EXECUTION AND RESUSCITATION OF A MURDERER.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 41, 20 December 1842, Page 3

EXECUTION AND RESUSCITATION OF A MURDERER.

WONDERFUL EFFECTS OF GALVANISM. John White, convicted of the murder of Messrs. Gwatkinn and Glenn, on hoard a flat boat on the Ohio river, was executed at Louisville, United States, on the Bth ult., a little after six o’clock in the morning. The rope not “ playing” well, occasioned the knot to slip up over the chin instead of being under his ear, so that his neck was not broken by the fall. Previously to his execution, he wrote a letter to his father, in which he stated that he was present when the unfortunate men were murdered ; that he did not participate in the act, but was compelled to beg- his own life from two men who murdered them. He was cut down after hanging about twenty-five minutes, and his body given to the doctors for the purposes of experiment. The Louisville City Gazette gives the annexed extraordinary circumstances attending an experiment with the Galvanic battery: — “ The poles of a powerful Galvanic pile, which had been prepared for the occasion, were immediately applied to him, and, to the unutterable joy of all present, with the most perfect success. On the first application of the fluid to his body, which was yet warm and trembling, a universal tremor was seen to pass over bis frame; on a sudden lie arose from his bench to a sitting posture, and with great eagerness and impatience raised his hand to his neck, trying to grasp the scarf in his fingers, and tepr it from ids throat! He first snatched at it with great rashness, as though the rope was yet around Ids neck, and then continued some moments picking at the seam with his fingers, as though it was something that adhered to his throat, giving him great uneasiness. But this symptom was soon forgotten ; for almost the next moment he arose upon his feet, raised his arms level with his breast, and, opening his bloodshot eyes, gave forth from his mouth a most terrific screech, after which his chest worked as if in respiration, in a very violent manner. Every one at this minute was as mute as death, when one of the surgeons exclaimed that he was alive. The excitement was too great to allow time for a reply to the remark; every eye was rivetted upon the. agitated and shaking corpse. The operator continued to let upon it a full quantum of the Galvanic fluid, till the action upon its nerves became so powerful, that it made a tremendous bound, leaping by a sort of imperfect plunge into a corner of the room, disengaging itself entirely from the wires which communicated the Galvanism. All immediately drew around the body. For a moment after its fall, it seemed perfectly motionless and dead; a surgeon approached, and taking hold of his arm, announced that he thought he felt a slight though a single heat of the pulse. The Galvanic operator was just going to arrange his machine to give him another charge, when the surgeon exclaimed that he breathed. At this moment he gave a long gasp, rising and gently waving his right hand; his sighs continued for two minutes, when they ceased entirely. .His whole frame seemed to he agitated, his chest heaved, and his legs trembled. These effects were supposed to be caused by the powerful influence of the Galvanic fluid upon the nerves; none of these movements were yet supposed attributable to the action of life. It was considered that the animating principle of nature had left his frame, and could never he again restored. In the very height of anxiety, the surgeon announced that he could feel feeble pulsations. A piece of broken looking-glass was immediately held before his nostrils, which was instantly covered with a cloud. The most intense anxiety for some seconds, when the motion'of'his £nest, as in the act of respiration, becsrpe visible. He rolled his eyes wildly in their so.ckets, occasionally closing them, and giving.most terrific scowls. In about five minutes'his breathing became tolerably fre-

quent — probably he would give four. His breathing, however, rapidly increased. The doctors began to speak to him, but he gave no indications that he heard a word. He looked upon the scene around him with the most deathlike indifference. A young medical student approached him, and, taking hold of his arm and shoulder, White rose upon his feet, took two steps, thus supported, and seated himself in an arm-chair. His muscles seemed to relax, and he appeared somewhat overcome with the exertion he had made. A bottle of hartshorn was immediately applied to his nose, which revived him, but his life seemed to be that of a man much intoxicated. He seemed, upon one occasion, to try to give utterance to some feeling ; but, from an unknown cause, an impediment probably occasioned by the execution, he was unable to give utterance to a word. His system was critically examined, and, though he was pronounced by the doctors to be perfectly alive, yet be could live .but a very few minutes, for congestion of the brain was rapidly taking place. Every method was adopted to equalize the circulation, and save the patient from the terrible consequence of so sad a catastrophe, hut in vain. The blood-vessels of the head were enormously distended, and his eyes appeared to he halls of clotted blood. Ilis system was immediately thrown into direful spasms, and he died in a few minutes in the most excruciating agonies.”

Tiie Electrical Eel. —The Electrical Eel, which died at the Royal Adelaide Gallery, was well known to all the visitors. It had been ill for a week; but it was not until Thursday last that there was any striking difference observable. It became very inactive, and this inactivity increased the torpor. The cause of its death was mortification, it was brought to this country from one of the tributary streams of the river of the Amazons, about four years ago, and was the only one of its kind in Europe. Its structure was very singular. The seat of the electric power lay between the head and the shoulder. Its food was small fish, which it could stun and stupify by an electric shock at two feet distance. It always stunned and stupified these fish before it eat them. Hie most interesting and beautiful experiment performed by its electricity was in. setting fire to a piece of silver paper in a glass cylinder. One end of a conductor was attached to the paper and the other to the eel, and by this means the paper was burnt. It was necessary that the eel should be irritated before it would send forth electricity. It was young when brought over here, and was blind for some time before its death.

New Steam-Frigate—the Largest in the Would. —The Admiralty have given instructions for the building and equipment of a new steamfrigate, which is to surpass, in size and power, everything of the kind yet afloat. . She is to be of 650 horses’ power; to have engine-room for 600 tons of fuel ; complete stowage under hatches for one thousand troops, with four months’ stores and provisions, exclusive of a crew of about 450 men ; and is to be armed with twenty guns of the heaviest calibre, besides carronades. The Cyclops, Gorgon, Geyser, and other war steamers now talked of as wonders for magnitude, will sink into insignificance as compared with this; the largest of them will be little more than half her size. For the sake of greater expedition, she is to be made out of one of the new frigates lately built (the Penelope, 44), cut into two, with 55 feet in length added. The designer of the vessel is John Eyde, Esq., the able assistant surveyor of the navy (well known to all naval architects for his invaluable work on the " Equipment, Displacement, &c., of Ships and Vessels of War”), and she is to be completed at Chatham dock-yard, under his immediate superintendence and direction. The engines are to be on the Gorgon plan, and the commission for building them has been given to the inventors of that plan, Messrs. Seaward and Capel. The vessel is expected to be fully completed and ready for sea before the close of the present year. The conduct of the Government in this matter —conduct alike admirable for its vigour and promptitude —is, under the existing circumstances of the country, of a nature to give very general satisfaction. By nothing can such disasters as have lately befallen our arms in the East be so effectually repaired, or their recurrence more certainly prevented, than by the fitting out of a few such leviathans of war as that which we have now described as being in progress. With half-a-dozen ships of this force at command, 6,000 men might have been landed at Scinde (at Kurruckee) within six weeks from the first receipt of the news from Affghanistan (under favour, on the part of Ali Pacha, for the passage through Egypt, from this side, to the Red Sea). With such a force, there is hardly a corner of the world which British thunder could not reach in early time enough to uphold, against all opposition, British influence when linked in honourable alliance with the interests of human civilization and happiness (may we never know any other !) It is, moreover, a simple mechanical fact, which admits of no denial, that Great Britain can show forth a power in this way (thanks to her mechanics ! thanks to her work-

shops! thanks to her practical science!) which no other country in the world can at all approach, far less rival. Every year, for the lasi half-dozen; has witnessed some paper decree for the formation of a French steam navX, with engines of 300, 400, and 500 horfees’ power, but where are they ? It is notorious, that all France has never yet been able to produce an engine, good for anything, of more than 200 horses’ power. Were such an order as has been just given by our Admiralty, for a pair of 325 horses’ power to be furnished in nine months, to be given by the French Government to French manufacturers, it could not be executed (if at all) in as many years.

Sandal Wood. —By the arrival of the brig Caroline during the past week, we have to congratulate the enterprising individual, Dr. Baker, with a successful result from his voyage, as it appears this vessel has on board nearly 200 tons of this wood, and a quantity of tortoise--shell. It seems that the party were much longer than they anticipated, they having been away from this port nearly six months. The crew had many difficulties to contend against. The traffic with the natives of the Island of Pines was hazardous, as they are extremely treacherous—on one occasion the natives resisted the crew of one of the boats, and eventually suffered for their temerity. The collecting of the wood is a work oi great labour,- as Dr. Baker was always obliged to have a certain number of men on shore, cutting down the trees, and getting these ready for shipment. After the trees are cut down the white part of the wood was taken off, as it yields no scent whatever The dark brown kind (a sample of \vhich we have seen) possesses a highly aromatic perfume, and is most prized in the China market, where it is used by the Chinese in making choice articles of furniture, and it is also burnt in the temple of Confucius. The estimated value of the best sorts is about £7O per ton. We earnestly hope the speculation will turn out a profitable one, and if the colonists- can, by such means, find an export that will be available in the China market, in exchange for tea, the community generally will be henefitted—as it will be the means of keeping oui’ dollars in the colony. In another view we hope for good results from this new export. By the amended Tariff, we fear that our oil will not fetch such high prices in the London markets, and this new trade will find employment for our vessels and men, that have hitherto been profitably occupied in the fisheries. For many reasons, we hope, therefore, that this voyage may turn out a paying one. Dr. Baker was accompanied in this perilous trip by Mr. Bohun, a relative of our respected townsman Mr. Lowes. — Hobart Toivn Advertiser.