G. G. HORTON SUICIDES

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, August 8, 1890.

G. G. Horton Suicides.

   Last Thursday night George Guerdon Horton committed suicide by swallowing nearly two ounces of laudanum. For several years past he had been in the employ of the Hitchcock Manufacturing Company's wagon works and was highly esteemed by his employers and associates. He came from Greene, Chenango county, and the remains were conveyed to that place for burial Saturday. About six weeks previous to his sad death he was married to Miss Hattie Cook of Whitney's Point, but the union is said to have been of a somewhat discordant nature, which of late had made him somewhat melancholy.

   Friday morning coroner William J. Moore empanelled the following jury:

   Jerome F. Wheeler, Carroll C. Hitchcock, Robert J. McComb, D. S. Jones, Morgan L. Wright, A. E. Ryan, L. D. Meacham, Jr., and C. W. Wiles, who viewed the body and an adjournment was taken until Monday, August 4, at the Grand Jury rooms in the court house.

   E. E. Reynolds was the first witness examined. He stated that deceased came into his store on Railroad street, between 6:40 and 7:15 P. M. of the 31st day of July, and purchased a two-ounce bottle of laudanum which deceased said was to be used for a sick horse. He did not appear despondent. A record of the sale was made, and bottle duly labeled.

   Mrs. George B. Gage, at whose house, 42 Crandall street, Horton had boarded for two weeks, testified that about 6:30 P. M. of July 31st, as near as witness could remember, Horton came into the sitting room and I said 'Hello, Guerd; what's the matter with you?' He replied: 'Nothing very much, only I am mad,' to which I replied 'there wasn't any use of his being mad.' I knew he and his wife had had trouble. He stated that he was going to write two letters as he had made up his mind to go away. About ten minutes after he went up stairs he came down again and asked witness for writing paper and envelopes, returning to his chamber. He paused at the top of the stairs and said he would be down after writing the two letters and if he did not come down by 9:30 o'clock I was to have my husband call him as he wished to take the 10 o'clock train.

   About one-half hour afterward my husband came home, and I related the circumstances to him and he went directly up stairs. In a few minutes I heard him call 'Guerd.' He came down stairs and handed me a bottle, saying: 'Take care of it.' Every effort was made to restore him. He was brought down stairs about three-fourths of an hour after he went up to his room for the last time. He remarked to the witness that the bottle was full and asked her to give him the remaining portion.

   George B. Gage, husband of the preceding witness, related how he came home about 7 P. M., of the aforesaid date and inquired whether the family had got home so that supper might be served. Being told that none but Guerd had arrived witness went to his room where he found deceased lying crosswise of the bed, crying. He stated he did not want any supper. Uncovering his face and eyes he said: 'George, I want to say good-bye.' To witness' inquiry as to meaning of this remark, he clapped his hands over his heart saying: I am gone!' Did not hear deceased say anything in justification of the deed. He had been despondent for some two weeks. He died at 11:40 P. M.

   Dr. A. J. White being sworn testified to being called to attend deceased in his last hours. Found him in a dying condition, sight defective and that he had no power to control his limbs. Detected the odor of laudanum. The quantity he took was 14 teaspoonfuls.

   The jury found that George Guerdon Horton came to his death on the 31st day of July, 1890, about 11:40 P. M., and the said death was caused by an overdose of laudanum administered by his own hand, between the hours of 6 and 6:30 P. M. on said day, the said laudanum having been purchased by himself and taken with suicidal intent. Said death occurring in the village of Cortland, at 42 Crandall street.

Vital Statistics for July.

   Health officer William J. Moore makes the following report for the month of July, 1890.

   Total number of deaths 12: males 7, females 5. Social condition: single 5, married 4, widowed 3. Nativity: United States 11, Ireland 1. Age: under five years, 3; between ten and twenty years, 1; twenty and thirty, 1; thirty and forty, 1; fifty and sixty, 4; seventy and eighty, 2. Cause of death: consumption 2, paralysis 1, gastritis 1, diarrhoea 1, pulmonary apoplexy 1, angina paectoria 1, cholera infantum 1, laudanum poisoning 1, railroad accident 1, premature birth 1. Births 20: males 10, females 10. Marriages 4.

HERE AND THERE.

   Smoke Manhattan Club cigars.

   Nearly five hundred persons took in the excursion to Pleasant Beach last Saturday.

   Universalist Church Sunday evening, subject: "Is immortality conditional?" All are invited.

   The 45th Separate Company will leave Cortland by special train over the E. C. & N. railroad Saturday morning at 4:30 o'clock. They will be in camp at Peekskill [Camp Smith—CC editor] for one week.

   Friday evening, August 22, there will be a harvest party at the Virgil hotel with music by Happy Bill Daniels' orchestra. Bill $1 50. A very carefully prepared programme is being arranged.

   The furious rainfall of Sunday was beneficial in that it gave the pavements a thorough wash, depositing the refuse along the gutters making a remarkably short job of street cleaning Monday.

   A select hop will be given at the Central Hotel Wednesday evening, August 10th. Music by Daniels' orchestra. Dance tickets 50 cents. Proprietor May wishes it announced that no gentleman will be admitted without a lady.

   Large quantities of copper wire and numerous poles have been unloaded here for the Long Distance telephone line, which we understand will pass through Lapeer, with a loop to this village.—Marathon Independent.

   Seventy couples attended the dance given by W. S. Freer at his hall in Higginsville, last Friday evening, and all report a splendid time. The music was excellent and the refreshments were all that could possibly be desired. Mr. Freer's parties are gaining rapidly in popularity.

   It must be pretty evident to everybody that the Hitchcock Manufacturing Company's band is about the best organization of its kind in Central New York. The concert given by the band on the corner of Main and Port Watson streets, last Friday evening, was the best we ever listened to and we have heard some pretty good bands.

   Last week "Jack" Burdick, special officer of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, caused the arrest of Horace Smith, a teamster of this place, for driving a horse that was quite lame from a spavin. The case was tried on Friday before Justice Bull and a jury. The jury found a verdict in favor of the defendant.

   The long controversy over restoring to Dr. Wm. M. Bradford of Marathon, the entire control of his property has finally been ended and Judge Eggleston has ordered that the committee be discharged and that they pay to Dr. Bradford $1,049 of his pension money, The doctor is adjudged to be now entirely sane and competent to manage his affairs.

   Grant D. Woolston, of this place, who made a contract for the purchase of

Hoag's drug store in Seneca Falls, arrived in that village the night of the fire and put up at the Hoag house. He had his money with him and intended to pay the same over and take possession the following morning. An inventory of stock had been taken the week previous and some repairs had been made for which he had paid but the bargain had not been consummated by the payment of the contract price and delivering of the keys to the store, which is very fortunate for him. He had $250 worth of clothing burned in the hotel.

Sport at Preble.

   A day's sport, consisting of horse racing, ball playing, etc., will take place at Preble on Saturday, August 9th. The horse race is for a purse of $25.00 best 3 in 5, one-half mile heats, $15.00 to first, $10.00 to second. Entrance fee 10 per cent of purse. Four to enter, three to start. Also the same day a match game of base ball between East Homer base ball nine and a team from Preble, for a purse of $5.00 to the winning club. Game called at 1 o'clock P. M., sharp. There is ample room on the track for 4 horses to run and it will be put in the finest shape possible. Purses will be paid at Klock's hotel after the race. Everybody is invited to visit Preble on Saturday, August 6th, and join in the sports.— Tully Times.

Cortland Mechanics Abroad.

   H. T. Hollister has the roofing on the Hopkins contract at Bronksville, some ten miles above New York city, nearly completed; he has yet to do the plumbing. Recently he was awarded the work of doing the plumbing and putting in the gas fixtures at the new $50,000 Opera House in Norwich, Conn. This speaks favorably for the Cortland mechanics and business houses and should be the nucleus of an extensive foreign demand for home productions in this line of work.

DID THE CLOUDS BURST?

Destructive Work of a n Electric Storm—Playful Lightning Strikes in Nine Places—Three Ladies Prostrated—Streets and Cellars Flooded—Horse Killed and Barn Burned.

   The long fall of rain came in torrents upon this village at 1:30 P. M. Sunday. Throughout the entire forenoon and to within a few minutes of the deluge the sultry heat of the atmosphere had been most oppressive. A few large drops had fallen about half past eleven, as a warning that a thunder shower was gathering its forces in the western part of the azure dome. But this heavy cloud passed and the increase of heat was noticed by all.

   Shortly after one o'clock a massive dark cloud bore up from the west and another was observed to be approaching from the southeast, and a gentle breeze arising at the time diverted attention from the threatening storm which suddenly burst forth upon the town. Sunday-schools were just closing and people sought shelter and safety on verandas, in hallways, and wherever momentary cover was apparent. A perfect flood of water was coursing through the streets within ten minutes after the outburst—the water simply pouring from the clouds. A heavy wind arose and fierce flashes of lightning accompanied by deafening peals of thunder caused residences to be well closed.

   For fully one-half hour the water descended and then quickly ceasing, citizens ventured forth to view the scene and the dread tones of the [fire] alarm tolled off 214, causing consternation. A barn in the rear of number 10 Graham-ave. had been struck by the destructive fluid, the hay ignited and a horse belonging to Isaac Lewis killed. Some time was lost to the department in getting at work from the fact that the alarm was sent in from a box to the northwest of the fire instead of from 213 which is on the direct run. Owing to the prompt action of those who discovered the fire the department were able to drown the flames in the loft, although the roof of the barn was badly charred. A drenching rain continued to pour while the firemen were at work.

   As soon as the streets became passable citizens began a tour of inspection and found that the storm was not prolific of as serious happenings as rumor at the outset reported, still it was as disastrous and damaging a storm as ever passed over this village—the water streaming down only when a terrific gale might slightly vary the course of the torrent. Had our village stood at the mouth of a ravine or gorge the result may better be imagined than described. The other damaged premises are:

   Mr. George H. Davidson resides at 117 Groton-ave., but was absent from home during Sunday, when lightning struck the northwest corner of a chimney on the house and tore a number of shingles from the roof.

   J. N. Sandwick's pretty residence situated on Townley street, number 9, shows the track of a bolt from the peak of the roof along the cornice and out through the shingles near the eaves at the front of the building while a considerable quantity of plastering was torn from the walls. Mrs. Sandwick who was standing near the stove at the time received a severe shock, but is apparently enjoying usual good health again.

   The Barnard property, 9 Clinton-ave., occupied by Miss Nellie Day as a boarding house, suffered a splitting of a chimney but no further damage.

   Miss Edith, daughter of Mayor Aaron Sager, was returning from Sunday-school to her home 22 Lincoln-ave., and when directly in front of Hon. R. Holland Duell's residence, 18 Church-st., she sought shelter upon the broad porch. Instantly a descending bolt split a maple tree standing in the yard to the north of the porch. Miss Sager states that she experienced a severe pain in her back and fell against the screen door. She retained presence of mind sufficiently, however, to grasp the bell knob and prevent herself from falling to the floor. Assistance arriving immediately the young lady was carried to her home. She was about as usual Tuesday.

   Edgcomb & Ballard's furniture emporium was numbered among the set of the storm king and the destructive visitor must have made a double visit. A west front window on the top floor was open and it is thought a bolt entered at this point upsetting some articles and coursing about the steam pipes in the building until it came in collision with the conductor which was torn off allowing the water to flow into the basement. A large plate glass window, 10 feet 8 inches long by 7 feet 4 7/8 inches wide was broken into fragments all of which fell outward upon the walk. It is probable that a current also entered over the electric light wire which passes through the sash at the east upper corner in close proximity to the metals used for holding the glass firmly in position. The incandescent globe hanging in front of the window was broken and a costly chair standing directly underneath was badly shattered. It will cost $150 to replace the glass.

   The residence of Mr. Bugby, 60 Groton-ave., was somewhat damaged at the rear of the building.

   Many cellars were damaged by the overflow of cisterns—the inflow of water being fully four times greater than the outlet capacity. Messrs D. F. Wallace & Co. had 1,000 rolls of wall paper more or less damaged in this manner.

   The south wall of a cistern situated in the rear of H. M. Kellogg's hardware and Dickenson & McGraw's shoe store broke, letting a volume of water into the DEMOCRAT press room. Window glass was not sufficiently strong to resist the strain, consequently a vast amount of gravel and dirt was floated over the floor, among paper stock to the detriment of not only ourselves but inconvenience of the public.

   Mr. John T. Davern and J. J. Gillette residing on Charles-st. had badly water-soaked cellars as did N. H. Riply, 97 Homer-ave. Cause, overflow of cisterns.

   Mr. John Kernan, residing at 96 Tompkins-st., was just sitting down with his family to dinner as a blinding flash and instantaneous peal of thunder was followed by a quantity of plaster falling from the ceiling. None of the family were injured; but Mr. Kernan went up stairs, at once, where he found the thimble covers blown out and dust scattered about the hallway and chambers. In a sleeping room to the south of the chimney, a bedstead was wrecked, the cover ignited and to all appearance the bolt had passed out through an open window, across ten feet of porch severing a wire support for a running vine.

NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.

   CHENANGO.—Thirty varieties of trees ornament the Sherburne school grounds.

   Mrs. Ed Tracey, of Afton, suicided Friday by taking strychnine. Cause unknown.

   Warren L. Scott, of Norwich, and Fred Nichols, of Bainbridge, have purchased ten thousand acres of timber land, located about eight miles from Forrestport, Herkimer county, N. Y. The timber includes maple, birch, hemlock and spruce, a large percentage of which is spruce.

   About 7:00 o'clock last week Tuesday evening, Dr. E. L. Lord, of Otselic, took twenty grains of morphine, from the effects of which (despite the prompt and persistent efforts of physicians) he died the next afternoon without regaining consciousness. It was not his first attempt at self-destruction. A year or so since, he relinquished the practice of medicine and commenced preparing for the ministry, pursuing his studies so closely as to undermine his health. He had suffered from melancholia since February, and his sad condition was the cause of much grief to his friends. He leaves a wife and four sons, who have the deep sympathy of all in their great sorrow.

   MADISON.— A colored citizen of Cazenovia is traveling with a circus and being exhibited as a Zulu chief.

   Capt. Sorcho, the great aquatic wonder, is giving daily exhibitions at Sylvan Beach this week.

   TOMPKINS.—Annual parade of the Ithaca Fire Department will take place Sept. 3d.

   The channel by Six Mile Creek is being deepened opposite the Hollister property.

   Ithaca is moving for the lowering of the waters of Lake Cayuga, and its efforts are being seconded by the State Board of Health and State Engineer for the removal of obstructions in Seneca river.

   A few days ago there occurred on the west shore of the lake opposite Mrs. Allen Gray's cottage a wonderful exhibition of a child's bravery and presence of mind. Mr. George L. Grays two little boys, Eddie, aged nine, and Harold, aged five, were playing on the dock. Eddie made a misstep and fell into the lake where the water was eight or nine feet deep. Little five year-old Harold instead of screaming with fright or losing time by running for help, lay down at full length on the dock, and when Eddie arose to the surface he seized him by the collar and held on firmly. The brave little lad then used his lungs most lustily and succeeded in attracting the attention of his grandmother, Mrs. Gray. She called on the next cottager, Mr. Dorpin, for help, and he ran to Harold's assistance and pulled Eddie ashore. Mr. Gray says there is no doubt that his oldest boy would have been drowned but for Harold's doing just as he did. The manly little fellow did not seem to realize that he had performed a remarkable act for one of his years.  

 

BIG FIRE IN EARLVILLE

The historic Earlville Opera House was rebuilt after the fire and opened in 1892.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, August 1, 1890.

BIG FIRE IN EARLVILLE.

The Village Again Almost Totally Destroyed—The Opera House Burned—Fifty-Five Thousand Dollars Worth of Property Destroyed—Its Origin a Mystery.

   EARLVILLE, N. Y., July 24.—This village was the scene of another disastrous fire early this morning. The whole business part of the village lying on the southeast corner and two of three dwellings, together with the Burdick Brothers' saloon, Jacob Acer's barber shop, and the dwelling house of Charles White, on the north side of the street, were totally destroyed, with most of the contents. Hotel Brown and the Kinney Hotel, but for the work of the firemen, would have been destroyed. Had these two buildings burned, in all probability the fire would have been much greater than four years ago. It is intimated that the loss will figure up $58,000, with an insurance of about $30,000. Sixteen of the present losers lost in the other fire.

   The origin of the fire is a mystery. It started in the rear of the Opera House near the same place where it started four years ago.

   The fire destroyed the Opera House, six stores and several dwelling houses.

Most of the buildings burned were new and costly, and had been erected on the ruins of the buildings burned four years ago.

   The village was almost totally wiped out then, and had been built up beautifully. Its present destruction is a serious blow to the residents and business men who are thus made losers again.

   The telegraph and telephone offices were burned out and communication was difficult.

   Earlville possesses as good a fire department as any town of its size in Madison county, and the boys worked with a will, but one small hand engine was not sufficient to cope with a raging fire, aided by a strong wind. All the buildings destroyed were of wood, and have been erected during the past four years on the site of the fire of 1886, when the village was practically wiped out of existence.

   It is impossible to learn the individual losses at the present time, but the total will not fall short of $55,000, with an insurance of about half that amount.

   During the fire nozzleman T. D. Newton was severely cut by falling glass, and had to be removed to his home.

   How the fire originated is not definitely known, but it is thought that it broke out either in a pile of rubbish in the rear of the Opera House Block, or in the finishing room in Estey's store.

   In all six stores were burned out, with lawyers' offices, millinery shop and opera house in the block on the corner of the main streets. To the east of the block three dwellings were consumed, and to the south one house, a saloon and pool room and adjoining sheds. Across the streets the burned buildings include barber shop and dwelling, besides damaging other residences. Both hotels on the opposite corners caught fire several times, and were only saved by hard work. Eight families were rendered homeless.

   There seems to be a popular opinion among the villagers that the fire is the work of an incendiary, but as yet nothing is definitely known.

   Among the losers were Douglass & Buell, druggists; loss $12,000 to $15,000. Clark loses his hardware store and the damage is about $4,000. Cushman's dry goods store, loss $5,000; E. E. Estey's furniture store, loss $5,000; Parker Newton's feed store, loss $1,000; C. A. Thorp's jewelry store, loss $1,500 to $2,000.

   The Opera House was owned by Parsons, Douglass & Calkins and was worth about $10,000.

Bill Nye.

Bill Nye on the "Puff."

   The newspaper puff is something that it makes a man feel bad if they don't get. The groundwork of an ordinary newspaper puff consists of moral character and a good bank account. Writing newspaper puffs is like mixing sherry cobblers and mint juleps all through the summer months for customers and quenching your own thirst with rain water. Sometimes a man is looking for a puff and don't get it, then he says the paper is going downhill, and that it is in the hands of a monopoly, and he would stop subscribing if he did not have to pay his bill first.

   Writing a newspaper puff is like taking the photograph of a homely baby. If the photograph does not represent the child with wings and halos and harps, it shows that the artist does not understand his business. So it is with the newspaper puff— if the puff doesn't stand out like a bold and fearless exponent of truth and morality it shows the puffer doesn't understand human nature.

   It is more fun to see a man read a puff of himself than to see a man slip on an orange peel. The narrow-minded man reads it over seven or eight times and then goes round to the different places where the paper is taken and steals what he can. The kind hearted family man goes home and reads it to his wife, and then pays up his bill on the paper. The successful business man who advertises and makes money starts immediately to find the newspaper man, and speaks a word of grateful acknowledgement and encouragement. Then the two men start out of the sanctum and walk thoughtfully down the street together, and the successful business man takes sugar in his, and they both eat a clove or two; and life is sweeter, and peace settles down like a turtle dove in our hearts and after a while lamp posts get more plentiful and everybody seems more or less intoxicated, but the hearts of these two men are filled with nameless joy, because they know when to stop and not to make themselves ridiculous.

Steamboat T. D. Wilcox at Springport.

NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.

   CHENANGO.— Horse thieves are operating in Chenango county, A. B. Merriam of McDonough having lost a team from his pasture, and Nelson Terwilliger of Greene, a three-year old bay mare.

   A close and exciting ball game was played on the grounds of the home team, Saturday afternoon, between the Greene and Norwich clubs, closing 14 to 13 in favor of Norwich.

   The examination of Frederick Baxter and wife, Rosa, charged with stealing a horse and carriage from a Guilford farmer, and selling the rig in Oxford July 4th, was concluded before Justice Bundy last week, and the parties were held for the next Grand Jury. "Dr." Lamb, the liveryman who purchased the rig, got part of the purchase money back, we understand.

   The farm owned by Dr. Blair, in McDonough, was the scene of quite a lively runaway on Tuesday. Miss Mame Bliven was raking with a span of colts, when one of them stepped into a hole, which frightened him and he commenced kicking and soon freed himself of the whiffletree. This caused the tongue of the rake to drop, throwing Miss Bliven to the ground in front of it; the colts now started at a lively gait, and ran about twelve rods before Miss Bliven could be rescued. The team soon reached the road with what remained of the rake, and started for the village, where they brought up near the Baptist church. Though Miss Bliven was badly bruised and shaken up, her injuries are not considered serious.

   David Shattuck, of Norwich, has purchased of Messrs. Spaulding & Holcomb their interest in the Eagle Hotel, in that place, and will take possession August 1st. The new proprietor, we understand, will thoroughly overhaul and place the house in first-class order. Mr. Shattuck needs no introduction to the public. From the opening of the old Midland railroad, through its changes, he was one of the most popular conductors on the line, and made hosts of friends. A short time since, he resigned his position to embark in this enterprise. As host of the Eagle, Mr. Shattuck will be remembered by many friends whose pleasure it has been to meet him in the past, and who will be sure to renew his acquaintance in the future.

   MADISON.— A Perryville chicken thief got off by returning the fowls and paying $4 and costs.

   The attendance of Cazenovia's Union School averaged over 238 per day last year.

   Five members of the Oneida Gun Club went hunting Wednesday and returned with 42 plover, found in the town of Vernon.

   The residence of the late Lester G. Wells, of Cazenovia, has been presented conditionally to Cazenovia, to be used for a public library.

   Dr. Justin's new cannon has arrived in Canastota, and the carriage for it has been completed and shipped. It is expected that the gun will be put in position in time to test it during the coming month.

   TOMPKINS.— The McLean [roller skate] rink will be open on Saturday evenings.

   The Freeville Furniture Manufacturing Company are intending to close up their affairs and discontinue business.

   The waves rose so high on Cayuga lake last Thursday night, that it was at one time thought that the "'Wilcox" would not be able to leave Frontenac Beach.

   Some of the carpenters employed by the Cornell University demanded their weekly wages, under the new law, Saturday night last, receiving checks for the same together with a discharge from further duty.

FROM EVERYWHERE.

   Groton is agitating the building of a new hotel.

   The population of the Elmira reformatory is 1,130.

   An Oswego man ships 200 pounds of frog legs weekly to New York.

   Some miscreant recently poisoned Clinton Quackenbush's entire herd of cows, near Oneonta, and all are dead.

   Wallace, Idaho, the great mining camp of the Coeur D'Alene district, was destroyed by fire Sunday, leaving 1,500 people homeless.

   Lake Keuka grape growers agree that the yield of '90 will be enormous, and prices high owing to scarcity of other small fruits.

   Fires from electric wires are becoming of daily occurrence in New York city. Bad insulation where they pass through woodwork being one cause.

   The new Baptist church, to be built in Ithaca, is to be 92x122 feet. It is to be built of blue stone. The contract calls for its completion, June 15, 1891.

   A recent test of the milk being sold in Auburn by local milkmen, revealed the fact that only six of the sixteen milkmen were selling a wholesome article. The per cent of cream was very low, especially on the morning delivery.

   The richest pension attorney in Washington, it is said, is George E. Lemon, who is rated at $2,000,000. He is a bachelor, and his personal expenses cost him from $25,000 to $30,000 a year. He is noted, among other things, for possessing the most luxurious bachelor quarters in Washington. He has made his money since the war out of pensioners.

 

KEMMLER DEAD

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, August 8, 1890.

KEMMLER DEAD.

EXECUTED BY THE USE OF ELECTRICITY.

It was a Shocking Affair—The First Current Perhaps Did not Kill Him—A Second one Finished Him—It was Applied Four and a half Minutes.

   AUBURN, Aug. 6.—William Kemmler was killed at 6:40 o'clock this morning. The first shock was not successful. He revived and there was apparent respiration, though the doctors claim that there was no consciousness. After some delay the current was turned on and kept for four and a half minutes, the first contact having been fifteen seconds.

   At 6:38 A. M. the door at the right of the execution chair, leading toward the execution room, opened and Warden Durston's figure appeared in the doorway. Behind him walked a spruce-looking, broad-shouldered little man, full-bearded with carefully arranged hair clustering around his forehead. He was dressed in a suit of new clothing, a sack coat, a vest of dark gray material and trousers of a mixed yellow pattern, a white shirt, whose polished front was exposed directly below a little bow of lawn of a black and white check pattern. This was William Kemmler, the man who was about to undergo the sentence of death. Behind him walked Dr. O. A. Houghton and Chaplain Yates.

   Kemmler was by far the coolest man in the party. He did not look about the room with any special interest. He hesitated as the door was closed behind him and carefully locked by an attendant on the other side, as though he did not know exactly what to do.

   "Give me a chair, will you," said the Warden. Someone quickly handed him a wooden chair, which he placed in front and a little to the right of the execution chair, facing the little circle of men.

   Kemmler sat down, composedly looking about him without any evidence of fear or of especial interest in the event. His face was not stolid, it was not indifferent. He looked, if anything, as though he was rather pleased at being the centre of attraction.

   Warden Durston stood at the left of the chair with his hand on the back of it, and almost at the moment that Kemmler took his seat he began to speak in short, quick periods.

   "Now, gentlemen," he said, "this is William Kemmler. I have warned him that he has got to die, and if he has anything to say he will say it."

   As the Warden finished, Kemmler looked up and said in a high-keyed voice, without any hesitation and as though he had prepared himself with a speech:

   "Well, I wish everyone good luck in this world, and I think I am going to a good place, and the papers has been saying a lot of stuff that isn't so. That's all I have to say."

   With the conclusion of the speech he turned his back on the jury, and took off his coat and handed it to the Warden. This disclosed the fact that a hole had been cut from the band of the trousers down so as to expose the base of the spine. When his coat was off Kemmler turned in the direction of the door through which he had come into the room and began to unbutton his vest. At the same time the Warden was pulling the interfering drapery of his shirt through the hole in the trousers and cutting it off so as to leave the little surface of flesh against which one of the electrodes was to press absolutely bare. Warden Durston called attention to the fact that it was not necessary to remove his vest, and Kemmler calmly buttoned it again and carefully arranged his tie.

   "Don't hurry about this matter," said the Warden, "Be perfectly cool." He was perfectly cool. He was by all odds the coolest man in the room. When his tie was arranged he sat down in the electric chair as quickly as though he was sitting down to dinner. Warden Durston stood on the right and Geo. Vieling, of Albany, on the left. They began immediately to adjust the straps around Kemmler's body, the condemned man holding up his arms so as to give them every assistance. When the straps had been adjusted about the body, the arms were fastened down and then the Warden leaned over and parted Kemmler's feet so as to bring his legs nearer the chair.

   While the straps were being arranged Kemmler said to Warden Durston and his assistant: "Take your time. Don't be in a hurry. Be sure that everything is all right." Two or three times he repeated these phrases. Warden Durston reassured him with the remark that it wouldn't hurt, and that he (Durston) would be with him all through. But it was not fear with Kemmler; it was rather a certain pride in the exactness of the experiment.

   When the straps had been adjusted to the body and limbs, the Warden placed his hand on Kemmler's head and held it against the rubber cushion which ran down the back of the chair. Kemmler's eyes were turned toward the opposite side of the room. Before, they had followed the Warden in his movements about. Then the condemned man made one or two remarks in a perfectly clear and composed tone of voice. ''Well, I wish everybody good luck." was one of them and "Durston, see that things are all right," was another.

   Deputy Vieling unfastened the thumbscrews which held the figure four at the back of the chair in place and began to lower it so that the rubber cup which held the saturated sponge pressed against the top of Kemmler's head. The Warden assisted in the preparation by holding Kemmler's head. When the cup had been adjusted and clamped in place Kemmler said: "Oh, you'd better press that down farther, I guess. Press that down." So the head piece was unclamped and pressed further down. While it was being done Kemmler said: "Well, I want to do the best I can. I can't do any better than that." Warden Durston took in his hand the leather harness which was to be adjusted to Kemmler's head. It was a series of broad leather straps which went across the forehead and the chin of the man in the chair. The top strap pressed down against the nose of Kemmler until it flattened it down slightly over his face. As the harness was put in place Doctor Spitzka, who was standing near the chair, said softly, "God bless you, Kemmler," and the condemned man answered, "Thank you," softly.

   The door leading into the room where the switches were arranged was partly opened. A man stood in the doorway. The dynamo in the machine shop was running at a good speed and the volt meter on the wall registered a little more than 1,000 volts. Warden Durston turned to the assembled doctors—those immediately around the chair—and said: "Do the doctors say that it is all right?" Scarcely a minute had elapsed since the adjustment of the straps. There was no time for Kemmler to have weakened, even if his marvelous courage had not been equal to the task to suffer the delay. But he was as calm in the chair as he had been before he entered the room and during the process of his confinement by the straps which held him close.

   At the Warden's question Doctor Fell stepped forward with a long syringe in his hand and quickly but deftly wetted the two sponges. The water which he put on them was impregnated with salt. Doctor Spitzka answered the Warden's question with a sharp "All right," which was echoed by others about him. "Ready?" said Durston again, and then with "Goodby," he stepped to the door and through the opening said to someone in the next room—but to whom will probably never be known with certainty—"Everything is ready." In almost immediate response, and as the stop-watches in the hands of some of the witnesses registered 6:431/2, the electric current was turned on. There was a sudden convulsion of the frame in the chair. A spasm went over it from head to foot. The straps and springs held it so firmly that no limb or other part of the body stirred more than a small fraction of an inch from its resting place. The twitching that the muscles of the face underwent gave to it for a moment an expression of pain. But no cry escaped from the lips, which were free to move at will. No sound came forth to suggest that consciousness lasted more than an infinitesimal fraction of a second—beyond the calculation of the human mind.

   The body remained in this rigid position for seventeen seconds. The jury and the witnesses, who had remained seated up to this moment, came hurriedly forward and surrounded the chair. There was no movement of the body beyond that first convulsion. Doctor McDonald held a stop-watch in his hand and as the seconds flew by he noted their passage. Doctor Spitzka, too, looked at the stop-watch and as the tenth second expired he cried out "Stop!" "Stop" cried other voices about.
   The warden cried out "Stop!" to the man at the lever. A quick movement of the arm and the electric current was switched off. There was a relaxation of the body in the chair—a slight relaxation—but the straps held it so firmly that there was not a quarter of an inch variation in the position of any part of the frame. The quiet little group around the chair grew business-like. "He's dead" said Dr. Spitzka calmly. "Oh, he's dead," echoed Doctor McDonald with firm confidence. The rest of the witnesses added their acquiescence. The next question was, what was to be done with the body? Doctor Spitzka stepped forward and called attention to the appearance of the nose, which he said had an undoubted post-mortem color. No one disputed this. Doctor Spitzka turned around in a business-like way and pointing to the harness said: "Oh, undo that. Now the body can be taken to the hospital." The Warden replied that he could not let any of the witnesses go until he had their certificate.

   All of this conversation took but a minute. Doctor Blach was bending over the body looking at the exposed skin. Suddenly he cried out sharply: "Doctor McDonald, see that rupture?" In a moment Doctor Spitzka and Doctor McDonald had bent over and looking where Doctor Blach was pointing at a little red spot on the hand that rested on the right arm of the chair. The index finger of the hand had curved, backward as the flexor muscles contracted and had scraped a thumb on the back of the hand. There was nothing strange in this alone, but what was strange was that the rupture was dropping blood, "Turn the current on instantly this man is not dead," cried Doctor Spitzka. Faces grew white and forms fell back from the chair.

   Warden Durston sprang to the doorway and cried: "Turn on the current.'' But the current could not be turned on. When the signal to stop had come the operator had pressed the little button which gave the sign to the engineer to stop the dynamo. The dynamo was almost at a standstill and the volt meter registered an almost imperceptible current. The operator sprang to the button and gave a sharp, quick signal. There was a rapid response but quick as it was, not quick enough to anticipate the signs of what may or may not have been reviving consciousness. As the group of horror-stricken witnesses stood helplessly by, all eyes fixed on the chair, Kemmler's lips began to drip spittle, and in a moment more his chest moved and from his mouth came a heavy stertorous [sic] sound, increasing with every respiration—if respiration it was. There was no voice but that of the Warden crying to the operator to turn on the current, and the wheezing sound, half groan, which forced itself past the tightly clenched lips sounded through the still chamber with ghastly distinctness.

   Some of the witnesses turned away from the sight. One of them lay down faint and sick. It takes, a long, long time to tell the story. It seemed a long, long time reaching a climax. In reality there were but seventy-three seconds in the interval which elapsed between the moment when the first sound issued from Kemmler's lips until the response to the signal came from the dynamo room. It came with the same suddenness that marked the first shock which passed through Kemmler's body. The sound which had horrified the listeners about the chair was cut off sharply as the body once more became rigid. The slimy ooze still dripped from the mouth and ran slowly down the beard and on to the gray vest. Twice there were twitching of the body as the electricians in the next room threw the current on and off. There was to be no mistake this time about the killing. The dynamo was run up to its highest speed, and again and again the current of 2,000 volts was sent through the body in the chair. How long it was kept in action no one knows.

   To the excited group of men about the chair it seemed an interminable time. Doctor Daniel, who looked at his watch excitedly and who thought that he had an approximate idea of the time at least, said that it was four and a half minutes in all. The Warden's assistant, who stood over the dynamo, said that on the second signal the machinery was run only three and a half minutes altogether.

   It will never be known with any degree of accuracy what the space of time was. No one was anxious to give the signal to stop. All dreaded the responsibility of offering to the man a chance to revive, or to give again at least those appearances of returning animation which had startled and sickened the witnesses a few minutes before. As the anxious groups stood silently watching the body, suddenly there arose from it a white vapor, bearing with it a pungent and sickening odor. The body was burning. Again there were cries to stop the current, and the Warden sprang to the door and gave the quick order to his assistants. The current stopped, and no doubt existed this time but that the current had done its work.

   Doctor Fell turned and said: "Well, there is no doubt about one thing. The man never suffered an iota of pain." In after consultations the other physicians expressed the same belief.

   Was Kemmler dead when his chest moved and his lips gave forth sounds? Was he breathing or was there involuntary and phenomenal action of the chest muscles? Some of the eminent experts in attendance said to the United Press correspondent while the body was still warm in the chair that there was no doubt that there were signs of returning animation, that the respiration—they believed it to be—was growing stronger, and that if the current had not been turned on again he would have revived. Others, and among them Doctor Spitzka, stated with equal positiveness the conviction that the first shock killed Kemmler instantaneously. Doctor Southwick, the father of the system of electricide, believes that Kemmler was dead, but thinks that the current should have been continued longer than seventeen seconds, which was the official time of the first contact. There is no way in which a positive determination of this question can be made. It will always remain a mystery.

THE AUTOPSY.

Some of the Results Shown by the Examination.

   AUBURN, Aug. 6. — The autopsy on Kemmler's body was begun at about 9 o'clock. It was in charge of Doctor Jenkins of New York (who handled the knife), Doctor Daniels, Doctor MacDonald and Doctor Spitzka. Doctor Fell prepared the blood drawn from the body for examination under the microscope. It was found when the body was spread out on the table that a very severe vigor mortis had set in. There was little relaxation, and it was with difficulty that the corpse was straightened out. On examination it was found that the second electrode had burned through the skin and into the flesh at the base of the spine, making a scar nearly five inches in diameter. The heart, lungs and other organs were taken out, and were found to be in a good, healthy condition. They will be preserved for further examination. The brain also was taken out, and it, too, will be carefully examined.

   The examination showed that the brain was hardened directly under the spot where the electric current had come in contact with the skull and that the blood at that spot was hardened, showing that the current had had direct action on the brain.