Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-07-17
Quick Death Described.
VISIBLE PHENOMENA OF EXECUTION BY
MEANS OF ELECTRICITY-Two MEDI-
CAL WITNESSES TALK.

VISIBLE PHENOMENA OF EXECUTION BY
MEANs OF ELECTRICITY-Two MEDI-
CAL WITNESSES TALK.
BUFFALO, N. Y, July 9.-Dr. A. P.
Southwick and DR.. Clayton NJ. Daniels, the
two Buffalo witnesses of the electrical ex-
ecuton at Sing Sing, returned this morn
ing. They were interviewed by report
er, and each one, so far as the law allow
ed him, spoke of the remarkable scenes
in the death chamber in which they we're
participants. Each of these gentlemen
had witnessed the Kemmler execution
and were, therefore, prepared to make
careful and valuable comparative Obser-
yations when witnessing the recent exc
cutions. DR.. Southwick was member
of the original State commission on cleo
trical execution.
"The executions were a success In every
way" said DR.. Southwick, "and there
was not the slightest hitch. Electric ex-
ecutions have come to stay. These exc
cutions has demonstrated that the method
is humane"
"Do you say that all fonr died instant
lyp
"Yes, sir. They died the instant the
current reached them. 1t was an abso-
lutely painless death in all four cases."
"Did you read the press report Of the
execution 7"
IL did. 1t was accurate in the main.
Somebody must have leaked. 1t was
thought that one of the guards told the
story for cash."
"In that report it was stated that a
second shock was given each of the men,
and that at the second shock the bodies
Strengthened up and became rigid 7"
"Quite true. That was the case But
there was no life in the bodies. The same
effect would have been produced on a
third OF fourth contact. The electric cur
rent would produce that contraction so
long as there was heat in the body"
"Why was that second shock given 7"
"To prevent that muscular exhibition
that was noticed at Reminders execu-
ton"
"Was there any burning Of the flesh 7"
There was not. There was a slight
scald, raising white blister, AMI that Is
ALL"
"a New York paper states that when
Smier's body reached New York the face
was found to be burned in several places"
"That was a downright lie."
"What were the scalds or blisters
like"
"The electrode held a 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 men were dead. Above the
eye of one of the men there was small
blister In Kemmler's case there was a
brown mark, which was not the case in
the present instance"
Chow can you be sure, doctor, that the
men died instantly !"
"l'll tell you OEe very satisfactory test.
Slocum was praying when be died. So
was Wood. The others said nothing.
But 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 slbilant sound OF the s.
was made. but the word soul was never
uttered. Some considerable time ago
was asked how quickly death would
come ir such case. replied that it
would cut syllable IN two. When Slo-
cum died the syllable soul was cut in
two. Could anybody ask for better evil
dence of instantaneous death : Another
Indication" continued DR.. Southwick,
"was the appearance of the mems features
at death They were undisturbed, un-
changed from what they were in life. l
suggested that they should close their
ewes so that the salt water from the cleo
trode on their foreheads should not run
into their eyes and give them needless
pain. They did close their eyes. That
action made certain contraction OF the
features. That contraction was there
after the men were taken from the chair.
There was not single person who saw
the executions but said they were To-
Simultaneous and painless, and a humane
method OF producing death"
chow did the men approach The chair y
"Bravely."
"Did the men say anythingW
"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 changes might be made, but
none that could bring quicker or more
painless death. l think 1t would be a
good idea to have the current come
through the hands, which would be
placed hanging down at the sides OF the
char. My idea is to have the bead free.
Let the man be a man while living, and
/ be able to look around"
"What was the force of the current y
"Sixteen hundred volts"
DR. Richards was also interviewed AS
to the statement that the four men were
burned by the electrodes, he said
IL saw none, and / looked at all the
bodies as carefully as did any man 10 the
death chamber. Perhaps some of the
water from the sponge, being superheated
from continuation of the electric current,
ran down the sides of their faces and
slightly scalded them, but if so, | saw no
evidence of it. The statements made
that the men were burned is false. There
was no disturbance of any kind. There
was nothing revolving. Any woman could
have witnessed the executions without
being distressed, except from the knowl-
edge that death was present. There were
no sounds from the men. They were dead
the instant the current reached them.
True, when the second shock was given
them they became rigid again, but that
did not denote life.
"The result of the application of an
electric current is to contract. Dead
horses have been made to kick and dead
frogs to jump by the application of cleo
tricity. There were no sounds, no burn
ing, no odOr of burning flesh, nothing
whatever that would revolt any specta-
tor. Each of the men had his mouth free,
and would have uttered sounds if sensi-
billty had not been destroyed at the first
instant. Every spectator was certain
that there had been no pain, no sensiblli-
ty. spoke to one of the priests about it,.
He said the executions were a success,
and that he was sure there had been no
pain"