The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-07-08

ately after death and began an autopsy
10 discover as far as possible how rapid
had been the killing and the precise
effect produced. The witnesses were
besieged by reporters as soon as they
made their appearance from the prison.
All OF them refused to say anything,
however, except that the executions
had passed off without any hitch and
had been n success from a scientific
standpoint. Warden Brown had laid
strict injunction OF secresy upon them
all, and had evidently made such an
impression on their minds that they
were loath to talk. All looked thor
oughly used up and exhausted. They
had been through terrible ordeal and
the effects were plainly visible upon
their faces. Z. a. Brown, purchasing
agent of the State prison, said that
there was no doubt that the electrocu-
tions were absolutely painless. =,
Rev. Law, the tombs chaplain, SAID
that he was pledged to secrecy, but was
willing to say that death had come in
simultaneously and painlessly, and he
considers electrocution q decided sue.
cess. Two OF the witnesses who refused
TO give their names said: "All the cleo
trocutions were successful. None of the
men struggled or resisted when placed
in their chair. Instead Of doing so they
assisted the deputy warden in arrang-
ing the straps as Kemmler did ut
Auburn. The Jap Jugiro, who it was
thought would be hard to handle, was
perfectly docile. All OF the men were
killed on the first contact"
Most OF the witnesses remained to the
autopsy. Rev. DR.. Law, chaplain at the
tombs, New York, who was the assist
ant Of the prison chaplain, and q wit
ness, said: II was fully convinced that
the killing of murderers by electricity
was failure, butI am now convinced
to the contrary. Every one OF the men
went to the chair calmly and died easily
without pain or contortion. Death was
instantaneous. am bound to secresy
and can say no more"
The electrodes were not applied as in
the Kemmler case, to the top OF the
skull and the base of the spine, but
were bound to the foreheads OF the CON
demned men and the calves OF their
legs. The current was turned on in
each case for twenty seconds. The
voltage was about 1900 and 1,6O0. In
each case there were apparent evidences
OF revival as in the Kemmler case, and
in each of these four cases the current
was turned on second time. In spite
OF the fact that the sponges were kept
constantly wet, all Of the executed men
were burned by the current, and
especially about the calves of the legs.
The medical men present agree that
death came on the first contact, and
that the seeming revival was merely
reflex muscular action. None OF the
witnesses were overcome by fright, and
all of them who have spoken have made
the statement that the electrodes were
successful, and death in all cases was
instantaneous.
There is an interesting fact connected
with the experiments made yesterday
in the presence OF the witnesses of to-
days eiectrocution which has q bearing
on the seeming inefficiency OF the single
contact. A horse was brought in to be
killed. The dynamo was run up to the
speed of 1,50O or 900 volts, the force OF
the current which it had been deter
mined would be turned into the bodies
OF the condemned men to-day. The
first contact, on account of the greater
resistance OF the animal, was twenty
eight seconds. 1t did not kill the ami
NAL, It seemed to have stunned him,
and second current and third were
turned on before the work was COM
pleted. The necessity of two contacts,
which is affirmed to have been the case
in each OF the electrocutions to-day,
finds its excuse, if not its explanation,
in the experience with the horse at yes
tcrday's experiment.