Kemmler was executed in New York's Auburn Prison on August 6, 1890; the "state electrician" was Edwin F. Davis.
The first 17-second passage of current through Kemmler caused
unconsciousness, but failed to stop his heart and breathing. The
attending physicians, Edward Charles Spitzka
and Charles F. Macdonald, came forward to examine Kemmler. After
confirming Kemmler was still alive, Spitzka reportedly called out, "Have
the current turned on again, quick, no delay." The generator needed
time to re-charge, however. In the second attempt, Kemmler was shocked
with 2,000 volts. Blood vessels under the skin ruptured and bled, and
the areas around the electrodes singed. The entire execution took about
eight minutes. George Westinghouse later commented that "they would have
done better using an axe,"and a witnessing reporter claimed that it was "an awful spectacle, far worse than hanging."
2 comments:
Yeah, Edison was trying to prove that his direct current system was safer than the Tesla/Westinghouse alternating current, so they promoted the execution as evidence of this. But the stunt backfired when the public associated the messy execution with Edison/Morgan and Westinghouse ended up winning the big contract (though JP Morgan ended up buying him out, anyway).
Humans make they perfect guinea pigs.
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