The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-07-10
One Point on Which the Doctors
Do Not Disagree.
THE SING sing ELECTROCUTION
Was Not a Barbarous Thing, sensa-
tional Newspaper Reports to the
Contrary Notwithstanding.-scien-
lists Who wcro Eye Witnesses Say
the Deaths were Painless and In
stantaneous and that the Flesh Was
Not Burned.

execution at Sing Sing, returned this
morning. They were interviewed by
reporter.
1.-THE executions were a success in
every way" said DR.. southwick, "and
there was not the slightest hitch. Elec.
trio execution has come to stay. These
executions have demonstrated that the
method is humane"
"Do you say that all four died in
stantly2"
eyes, sir; they died the instant the
current reached them"
"Do you say there was no sensation,
no sensibility after the current reached
them?"
"There was no sensibility whatever
after the current reached them. II was
IN absolutely painless death in all four
cases."
"Did you read the associated press re-
port OF the execution"
~ did"
"Was it accurate?"
at was in the main. Somebody must
have leaked. 1t was thought that one
of the guards told the story for cash"
"No@, Doctor, this system of eXecu-
ton is on trial before the people"
Eyes, SIR"
"And 1 am going to ask you another
question or two. In that report it was
stated that a second shock was given
each OF the men"
"Yes, sir"
"And that at the second shock the
bodies Strengthened up and became
rigid"
"Quite true. That was the case. But
there was no life in the bodies. The
same effect would have been produced
on third or fourth contact. The cleo
tric current would produce that con-
traction SO long us there was heat in
the body"
THE SECOND SHOCK.
"why was that second shock given?"
"To prevent the muscular exhibition
that was noticed at Kemmler's execu-
ton"
@Did any sound come from the men
after they got the first shockY
'None, whatever"
"Was there any burning Of the hesh?"
"There was not. There was slight
scald, raising white blister and that is
ALL"
"a New York paper states that when
Smilers body reached New York the
face was found to be burned in several
places"
"NVhat were the scalds or blisters
like?"
The elcctrode held q sponge saturated
with salt water. This water became
heated because OF continuation OF the
current, becoming hot enough to blister
the skin. But before the salt water be-
came hot the man was dead. Above
the eve OF one OF the men there was
small white blister. In Kemmlers
cass there was brown mark which was
not SO in this present case, l repeat
that the only approach to burning was
small white blister raised by the
heated water"
DIED INSTANTLY.
elbow can you be sure, Doctor, that
the man died instantly"
"I'll tell you one very satisfactory
test. Slocum was praying when he
died; So was Wood. The Others said
nothing but I particularly observed
Slocum. He was saying Lord have
mercy on my soul when he received
the shock. He had just said the word
my and started to say soul The sib-
liant sound OF the s. was made, but the
word soul was never uttered. Some
considerable time ago | was asked how
quickly death would come in such n
case. Ireplied that it would cut a syl-
liable in two. When Slocum died the
SYLLABLE soul was cut in two. Could
ANYBODY ask for better evidence OF in
stantaneous DEATH"
"How did the men approach the
chair?"
"Brayely" \
"Was there any disturbance or resist
ance?"
"None whatever"
"Did the men say anything"
"Smiler and Jugiro said nothing,
Wood and Slocum prayed"
"Would you suggest any changes
that might be made to better the
method OF execution?'
some CllullReS llllBlL Dc LldAci Dut
none that could bring quicker or more
painless death, l think it would be a
good idea to have the current come
through the hands, which would be
placed hanging down at the sides OF the
chair My idea is to have the head
free; let the man be man while living
and be able to look around. l have a
couple OF Electrodes in view and am now
having them tested. Oh, there may be
some small details changed, but the
main thing is demonstrated. Electrical
executions are instantaneous, humane
"What was the force OF the CURRENT"
"Sixteen hundred volts"
DIR. DANIELS OPINION.
"The executions were an unqualified
success in every way" said DR., Dam
iels. "The men had no sensibility OF
pain and they died instantly. The exc
cutions demonstrated that the method
is quick, painless and humane"
"Was there any burningp'
~ saw none, and looked at all the
bodies as carefully as did any man in
the death chamber. Perhaps some OF
the water from the sponge being super
heated from continuation OF the electric
current ran down tho sides Of their
faces and slightly scalded them, but ii
so, / saw no evidence it, The state
ments made that the men were burned
~ tftna M ~