The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-01-15


and in a letter written some time
ago he said:
There seems to be q great diff
ference of opinion among eminent
/ physicians and scientists as to
whether the death of the criminal
is actually pronounced by the electric
] current or by the doctors who per-
I form the autopsy. 1t has even been
limited that the autopsy clause in
| troduced in the law was added for
: the purpose of making certain Of the
death Of the criminal.
! Prof. d'Arsonval, of the French
Academy Of Science. goes so far as
to contend that the electric current
merely produces suspended anima-
ton, and that the victim may be
restored to consciousness and life by
artificial respiration. Prof. d'Arson-
val believes that the electric shock
does not kill, and considers electro
cution Objectionable and of ques-
tionable effect"
My father" continues DIR. Shardy,
was one OF the medical experts Sc
lected to witness the first electrocu-
ton in New York State-that OF
William Kemmier. He unhesitating-
ly characterized it as the most bru-
tai and revolving exhibition he had
ever seen, and seemed inclined to
believe that the old method of exc
cutting murderers by hanging was,
after all, the most humane. Kem-
mier was subjected to two contacts
of the electric current, lasting II
seconds and 20 seconds respectively.
After the first contact the victim was
pronounced dead by one or two of
the physicians present, when my
father called their attention to the
fact that the man was still breathing
as movement Of the button on his
vest plainly indicated A few sec
onds later Kemmier gave unmistak-
! able signs Of life, much to the con-
sternation and horror of those pres
ent The current was quickly turn
ed on again, and continued until a
little column of smoke, accompanied
by sickening odor of burning flesh,
ascended from the body of the GRIM
inal to the ceiling Of the execution
chamebr and passed out Of a window
opening to the external air. Kem-
mer's execution was afterward pro-
nounced "A successful experiment by
the majority Of those present"
DR.. Shardy is Of the opinion that
artificial respiration will. in a large
number of cases have the effect of
restoring the patient to life, and
contends that this is based on "exact
scientific principles DR.. w. c.
Taylor gives case in which the
subject was completely revived, and
As minutes after the electrocution
his pulse was 130, full anI vigor-
Gus" The unfortunate man was
again placed in the chair, however,
and another contact Of 40 seconds
was made. AS DIR. Taylor says 1T
is certainly grave question whether
the post-mortem examinations should
not always be delayed until the mat
ter of death be indisputably set
tied"
DR.. Gibbons gives a case in which
life returned after the electrocution
was performed, another physician
quotes two cases. Still another says:
Il am thoroughly convinced that
many Of the men who have been
pronounced electrocuted in New
York State have been placed upon
the dissecting table conscious of
what was going on and what was
| about TO take place"
This hardly seems like capital
punishment; it is more like human
vivisection-yes, torture in its most
refined form. is this the best form
of capital punishment We can de-
wise?
1t Is true that other physicians do
not share the views just expressed
D'Arsonval's facts are now ques-
tioned-cven shown to be probably
untrue. In tine executions, as car
ried out today, there is no bungling,
no burning Of flesh no tearing Of
straps Consciousness is doubtless
! obliteratcd at once even though life
may not be. No sense of pain can
De felt by the body when the current
Is turned on. 1t has been proved
that IL takes about q fifth OF a sec
ond for the brain to appreciate a
sensation, and one twenty-cighth of
I