamps in the ante
Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-07

chamber glowed family. How feebly
they burn" exclaimed DR.. MacDon-
aid, who was the only one who got into
the ante-rOom. and that while ignorant
of the warden's desire to keep its Sc
crers inviolate. In response to DR..
MacDonald's comment, Electrician
DAVIS remarked that there was some
thing wrong about the machinery
down there" referring to the dynamo
end of the circuit. This remark took
place before the electricizing. It is
we'll to remember, ami was undoubt-
edly as true few minutes later when
the bolt was applied to Kemmler.
The condemned man, after having
his hair cut on top his head listened to
the reading of the warrant by the
warden. When the current was
first turned on the least unhappy
of all in the room was DR.. Southwick of
Buffalo. the father of electriciZing in
capital cases and who has been study
ing and been working upon the SUBJ
ject since 1881. "There, he exclaimed,
as he strode away from the chair to the
knot of witnesses at the other end of
the room, there is the elimination of
ten years work and study. We live in
higher civilization from this day.
But even while he spoke quick sharp
cry went up from those yet closely
watching about the silent figure in the
chair. There had been movement in
the breast of the man whom all had
believed had died one minute and AZ
seconds before. The narrowing scenes
attending the second electrocution fol-
lowed.
The doctors in general declared that
the man from the very first contact was
beyond consciousness and some
thought that the action which
startled all and sent the war
den away with white face
to order the current renewed. was
only reflex muscular action. Not so
one physician, who declared that he
would stake his name that he would
bring Kemmler back to consciousness
and life with brandy and hypodermics.
Meantime one of the witnesses, Mr.. G..
G. Balm OF Washington, D. c., had
tainted and lay upon the bench where
he was being famed.
When finally the electric mask was
removed Kemmler's eyes were found
to be half closed and without tho
CLASSY stare common to eyes in death.
The lids were lifted and tests of the
pupils with bright light were made.
There was no contraction of the pupils.
Where the mask had pressed the fore
head there was livid mark, the mark
of the laws righteous dissertation.
The nose and region of its base was
deeply livid hue. Purple spots soon be-
gan mOttling the hands, arms and
neck, and the doctors said he was
surely dead. One Of the Buffalo doc
tors seven minutes after the straps
were removed cut the skin at the tenn
pie for microscopic specimen
of the dead mans blood. 1t was
Immediately examined q. and found
slightly coagulated. On the electrodes
being withdrawn from contact with the
body, hair adhered to the rim of the
upper disc. Drs. Mcdonald and
Shrady examined the head. They
found there was a deep circular imprint
on the top of the head made by the
Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-07

sharp pressure of the electrodes rim.
The spot where a tuft of Kemmler's
hair had been cut off just before death
was found to constitute not more than
one-third of the area of contact with
the electrode and close examination
disclosed that the edges of copper
within the electrode had slightly burned
the scalp just where the head had been
cut. Had not Kemmler's desire to
avoid Disagreement by the cutting off
OF his hair prevailed, contact would
have been more perfect and the
chances OF instaneous death would
have been very much greater,
and possibly the Disagreement
which he dreaded would have been
avoided. AS to the causes of the fail
ure to kill Kemmler instantly, there is
said by all physicians to be no doubt
that consciousness was stricken from
the brain instantly. The fact that he
was not instantly killed is the result of
improper contact or insufficient voltage
or pressure.
Warden Durston says 100 volts we're
first applied to Kemmler. When ques-
toned tonight by an Associated Press
correspondent if the 20 incandescent
lamps on the circuit were burning
when the bolt was discharged into the
murderer, he stated that they were.
They should not have been. The mo-
ment before switching the current into
Kemmler the test lamps should have
been cut off. Each lamp consumes SO
volts. hence 20 took 1000 volts at once
out of the current sent to Kemmler.
That left 700 volts to cause death. The
best authorities state that Is per cent.
of current is stopped at the points of
contact, and that IS is thus expended
in the body. Eighty-five per cent. of the
700 volts not consumed today by the
test lamps is $50 volts of pressure. This
is not enough to surely kill instantly
with good contact and that of today
was not perfect. The warden says all
was working right this morning, though
last night at midnight his appliances
were in such order that he was not
certain whether the execution would
take place today, even though he had
summoned his guests TO the prison at
an early hour this morning. Warden
Durston has been through terrific
ordeal, and the knavery of men has
been pressed upon him so much where
he least expected, that he scarcely
knows whether to trust himself. We
will approach the eletricizing of Fish
here with more light.
The concensus of opinion among
witnesses here today is that there is
not the slightest doubt that human
being may be instantly killed by 1000
volts applied through perfect contact
and continued 20 seconds.
The body OF Kemmler will doubtless
be disposed, of tomorrow in the prison
burying ground with quick lime to
hasten dissolution.
Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-07
"'ElectrOcutiOn" Not Wholly
a Success.
Two Shocks Required to Extinguish
the Last Spark of Life.
The Doomed Murderer Meets His Fate
with Wonderful Courage.
An Appalling Scene When the Victim
Began to Return to Con-
SCiOuSneSS After the
First Shock.

AUBURN, N. Y, Aug. 6.--Tbe trial
OF new means of taking human life,
while prompted by humane motives,
has resulted in sickening spectacle
presented by a pinioned wretch. at
whose vital center was kept pounding
for some moments an alternating cur
rent of electricity which, though it ul-
timately destroyed his life, subjected
the criminal to torture of which no
living being has knowledge, and which
none can describe. Imperfect registry
OF the current pressure or faulty con
tact OF the electrodes prevented in
stantaneous death. The reader may
gain some>conception OF the process of
this killing when the statement is
made that the person whose body
should be shaken into fragments could
not have suffered such pain as did
Kemmler, whose nerve cells and tis-
sues were disintegrated not in flash,
as designed, but by the relatively slow
strokes OF the electric hammers upou
them. Whether the blood yet retains
its normal consistency or whether it is
partially or wholly huidized by the di.
@orce of oxygen from the blood COR
puscles, can only be determined by
the autopsy.
Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-07

At the warden's request DR.. Fell
stepped forward with long syringe
in his hand and deftly wetted two
sponges which were at the electrodes,
one on top of the head and the other at
the base of the spine. The water
which he put on them was impregnated
with salt. DR.. Spitzra answered the
warden's question with shout of "All
right" which was echoed by others
about him. Ready" said Durston
again and then 'Good bye" He
stepped to the door and through the
opening said to some one in the next
room, but to whom will probably never
be known with certainty, Everything
is ready" There was an almost i'm
mediate response and at 6:43 the elec-
trio current was turned on.
There was a sudden cOnvusion of the
frame in the chair. A spasm went
over Kemmler from head to foot. He
was confined by straps and springs
that held him so firmly that no limb or
other part of the body stirred more
than a small fraction of an inch
from its resting place. The twitching
that the muscles Of the face underwent
gave it for a moment an expression
OF pain, but no cry escaped from the
lips; which were free to move at will,
no sound came forth to suggest that
consciousness lasted more than the
infnitisimal fraction of a second-be-
yond the calculation of human mind.
The body remained in a riged position
for seventeen seconds. The jury and
witnesses who remained seated up to
this moment came hurriedly forward
and surrounded the chair. There was
no movement of the body beyond the
first cOnvulsiOn. 1t was not pretty
sight, the man in his shirt sleeves
bound hand and foot, body and even
head, with the heavy frame work
pressing down on top of the skull.
DIR. Mcdonald held q stop watch in
his hand and as the seconds flew by he,
noted their passage. Spitzka looked
at the stop watch and as the tenth
second expired he cried out "Stop!"
other voices cried "StOp." The ward
en- turned to the doorway, called out
stop" to the man at the lever. A
quick movement of the arm and the
electric current was switched off.
There was relaxation of the body in
the chair. "He's dead" said Spitzka
calmly.
COMING BACK TO LIFE.
DR.. Balch was leaning over the body
looking at the exposed skin, Sudden
ly he cried out sharply "Dr. McDon-
aid, sec that rupture" In q moment
Drs. Spitzka and Mcdonald had leant
over and were looking where Baloh was
pointing at little red spot on the
hand that rested on the right arm of
the chair. The index finger of the
hand had curved backward as the
muscles contracted and scraped
Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-07
Death Chair.

ly the door leading into the room where
the switches were arranged was partly
opened and man stood in the door
way. Beyond him there were two other
men. Which one OF them was to touch
the lever and make the connection with
the chair was not known. Warden
Durston said it never will be known.
The dynamo in the machineshop was
running at good speed and the voltme-
ter on the wall showed a little more
than 1000 volts. The warden turned to
the assembled doctors and those i'm
me1iately around the execution chair
and said: ''Do the doctors say it is all
right?" Hardly minute had elapsed
since the adjustment of the straps.
There was no time for Kemmler to have
weakened then, if his marvellous cour-
age had not been equal to the test of
further delay, but there was no fear
that he would lose coura5e. He was as
firm in the chair as before he entered
the room.
TIE FIRST SHOCK.
Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-07

mark that it would not hurt him; that
he (Durston) would be with him all
through, but it was not fear that
Kemmier felt, it was rather certain
pride in the exactness Of the expert
ment. He seemed to have greater int
crest in its success than those who had
made preparations for it, who were
watching its progress, and its final IA
tai conclusion.
When the strap had been
adjusted the warden placed his hand on
Kemmler's head and held it against the
rubber cushion which ran over the back
of the chair. Kemmler's eyes were
turned tothe other side of the room.
Before. they had followed the warden
in his movement about. Then the DOOM
ed man made few remarks in perfect
~ clear, composed tone Of voice: "Well
good luck" was one of them, and,
"Durston, see that things are all right
was another, VieliDg unfastened the
Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-07

With the conclusion of the speech
he turned his back On the jury, took off
bis coat and handed 1t to the warden.
This disclosed the fact that hole had
been cut from the band of the trousers
down, 60 as to expose the base of the
spine. When the coat was off Kemm-
Ter turned in the direction of the door
through which he came into the room,
and began to unbutton his vest; at
the same time the warden drawing the
interfering drapery of his shirt through
the holein his pants and cutting it off,
so as to leave little surface of the
flesh against which one of the cleo
trodes was to press, absolutely bare.
Warden Duston called attention to the
fact that it was not necessary to re-
move the vest, and Kemmler calmly
buttoning it again, carefully arranged
his necktie.
Don't hurry about this matter"
said the warden; be perfectly COOL"
He was perfectly cool--by all odds the
coolest man in the room.
SUFFERED NO PAIN.
AUBURN, N. Y, Aug. 6.-After
there remained no doubt that the cur
rent bad done it's fatal work, DR.. Fell,
said, "Well, there's no doubt about
one thing; the man never suffered an
iota of pain" In after consultations
other physicians expressed the same
belief. 1t was some mitigation CT the
horrors of the situation to believe
this.
Some doctors disagreed with this
view, and doubted his death when his
chest moved and sounds issued from
his lips.
THE AUTOPSY.
The autopsy began at o'clock. It
was found when the body was spread
out on the table that very severe rigor
mortis had Get in. There was little
relaxation, and it was with difficulty
that the corpse vas strajghtened out.
On examination it was found the Sec
ond electrode burned through the skin
and into the flesh at the base of the
spine, making ecar nearly FIVE inch.
es in diameter. The heart, lungs and
other organs were taken out and
found in good healthy condition, and
will be preserved for future examina-
ton. The brain also was taken out.
It, too, will be examined.
Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-07
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Details Of the Execution-A Sicken-
Scene,

scene.
AUBURN IN. ~ Aug. 6-[By the
Associated Press. -Kemmler sat
down in the electric chair as quiz
city as though he was sitting down to
dinner. Warden Durston stood on
the right and George Vieling, of AL
bany, on the left. They began immed-
lately to adjust the straps, the con-
demned holding up his arms so as to
give them every assistance. When the
straps had been adjusted about the
body the arms were fastened down and
then the warden leaned over and
parted Kemmler's feet so as to bring
the legs near the legs of the chair.
While the straps were being arranged,
Kemmler said: 'Take your time.
Don't be in hurry. Be sure every
thing is all right" Two or three times
he repeated these words. Warden
DurstOn reassuerd him with the re-
Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-07
WONDERFUL NERVE.

Kemmler's nerve was something
wonderful. He never faltered. He
directed the adjustment of himself in
the chair and counseled the warden to
moderation to secure perfect safety.
The shock was given at 6:43T, and
was continued about Is seconds. Two
minutes after the current was cut off
there was evidence Of respiration. AS
soon as possible the current was re-
turned and then cut off Again respir.
alton was evident, after a few mo-
ments. Saliva came from the mouth;
the chest heaved; there was wheeling
in the throat. The shock was again
put to the prisoner, who, the doctors
remarked, was unconscious from the
moment of the first shock. After a
short time smoke appeared at the
base; his
FLESH WAS BURNING:
The spectacle was most trying. The
man, the doctors said, suffered no
pain, however. The warden says the
voltage at first shock was 1900 volts.
which run down to point not named.
After third contact Of four minutes
the man was declared dead. The
warden's certificate OF death was then
signed by all present and the party
broke up at 7 80 to meet at :15, when
the body would be ready for the au.
topsy.
When the mask was taken off the
face the eyes were found half open,
and his expression, while not normal
or placid, WAS not horrifying.
TAKING THE CHAIR--KEMMLER MAKES
SPEECH.
Warden Durston stood at the left of
the chair with hand on the back of
it. Almost at the moment Kemmler
took his seat he began to speak in
quick, short periods. "Now, gentle
men," he said, "this is William Kemm-
Ter. 1 have warned him he has got to
die, and if he has anything to say he
will say it," As the warden finished,
Kemmler looked up, and in high
voice, without any hesitation, and as
though he had prepared himself with
the speech: "Well, I wish every one
good luck in this world. and 1 think l
am going to the good place. The pa
pers have been saying lots of stuff
that isn't 80. That's all have to
say"
Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-07
FrIGhtful Railway Accident.

VIENNA, Aug. GA railroad train
was thrown from the track today near
Pilson, Bohemia. The cars rolled
down an embankment into a marsh.
The stoker and several passengers
were killed. Eight persons were injured
Most Of the passengers we're emf
grants bound for the United States.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-07-17
Mrs. Carmichael,

"a DAVVhA0tN AIkuo.
The Carmichael divorce trial was
on deck at Chillicothe the past
week, and on Thursday, the testi-
mony being finished, and being
convinced of the wife's infidelity,
the court granted Rev. Carmichael
3 divorce. Mrs. Carmichael was
one of the crusaders whose
sensibility was shocked by the sale
OF liquor in Lathrop and she start
ed out at the head of a mob of
women, and without opposition
captured a saloon or two, broke In
the windows and poured out their
beer and liquors into the cutters of
the streets. Mrs. Carmichael's
conspicuousness in this business
had not half subsidized before it was
learned why her opposition to the
liquor traffic was SO strong-she
was in love with dairyman. Her
husband, a Baptist preacher, insti-
tuted at once proceedings for a
divorce on the one ground that
should be recognized as a cause by
any preacher of the gospel. Wo-
men who unsex themselves as Mrs.
Carmichael did as the leader of the
mob at Lathrop T o n or later
discovered to be unlike Caesars
wife.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-07-17

pears now that he wounded and
crippled or gave a chronic disease to
pretty much all the adult males
north of the Potomac River, the
pension rolls showing that very few
of them escaped. I don't believe
there Is a Confederate soldier liv-
ing who would not be willing to
see the Government make a bounti-
full provision for every Federal
soldier incapacitated, by wounds
or disease contracted or received in
the service, from earning a living,
but it is a well-known fact that
there are men on the pension rolls
worth hundreds of thousands of
dollars, and others drawing large
salaries as Senators, members of
Congress and from other sources,
and heavy pensions are being paid
to men for scratches that would not
have driven an old rebel from the
line of battle, or to make compen-
sation for some stomach ache of
thirty years ago. We are paying
more money to-day to pensioners
than the Government of Great
Britain does to maintain its stand
ing army. We suppose that the
Federal soldiers fought to preserve
the Union, that it was a patriotic
duty they were discharging, but
now patriotism seems to be a pref
ty profitable employment"
This is Saturday and as I am
going to leave for New York City
Monday I must take my last lesson
in farming. This afternoon there
is to be a big grabbing party. Every
farmer should know all about the
habits of chintz- bugs. I shall 60
grabbing and learn in just what
points the crab differs from the
chintz bug, which is often SO de-
to crops which are allow
ed to become over-run with weeds.
In my lecture of What we know
about farming from personal ex-
perience," I shall take the posi-
ton that weeds should be kept out
of crops and that we prefer crabs
even Holsters in our oats, wheat
or corn to chintz bugs.
Bob WHITE.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-07-17

JOHN G. FREMONT will figure in
American history as an attractive
and romantic personality. Except
in his early career as the "Path.
finder" his lot was to take part in
the opening rather than in the
achievement of great events. The
first Presidential candidate of the
Republican party, the defeat of
Fremont and Dayton practically
terminated his political career.
As a Union soldier his most i'm
portant service was as one of the
early organizers of the war. Per-
sonally highly regarded by a large
circle Of friends, his public record
tails short of that of a leading per-
sonality. Yet men much his in
teriors have held with credit higher
positions in our public life than he
attained.