The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-07-28
THE AUBURN bUNGLE.
What Electrician Davis says Of the
Taylor Execution.
SAYS THE STATE is AT FAULT.
The Dynamos Are Too Small, and Are
Subjected to Too Great n strain-The
Doctors Agreed that Taylor Was Insen-
sible to Pain After the First Contact.

AUBURN, N. Y, July 2S.-Not since
the electrocution of Kemmler, three years
ago, has any execution of the death penalty
caused such widespread sensation as the
double electrocution of William G, Taylor,
in the death chamber of Auburn prison
yesterday. When the witnesses had been
liberated after two hours enforced confire-
ment they began relating the narrowing
scenes they had observed and soon the en-
tire city was discussing the failure of the
States executioner.
Just as the current Of 1,700 volts was
turned on, the foot rest of the chair broke
and the dynamo gave out so that a second
current could not be applied. The MUIR
derer was not dead from the first con-
tact and soon began breathing heavily. He
was unstrapped and taken from the chair
and placed on cot and conveyed back to
his corridor where he continued breathing
and groaning with pulse growing stronger.
1t was soon decided to obtain power from
the city's electric plant and then to replace
the poor wretch in the chair and electro
cute him.
Physicians say he was unconscious after
the first contact of over /, 700 volts. His
condition was analogous TO that of man
stricken with apoplexy. Morphine was
freely administered, and while the prison
officials were hurrying around to get the
connection made with the city electric
wires the doctors were laboring with the
unconscious imam. They had peculiar
task before them; this was TO keep the
wretch alive until the chair was again
ready for him and to keep him from regain
ing consciousness.
The connection was soon made with the
city electric light dynamo, and Taylor,
limp and helpless and breathing heavily,
was carried TO the chair and soon the cur
rent from the city dynamos was shot
through his body The second attempt
proved successful.
The first electrocution took place at 12:46
and the second ut SO. The autopsy fol-
lowed at $3.50 and was conducted by Drs.
Brown, Wright and Mooney. The body
was not marked and did not differ in ap
pearance from any Of the other victims of
the chair who had suffered but a single
electrocutiou.
The physicians certificate stated that
Taylor's muscular development was very
marked. There was an absence Of rigor
mortis. Brain, heart, lungs and Kidneys
normal Upon being asked the question
all Of the physicians agreed that Taylor
was insensible to pain after the first con-
tact.
Electrician Davis was asked to explain
the failure of the dynamo. He replied
that IL was simply the burning out of the
armature, something that could not be
forescen and yet was likely TO happen TO
any dynamo. He would say however, that
all of the States dynamos were crowded
beyond their capacity at electrocutions.
They were small dynamos not intended 20
generate more than a thousand volts
ordinarily but they were repeatedly run
up to nearly twice the voltage.
Before the execution 1,720 volts were
attained and nearly that number was
registered when the chair broke. "Why
didn't II kill him outrightr was the next
question. He thought the giving way of
the foot rest might have impaired the
contact with the electrode on the head and
Taylor could not have received the full
force of the current for more than an in
stanA. -lp some cases two or three sh9cks