EXECUTION OF KREMMLER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3628, 2 October 1890, Page 2

EXECUTION OF KREMMLER.

Q Fowful Contortions*. . e . d The_ details to hand of the first » execution by electricity havo very 0 litth about thorn to softon tho d ghastliness ot the'description which ■ reaohed us by cable. The oulprit » Kremmler,although he is represented 8 as; having been in an abject state of 8 fear during tho day or two preceding ' his oxecution, seems to have boon ' quite cool and collected in the death 3 chamber. .When the warder, who j adfasodliim a? 11 William" through, 1 out, apked him if he had anything to f say hefo.ro the sentence was carried ' out, he replied—r-'J Yes, I wish you all 1 good luck inthia world and tho next. 1 I think i am going to ft good place. ' The nowspapers have not treatod mo 1 right, The only think I have to say 1 is I wish you all very good luok," He deliberately removed his coat and 1 waistcoat when requested to do, and when thq sheriff after strapping one of his arms, was tying a long hand kerohief' over, his oyos, Kremmler oooly remarked " yoa have forgotten to strap my other arm,"What follows is thus told by an eye witness The Sheriff rectified his mistake, trembling violently meanwhile, and then stepped back, " Good bye, and good luck to you all," Kremmler said, in a strong firm voice, At this moment District Attorney Quimby, of Buffalo, fainted in thq arms Qf ft* persqn Bitting next to him, but quickly recovered. The warder then gave the signal, and the man at the switchboard in the adjoining room switched'the levers, and a sudden twitch passed'.over' the body, tho limbs of which seemed to shrink an inch or . more.- The oontortions of the body which followed are declared hy the physioiana- to have been only natural, but they were. terriblo to behold, The/ body and mouth worked' convulsively, and it seemed as if the writhing form of the unfortunate f ijian iwoijld tear itself away from the straps.' Even tho physioiana turned ;their heads away. Then oamo a.deep-drawn sigh from tho body, which lay - stiff. Dr Spitzka stepped forward, and, after a brief examination; pronounced life to be extinct,' Threo minutes had olapsed from tho timo of tho turning on tha current, and it was now stopped, tlie electrodes being'taken , from tho j£i head, Suddenly, however, an aji< '

parent breath came from the soeii!ingly.lifeless,form in the chair,.; TI;Q ohest lieaved convulaiwly, and tiio same frightful contortions were witnessed .as before. Mr George Bain, a nowspaper representative, 'was overcome by the spectacle, and fell to the floor in a dead faint, and ovoryoue "present was dumb with horror. Tho sight was indeed appalling, Krommler frothing at tho , mouth and seeming to bo trying to chew his lips. Hurriedly the rubber cap was placed back m poiition on Iba head, and the signal was given for another ami heavier shock, The lever was turned, tho warden being obliged to leavo the room in order that this should be done, As .tho current entered the body a sickening smell of burning flesh and hair was parcoived. This last curront was kept up for seventeen seconds. Tho physicians onco more pronounced Ifcmmlerdeadjbut declared as already stated, that the breathing andcontortions wero only a natural muscular reaction, and that the first shock killed Krommler, who had really died peacefully and without pain."