Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-29
Observation-Disclosures
How an Eccentric Old Man Hngeniousiy
Committed Suicide.

How an Eccentric Old Man Ingeniousiy
Committed Suicide.
Webb City, No, special dispatch to the
Philadelphia Press says: For several years past
there has lived in this city an eccentric old man
named John Thomas. He was noted for his
kindness and was always willing to do any one
favor. He was not talkativo. button occasions
would get confidential, and would mourn the
fact that he WAS alone in the world. Thomas
spent his odd hours in studying the effect OF
electricity on animals and the human system.
He claimed that the manner Of applying the
wires to Kommler at Auburn prison was totally
wrong and was accountable for the apparent
torture which that unfortunate man was COM
PEELED to suffer.
His idea was that IL was the sympathetic
nerves which should be shocked. He was much
interested in the killing OF the four murderers
at Sing Sing on July 7. and wrote to Warden
Brown for permission to assist in their cxecu-
ton. To this letter he received NO reply.
After the execution he was much engrossod in
the details as CLEANED from the press accounts
Of the affair, but said the whole theory was
wrong. There should have been no muscular
contraction. The current was applied to the
wrong set Of nerves, He said there was too
much electricity used. II proper appliances
had been had only one shock would have been
necessary, and there would have been no burn
ing of the hesh nor any Of the shocking scenes
which we're reported in the accounts Of the ex-
ecution.
He cited several instances where men had
been killed by electric light wires, showing
that where the current had passed through the
hands death was lingering but wheL il passed
directly through the body death was instsnta-
ncous.
CARRYING OUT HIS THEORY.
His theory was to place one electrods d.
rectly over the Pit of tho stomach and the
other at the back, thus passing the current
through the great pneumogastric nerve.
This. he claimed. would cause inatap tsneous
paralysis OF the heart and lungs. Thomss
appeared to become in sane on the subject
and ii was the theme Of his conversation at
all :imes and places and, where he formerly
was taciturn. he became very laxative he
had n sort Of repair and Job shop where he
would mend the tools Of the miners and
spend most of his time at tinkering at odd
an invention for some weeks ana refused TO adj
NIT any one to tho back room Of the shop,
where he slept and where he sept his invsn
ton.
About week ago Thomas mnde arrsnge-
ments to have an arc electric light placed In
his shop He told the electric light people
that be had much work to dc IT night and that
he could not ace well enough BY lamp light
Last week Thomas was missed from his usual
haunts and his doqi was closed. Some hints
tnat ne nad dropped dead induced bis n6lgn-
bors to break into the house and they found
that he had rlcved his theory to his own salts
faction at least. He had constructed the most
ingenious apparatus by which he had utilized
the electric light current and killed himself
THE SWITCH BOARD OF DEATH.
With insulated wires he made the connections
to an arrangement of steel rods at his bed,
which were 40 arranged that when no laid down
one electrode was between his shoulders, and
he could then place the other over the pit Of
his stomach. in each electrode was a sponge
which had evidently been moistened. He had
made a peculiar switch board which worked in
ouch manner that the light wire could be cut
out and the current defiected to tho apparatus
at the bed. This was accomplished by pulling
= cord which hung at the side of the bed:
When the cord was released the spring would
force the switch back. forcing the current back
into the light
Thomas had made all his preparations and
then deliberately laid himself upon the bed, ad-
justed the electrodes and pulled the cord.
Death came in an instant and he died without
struggle. Not muscle had twitched to disar-
range the body. The cord had been released
by the dead hand upon the instant OF the shock
and second contact was not necessary. The
strength Of the current was about ] 400 volts,
showing that the current through the pneu-
mogastric nerve requires neither So heavy nor
SO prolonged shock rs through the brain and
spinal cord. Not mark or blister was seen on
the body to indicate burning.