Electrical Execution.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 443, 5 February 1890, Page 3

Electrical Execution.

Having decided to adopt the principle of execution by electricity, the New Yorkers need not trouble themselves as to the wprking of the scheme. Exhaustive experiments and costly machinery are alike unnecessary. Every day brings evidence from the Empire City that it is possible, despite Mr Preece and his pigs, to inflict death by electricity. Hardly had we recovered from the ‘ flaming horse,’ so graphically described by the ‘ Daily News ’ some weeks ago, than we are treated to an equally vivid description by the * Standard ’ of an incandescent tram-car. The story shows, by the by, the curious listlessness of our go-ahead cousins in the matter of their own safety. They do insist upon the insulation of these death-bearing wires,. but they do not insist upon their being placed out of harm's way; The wires must be hung very low, or the street cars must be built very high, when, as in the case referred to, the ear could catch the wire, strip off its insulation, and produce the charming effects afterwards described. Happily, no one, fora wonder, was actually killed, and it is possible to enjoy the full humour of the ■ situation. The first action of the ‘fluid’ (an old-fashioned but convenient term) was. to throw the driver from hi 3 seat, just as if it had been a drunken passenger.. Continuing its hilarious course it whipped the horses into a gallop, and caused them to run away, and then devoted its energies to the beautiful experiment which we have already alluded to, and caused the metal work of the car to flash and flame from the wheels to. the roof. After this the New Yorkers’ course is clear. When they capture a distinguished criminal they will sentence him to death in something like this form ‘ You shall be taken from this place and : appointed a driver in the.service of the • Street Car Company -(Limited), and shall there continue until the Electric Light Company shall in tfceiv mercy see fit to remove 1 you.’ Thus, business and pleasure will be happily combined, and the problem of. execution by electricity solved in a cheap and satisfactory manner.