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1 Kemmler Dies by Electricity [1] (1890)

handle is hein.death/kemdelc0001 and id is 1 raw text is: NUMBER 51. KEMMLER DIES BY ELEC- 2RICITY. Sickening Scenes of the Electrocution.. AUBURN, N. Y., Aug. 6.-With a short, sharp shock-painless so far as the world, will ever know -the soul of William. Kemmiler was separated from his body at 6:40 o'clock Wednesday morning. A cup adjusted to the head of a man bound capt- ive in a strange-looking chair, a lever quickly swung around the are of a semi- circle, a quick convulsion, a sudden reviw al of muscular action, another turn of the lever, a pause, a room filled with sicken- ing fumes-and twenty-seven witnesses of the first electricide in history knew that the death of Tillie Zeigler had been avenged in law and the crime of William Kemmler expiated so far as human hande could force its expiation. The first shock was not successful. He revived and there was frequent respira- tion, though, the doctors claim, no con- sciousness. After some delay the cur-- rent was turned on and kept on for four and a half minutes, the first contact having been 15 seconds. The current. was kept on the second time intil the holy fumed and gave off unpleasant odors. Dr. Spitzka, the celebrated expert, said the experiment was a failure anE that this would settle electrocution. Kernmmler displayed great bravery and helped to adjust the fasteninvs that bound. him to the chair. When the straps had been adjusted to the body and limbs the warden placed his hand on Kemmier's head, and held it against the rubber cushion which ran down tYA- back of the chair. A harness of broad leather straps was adjusted to the face- The sight in the execution room was sickening. When all was pronounced ready the electric current was turned on There wad a sudden convnlsion of th-% frane in tre chair. A spasm went ove straps and springs that beldit firmly so that no limb or other parts of the body stirred more than a small fraction of an inch from its resting place, and the mut cles of the face twitchted. After 17 seconds tihe man was pro- nounced dead, but when the electric current was switched off signs of reviv- ing consciousness appeared. *Turn the current on instantly. This mtan is not dead, ctied Dr. Spitzka.. Faces grew white and forms fell back from the chair. Warden Durston sprang to the doorway and cried, Turn on the cut-rent. But the current could not b- turned on. When the signal to stop had come, the operator had pressed the little button which gave tite sign to the engineer to stop the dynamo. As the group of horror-stricken wit- nesges stood helplessly by, all eyes fixed on the chair, Kemmler's lifi began to drip spittle and in a woment more his chest moved and from his mouth came a heavy, stertorous sound, quickening a ni increasing with every respiration-- if respiration it was. There was no voice but that of the warden, crying to the operator to tum on tihe current, and the wheezing sound, halfgroan, which forced itself past the tightly closed lips, sounded through the still chamber with ghastly distinctness& Some of the witnesses turned away fromxc the sight. One of them lay down, faint and sick. When the second shock came, the sound which had horrified the listener- about the chair was ct off sharply a- the body once more became rigid. The slimy ooze still dropped from tihe mouth. and ran klowly in three lines down the- beard and upon the grey vest. The dynamo was run up to its highest speed and again and again the full car- rent 9f12,000 volts was sent through the- body in tihe chair. No mine seemed t- want to take the responsiihity of giving the signal to stop. As the anxious group stood silentlyi watching the body, suddenly there aroe; from it a white vapor bearing with it ft pungent and sickenipg odor. The body was burning. Again there were cries ta stop the current and again the warden, sprang to the door and gave the quick order to his assistants. The currentsatop- ped and again there was the relaxation of the body.- No doubt this , time that the current bad done its work-Ifnc- well, at least completely. And thid endelt We firstva of capital 9'-i~hmisa by eleotrbfitv.

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