Who invented the electric chair. What does a person feel when executed in an electric chair

The United States, a country of democratic freedoms and the world's main bulwark of human rights, has constantly sought to make life and death easier for its citizens. So, 115 years ago, a new type of killing of criminals appeared in this state - the electric chair.

"humane" type of execution

Whatever the statistics say, there has always been a large percentage of especially dangerous criminals in the United States. Perhaps the fault is the contingent that historically flooded new uncharted lands - adventurers, robbers and treasure hunters. Such people were rarely stopped by moral principles; they were not afraid of killing their neighbor either. Perhaps it was the knowledge of their history that made US senators so zealously advocate the death penalty. Of course, there was a period in the history of the States when a moratorium was imposed on the execution of criminals, but it did not last long - from 1972 to 1976. Today, execution in this country is allowed in 33 states, 7 of them still use the electric chair.

Before its invention, hanging was used in the USA. Prisoners were not always "lucky". If the cervical vertebrae broke, then death was relatively painless. Quite often, such a gift of fate did not happen, and the person died of suffocation, which was considered absolutely inhumane.

Albert Southwick and his "humanism"

Many ordinary people believe that this type of execution was invented by a madman, but in fact it is not. The opinions of historians on this issue are ambiguous. Who invented the electric chair? Edison, Brown or Southwick?

The idea of ​​electrocution belongs to the dentist Albert Southwick. Once he saw how a drunkard stepped on bare wires and died instantly. It seemed to Mr. Southwick that the man's death was instantaneous and painless. He spoke about his idea to the head of the Society for the Protection of Animals from Cruelty, Colonel Rockwell. The dentist proposed to kill sick animals with electric current, and not to drown them. Rockwell liked the idea, and the following month Southwick began experimenting on animals.

He published his observations in a scientific journal. After a certain number of experiments, he turned to his friend - Senator David McMillan - with a proposal to use the current as a tool for the death penalty. Macmillan was a supporter of this procedure, and when he heard that the current was less painful, he unconditionally agreed to submit the papers to the Senate in order to approve the procedure. In 1886, the law "On the study of the most humane type of death penalty" was passed. On June 5, 1888, they signed a document "On the introduction of a new humane form of execution in the state of New York."

Which current is more efficient?

Humanists immediately faced the question of how to design the perfect electric chair. The law was passed, but the apparatus was not ready. In addition, the researchers did not know what kind of current to use: direct or alternating.

Direct current was the brainchild of Thomas Edison, alternating current - Nikola Tesla. The battle of the titans began between scientists, or rather, between Edison and Westinghouse, the investor who bought the patents for Tesla's invention. Addison did not want his invention to become a symbol of the death penalty, so he made every effort to discredit Tesla's methodology and convince the commission that studied death by electricity that alternating current kills more painlessly and quickly than direct current.

Development of an execution device

The issue was resolved, alternating current defeated lethal injection. Discussions began on how the procedure should proceed. After much discussion, engineer Harold Brown suggested that the prisoner be placed on a chair and electrodes attached to his body. It is to him that the electric chair owes its appearance. On January 1, 1889, the law on execution using such a device came into force. By the above date, the first electric chair was already ready.

Operating principle

Execution in the electric chair was supposed to reduce the torment of the criminal, reduce pain. The developers of the device carved a massive wooden chair, brought electrodes to it. One of them at the end with a wet washcloth was attached to the convict's head, the other was planned to be brought to the spine. The electrodes were soaked in saline beforehand. The electric chair voltage was 2000 volts. The legs and arms of the offender had to be rigidly fixed with straps. The current was supplied by a generator.

This technique was later improved. Now the wires are brought to the ankles and to the head. The voltage is 2700 volts.

First execution

The first execution on the Westinghouse apparatus, and this is what this device was called for some time, took place on the scheduled date - August 6, 1890. The first person to be intentionally electrocuted was a Buffalo merchant, William Kemmler. In a fit of jealousy and a drunken stupor, he hacked his wife to death with an axe. The candidate was excellent, and they decided to test the electric chair on him. The prison guard was visibly nervous and could not cope with the trembling in his hands, which made it impossible to properly fasten the belts. Kemmler was even indignant and asked the warden to calm down. The switch was lowered by Edwin Davis. If we talk about who invented the electric chair, in terms of who designed it, then it was Mr. Davis. He was immediately given the nickname "Electrician of the State".

Tension ran through the wires, all those gathered began to enthusiastically exclaim that they had entered the era of humanity. But to the surprise of the witnesses, the perpetrator did not die. Then the current was given again, but the generators needed time to charge. During these few minutes, Kemmler groaned and gasped. The current was given again, the head of the criminal began to smoke, and he finally gave up his last breath. Some of those present noted that it would be faster with an ax.

Opponents of the electric chair

After the first killing of a person by electric current, it became clear that the method was not only not finalized - it was brutal and cruel. The first opponent of electric shock was John Westinghouse, but he hardly thought about the humanity of the issue. The entrepreneur did not want AC to be used. Supporters of this type of execution immediately rushed to refine their device, and opponents began to sound the alarm. Did the developers of this murder weapon know that their apparatus would be the impetus for the emergence of human rights organizations and fighters for human rights? It was those executed in the electric chair that became the reason for the formation of a movement against killing in this way. In the 20th century, the abolitionist movement began in the United States, and the search for a humane instrument of the death penalty continues to this day.

Today, electric chair execution is used only in the state of Virginia, in seven other states this type of execution is allowed. The lethal injection supplanted this "humane" device over time.

At the end of the 19th century, Thomas Edison invented the incandescent lamp, which was a truly great invention that made it possible to use electricity to light cities ...

A dentist in Buffalo, New York named Albert Southwick thought that electricity could be used in his medical practice as a pain reliever.
One day, Southwick saw one of the Buffalo residents touch the exposed wires of an electric generator at the city's power plant and die, Southwick thought, almost instantly and painlessly.
This incident led him to the idea that the execution using electricity could replace hanging as a more humane and quick punishment.
First, Southwick spoke with the head of the Society for the Protection of Animals from Cruelty, Colonel Rockwell, suggesting the use of electricity to get rid of unwanted animals instead of drowning them (a method traditionally used).
Rockwell liked this idea.

In 1882, Southwick began experimenting on animals, publishing his results in scientific papers.
Southwick then showed the results to his influential friend, Senator David McMillan. Southwick stated that the main advantage of electrocution was that it was painless and quick.

Macmillan was committed to retaining the death penalty; he was attracted by this idea as an argument against the abolition of the death penalty, because this type of execution cannot be called cruel and inhumane, therefore, supporters of the abolition of the death penalty will lose their most compelling arguments.
Macmillan relayed what he heard to New York Governor David Bennett Hill.

In 1886, the "Law for the establishment of a commission to investigate and present an opinion on the most humane and acceptable method of carrying out the death sentence" is adopted.
The commission included Southwick, Judge Matthew Hale and politician Eluridge Gerry.
The conclusion of the commission, set out on ninety-five pages of the report, was as follows: the best method of carrying out the death penalty is execution by electricity.
The report recommended that the state replace hanging with a new type of execution.
Governor Hill signs the law on June 5, 1888, which was to take effect on January 1, 1889, and begin a new, humane punishment in the state of New York.

It remained to decide the question concerning the apparatus for carrying out the sentence and the question of what type of electric current should be used: direct or alternating.
It is worth considering the history associated with alternating and direct currents. How do they differ, and which current is more suitable for execution?
Long before the invention of Thomas Edison, scientists from different countries worked on this subject, but no one managed to use electricity in everyday life. Edison put into practice the theory developed before him.
Edison's first power station was built in 1879; almost immediately, representatives from different US cities went to the scientist.
Edison's DC system had its difficulties. Direct current flows in one direction. Direct current supply is not possible over a long distance, it was necessary to build power plants, even to provide electricity to a medium-sized city.

The way out was found by the Croatian scientist Nikola Tesla. He developed the idea of ​​using alternating current.
Alternating current can change direction several times per second, creating a magnetic field without losing electrical voltage.
AC voltage can be stepped up and down using transformers.
High voltage current can be transmitted over long distances with little loss, and then, through a step-down transformer, bring electricity to consumers.
Some cities used an alternating current system (but not designed by Tesla), and this system attracted investors.

One such investor was George Westinghouse, famous for his invention of the airbrake.
Westinghouse intended to make the use of AC profitable, but Edison's DC technology was more popular at the time. Tesla worked for Edison, but he did not pay attention to his developments, and Tesla quit.
He soon patented his ideas and was able to demonstrate them in action.
In 1888, Westinghouse bought forty patents from Tesla, and within a few years over a hundred cities were using the alternating current system. Edison's enterprise began to lose ground. It became obvious that the AC system would replace the DC system.
However, Edison did not believe this. In 1887, he began to discredit the Westinghouse system by requiring his employees to collect information on deaths caused by alternating current, in the hope of proving that his system was safer for the public.

The battle of the titans, as this story is sometimes called, began when the question arose about the type of current that was to be used in the death penalty apparatus. Edison did not want his invention to be associated with death, he wanted alternating current to be used in the death penalty machine.

On June 5, 1888, the New York Evening Post published a letter from Harold Brown that warned of the dangers of alternating current. This letter caused an alarmed reaction in the society. In the 1870s, Brown was an employee of Edison, and it can be assumed that this letter was registered. In 1888, Brown conducted a series of experiments on animals, demonstrating the destructive power of alternating current. Two second-hand alternators were used in the experiments, since Westinghouse refused to sell his generators. Experiments were carried out on several dozen dogs, cats, and two horses.

The speech of the respected scientist Thomas Edison before the commission on the decision of the method of execution made a vivid impression. The legendary inventor convinced everyone present that death with the use of electricity is painless and quick, of course, in the case of using alternating current. The commission had the option of introducing execution by lethal injection.
Lethal injection is considered more humane than the electric chair. In the 20th century, almost all states that have the death penalty began to use it.

Perhaps many would not suffer in the electric chair if there were no competition between campaigns or Edison's persuasive speech before the commission, although the main issue was that execution by lethal injection should be carried out with the help of doctors or the doctors themselves, which is impossible. for obvious reasons.

The first execution took place on January 1, 1889.
A few decades after this event, this "unit" was called the Westinghouse chair or "Westinghoused".

The next executions took place in the spring of 1891.
Four were executed for different crimes. The method of execution has been adjusted. The generator has become more powerful, the wires are thicker. The second electrode was connected not to the spine, but to the arm.
These executions went more smoothly and the new method was accepted by public opinion.
The first "tester" of innovation was a killer named Kemmsler. For obvious reasons, he could not describe his feelings, but the witnesses of the execution noted that 15-20 seconds after the first discharge, the criminal was still alive.
I had to turn on the current of a higher voltage and for a longer time. For a long time and painfully, the “experiment” was brought “to the end”. This execution caused a lot of protests from the American and world community.

And the technology of killing with the help of an electric chair is as follows: the offender is seated on a chair, tied to it with leather straps and securing the wrists, ankles, hips and chest. Two copper electrodes are fixed on the body, one on the leg, the skin under it is usually shaved for better current conduction, and the second is applied to the shaved crown. Typically, the electrodes are lubricated with a special gel to improve current conduction and reduce skin burning. An opaque mask is put on the face.

The executioner presses the switch button on the control panel, giving the first discharge with a voltage of 1700 - 2400 volts and a duration of 30 - 60 seconds. The time is set on the timer in advance, and the current is turned off automatically. After 2 discharges, the doctor examines the body of the offender, who may not have been killed by previous discharges. Death occurs as a result of cardiac arrest and respiratory paralysis.

However, modern executors have come to the conclusion that the passage of current through the brain does not cause instant cardiac arrest (clinical death), but only prolongs the torment. Now criminals are cut and electrodes are inserted into the left shoulder and right thigh, so that the discharge passes right through the aorta and heart.

Although all methods of execution are more or less cruel, the electric chair is characterized by frequent and tragic malfunctions that cause additional suffering for the convicted person, especially in cases where the equipment is old and needs to be repaired.

All this led to the fact that, under the influence of the famous American human rights activist Leo Jones, the electric chair was recognized as a "cruel, inapplicable" punishment, contrary to the US Constitution.

At the end of the 19th century, Thomas Edison invented the incandescent lamp, which was a truly great invention that made it possible to use electricity to light cities ...

A dentist in Buffalo, New York named Albert Southwick thought that electricity could be used in his medical practice as a pain reliever.
One day, Southwick saw one of the Buffalo residents touch the exposed wires of an electric generator at the city's power plant and die, Southwick thought, almost instantly and painlessly.
This incident led him to the idea that the execution using electricity could replace hanging as a more humane and quick punishment.
First, Southwick spoke with the head of the Society for the Protection of Animals from Cruelty, Colonel Rockwell, suggesting the use of electricity to get rid of unwanted animals instead of drowning them (a method traditionally used).
Rockwell liked this idea.

In 1882, Southwick began experimenting on animals, publishing his results in scientific papers.
Southwick then showed the results to his influential friend, Senator David McMillan. Southwick stated that the main advantage of electrocution was that it was painless and quick.

Macmillan was committed to retaining the death penalty; he was attracted by this idea as an argument against the abolition of the death penalty, because this type of execution cannot be called cruel and inhumane, therefore, supporters of the abolition of the death penalty will lose their most compelling arguments.
Macmillan relayed what he heard to New York Governor David Bennett Hill.

In 1886, the "Law for the establishment of a commission to investigate and present an opinion on the most humane and acceptable method of carrying out the death sentence" is adopted.
The commission included Southwick, Judge Matthew Hale and politician Eluridge Gerry.
The conclusion of the commission, set out on ninety-five pages of the report, was as follows: the best method of carrying out the death penalty is execution by electricity.
The report recommended that the state replace hanging with a new type of execution.
Governor Hill signs the law on June 5, 1888, which was to take effect on January 1, 1889, and begin a new, humane punishment in the state of New York.

It remained to decide the question concerning the apparatus for carrying out the sentence and the question of what type of electric current should be used: direct or alternating.
It is worth considering the history associated with alternating and direct currents. How do they differ, and which current is more suitable for execution?
Long before the invention of Thomas Edison, scientists from different countries worked on this subject, but no one managed to use electricity in everyday life. Edison put into practice the theory developed before him.
Edison's first power station was built in 1879; almost immediately, representatives from different US cities went to the scientist.
Edison's DC system had its difficulties. Direct current flows in one direction. Direct current supply is not possible over a long distance, it was necessary to build power plants, even to provide electricity to a medium-sized city.

The way out was found by the Croatian scientist Nikola Tesla. He developed the idea of ​​using alternating current.
Alternating current can change direction several times per second, creating a magnetic field without losing electrical voltage.
AC voltage can be stepped up and down using transformers.
High voltage current can be transmitted over long distances with little loss, and then, through a step-down transformer, bring electricity to consumers.
Some cities used an alternating current system (but not designed by Tesla), and this system attracted investors.

One such investor was George Westinghouse, famous for his invention of the airbrake.
Westinghouse intended to make the use of AC profitable, but Edison's DC technology was more popular at the time. Tesla worked for Edison, but he did not pay attention to his developments, and Tesla quit.
He soon patented his ideas and was able to demonstrate them in action.
In 1888, Westinghouse bought forty patents from Tesla, and within a few years over a hundred cities were using the alternating current system. Edison's enterprise began to lose ground. It became obvious that the AC system would replace the DC system.
However, Edison did not believe this. In 1887, he began to discredit the Westinghouse system by requiring his employees to collect information on deaths caused by alternating current, in the hope of proving that his system was safer for the public.

The battle of the titans, as this story is sometimes called, began when the question arose about the type of current that was to be used in the death penalty apparatus. Edison did not want his invention to be associated with death, he wanted alternating current to be used in the death penalty machine.

On June 5, 1888, the New York Evening Post published a letter from Harold Brown that warned of the dangers of alternating current. This letter caused an alarmed reaction in the society. In the 1870s, Brown was an employee of Edison, and it can be assumed that this letter was registered. In 1888, Brown conducted a series of experiments on animals, demonstrating the destructive power of alternating current. Two second-hand alternators were used in the experiments, since Westinghouse refused to sell his generators. Experiments were carried out on several dozen dogs, cats, and two horses.

The speech of the respected scientist Thomas Edison before the commission on the decision of the method of execution made a vivid impression. The legendary inventor convinced everyone present that death with the use of electricity is painless and quick, of course, in the case of using alternating current. The commission had the option of introducing execution by lethal injection.
Lethal injection is considered more humane than the electric chair. In the 20th century, almost all states that have the death penalty began to use it.

Perhaps many would not suffer in the electric chair if there were no competition between campaigns or Edison's persuasive speech before the commission, although the main issue was that execution by lethal injection should be carried out with the help of doctors or the doctors themselves, which is impossible. for obvious reasons.

The first execution took place on January 1, 1889.
A few decades after this event, this "unit" was called the Westinghouse chair or "Westinghoused".

The next executions took place in the spring of 1891.
Four were executed for different crimes. The method of execution has been adjusted. The generator has become more powerful, the wires are thicker. The second electrode was connected not to the spine, but to the arm.
These executions went more smoothly and the new method was accepted by public opinion.
The first "tester" of innovation was a killer named Kemmsler. For obvious reasons, he could not describe his feelings, but the witnesses of the execution noted that 15-20 seconds after the first discharge, the criminal was still alive.
I had to turn on the current of a higher voltage and for a longer time. For a long time and painfully, the “experiment” was brought “to the end”. This execution caused a lot of protests from the American and world community.

And the technology of killing with the help of an electric chair is as follows: the offender is seated on a chair, tied to it with leather straps and securing the wrists, ankles, hips and chest. Two copper electrodes are fixed on the body, one on the leg, the skin under it is usually shaved for better current conduction, and the second is applied to the shaved crown. Typically, the electrodes are lubricated with a special gel to improve current conduction and reduce skin burning. An opaque mask is put on the face.

The executioner presses the switch button on the control panel, giving the first discharge with a voltage of 1700 - 2400 volts and a duration of 30 - 60 seconds. The time is set on the timer in advance, and the current is turned off automatically. After 2 discharges, the doctor examines the body of the offender, who may not have been killed by previous discharges. Death occurs as a result of cardiac arrest and respiratory paralysis.

However, modern executors have come to the conclusion that the passage of current through the brain does not cause instant cardiac arrest (clinical death), but only prolongs the torment. Now criminals are cut and electrodes are inserted into the left shoulder and right thigh, so that the discharge passes right through the aorta and heart.

Although all methods of execution are more or less cruel, the electric chair is characterized by frequent and tragic malfunctions that cause additional suffering for the convicted person, especially in cases where the equipment is old and needs to be repaired.

All this led to the fact that, under the influence of the famous American human rights activist Leo Jones, the electric chair was recognized as a "cruel, inapplicable" punishment, contrary to the US Constitution.

Execution in the electric chair until recently was considered one of the most humane ways to kill criminals. However, over the years of application, it turned out that this type of execution is by no means completely painless, but, on the contrary, can cause terrible torment to the convict. What can happen to a person who gets into the electric chair?

History of the electric chair

Criminals began to be executed in the electric chair at the end of the 19th century, when supporters of a "progressive" society decided that previously existing types of executions, such as burning at the stake, hanging and beheading, were inhumane. From their point of view, the criminal should not suffer additionally in the process of execution: after all, he is already being deprived of the most precious thing - his life.

It is believed that the first model of the electric chair was invented in 1888 by Harold Brown, who worked for the Thomas Edison Company. According to others, the inventor of the electric chair was the dentist Albert Southwick.

The essence of the execution is this. The convict is shaved head and back of the leg. Then the torso and arms are firmly tied with straps to a chair made of dielectric, with a high back and armrests. Legs are fixed with special clamps. At first, the criminals were blindfolded, then they began to put a hood on their heads, and more recently, a special mask. One electrode is attached to the head, on which the helmet is put on, the other to the leg. The executioner turns on the switch button, which passes through the body an alternating current with a power of up to 5 amperes and a voltage of 1700 to 2400 volts. An execution usually takes about two minutes. Two discharges are given, each is switched on for one minute, the interval between them is 10 seconds. Death, which should occur from cardiac arrest, is mandatory recorded by the doctor.

For the first time this method of execution was applied on August 6, 1890 in the Auburn prison of the US state of New York to William Kemmler, convicted of the murder of his mistress Tilly Zeigler.

Up to now, more than 4,000 people have been executed in this way in the United States. Also, a similar type of execution was used in the Philippines. The communist spouses Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who worked for Soviet intelligence, also ended their lives in the electric chair.

"False" procedure

It was assumed that when an electric current was passed through the body, a person would die immediately. But this did not always happen. Often, eyewitnesses had to observe how people put in an electric chair convulsed, bit their tongues, foam and blood came out of their mouths, their eyes popped out of their sockets, involuntary emptying of the intestines and bladder occurred. Some uttered piercing cries during the execution ... Almost always, after the discharge was applied, a light smoke began to go from the skin and hair of the convict. There have also been cases when a person sitting in an electric chair caught fire and exploded in the head. Quite often, the burnt skin "glued" to the belts and the seat. The bodies of the executed were, as a rule, so hot that it was impossible to touch them, and then the "aroma" of burnt human flesh hovered in the room for a long time.

One of the protocols describes an episode when a convict was exposed to a discharge of 2450 volts for 15 seconds, but a quarter of an hour after the procedure, he was still alive. As a result, the execution had to be repeated three more times, until the offender finally died. The last time, his eyeballs even melted.

In 1985, William Vandiver was electrocuted five times in Indiana. It took 17 minutes to kill him.

According to experts, when exposed to such a high voltage, the human body, including the brain and other internal organs, is literally fried alive. Even if death occurs quickly enough, at least a person feels the strongest muscle spasm throughout the body, as well as acute pain at the points of contact with the skin of the electrodes. This is usually followed by loss of consciousness. Here is the memoir of one of the survivors: “There was a taste of cold peanut butter in my mouth. I felt my head and left leg burning, so I tried with all my might to break free from the bonds. 17-year-old Willie Francis, who sat in the electric chair in 1947, shouted: “Turn it off! Let me breathe!"

Repeatedly, the execution became painful as a result of various failures and malfunctions. So, on May 4, 1990, when the criminal Jesse D. Tafero was executed, a synthetic gasket under the helmet ignited, and the convict received third or fourth degree burns. A similar thing happened on March 25, 1997 with Pedro Medina. In both cases, the current had to be turned on several times. In total, the execution procedure took 6-7 minutes, so it could not be called quick and painless.

The story of the murderer of the whole family, Allen Lee Davis, caused a great resonance, to whom not only his mouth (instead of a gag), but also his nose was sealed with a leather tape before execution. In the end, he suffocated.

Chair or injection?

Over time, it became clear that the "humane" execution is in fact often a painful torture, and its use was limited. True, some people believe that the point here is not at all in humanity, but in the high cost of the procedure.

Currently, electric chair execution is used only in six US states - Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. Moreover, the convict is offered a choice - an electric chair or a lethal injection. The last time the above-mentioned measure was applied on January 16, 2013 in Virginia to Robert Gleason, who deliberately killed two of his cellmates in order to have his life sentence commuted to a death sentence.

In addition, there is a law in the USA: if after the third category the sentenced person survives, then he receives a pardon: they say, it means that this is the will of God ...

Who invented the electric chair? Carpenter, electrician, scientist - such options come to mind. You will probably be surprised to learn that this person's profession was different. In this article we will answer the question: who invented the electric chair? It requires detailed consideration, since the history associated with it is very curious. Thomas Edison invented the incandescent light bulb in the late 19th century. Of course, this person is not the one who invented the electric chair. However, this was the first step towards many discoveries related to electricity. This invention, in particular, allowed us to use it to illuminate cities.

An idea that came to Albert Southwick

Many are interested in the question: who was the creator of the new method of execution? Albert Southwick is believed to be the one who invented the electric chair. His profession is a dentist. This man was from Buffalo, New York. Whoever invented the electric chair (whose profession, as you can see, is somewhat unexpected) believed that it could be used as an anesthetic in medical practice. Once Albert saw one of the inhabitants of Buffalo touch the bare wires. This man died, Southwick thought then, painlessly and almost instantly. This incident led him to the idea that the execution with the use of electricity could replace, as a faster and more humane punishment, the hanging used at that time. Southwick first suggested using electricity to dispose of unwanted animals instead of drowning them. Colonel Rockwell, head of the Society for the Protection of Animals from Cruelty, liked the idea.

Commission conclusion

Southwick in 1882 conducted a series of experiments on animals and published his results in scientific newspapers. It is Albert who is often credited with the invention of the electric chair. However, many people took part in its development. In particular, Southwick showed the results of his experiments to David Macmillan, a senator and his friend. He stated that the execution using electricity is painless, which is its main advantage. McMillian advocated the retention of the death penalty. This idea attracted him as an argument against its abolition. McMillian relayed what he heard to D. B. Hill, Governor of New York. In 1886, a special commission was set up, which included Southwick (the profession of the man who invented the electric chair - a dentist, as already mentioned), Eluridge Gerry (politician) and Matthew Hale (judge). Her conclusion, which was set out in a 95-page report, was that the best method of carrying out a death sentence was electrocution. The state was recommended in this report to replace hanging as a new form of execution.

death penalty law

In 1888, on June 5, the governor signed the corresponding law, which was supposed to come into force from 1889. It remained to decide which type of electric current should be used: alternating or direct. How are they different? Let's figure it out.

AC and DC

Scientists from various countries worked on this issue long before the invention made by Thomas Edison. However, Edison (pictured below) for the first time put into practice the theory developed before him. In 1879 the first power plant was built. The Edison system ran on direct current. However, it flows only in one direction, so it was impossible to supply current over a long distance. It was necessary to build power plants to provide a medium-sized city with electricity.

The way out was found by Nikola Tesla, a Croatian scientist. He owns the idea of ​​using alternating current, which can change its direction several times per second, while creating a magnetic field and without losing electrical voltage. You can step up or down the AC voltage using transformers. Such a current can be transmitted over long distances with small losses, after which it can be supplied to consumers through a step-down transformer.

Getting Started with AC

This system attracted investors, one of whom was George Westinghouse (pictured below).

He wanted to make the use of alternating current profitable, but Edison's technology was more popular at the time. It was for Edison that Tesla worked, but he did not pay attention to his developments, and Tesla quit. The scientist soon patented his ideas. Westinghouse bought 40 patents from Tesla in 1888, and more than a hundred cities used the alternating current system within a few years.

"Clash of the Titans"

In 1887, Edison began to discredit this system by requiring the collection of information from his workers on deaths caused by alternating current. So he hoped to prove that his method was safer for the population.

The "Clash of the Titans" began when the question arose of what type of current should be used for the death penalty. Nikola Tesla (pictured below) at the same time avoided any statements about Thomas and preferred to remain silent. But Thomas smashed Tesla with his usual categoricalness and enthusiasm. The "war of the currents" continued until 2007! In New York, it was only in the 21st century that the last DC wires were symbolically cut. The entire network of America and the whole world was finally transferred to alternating current.

Pamphlet and speech by Edison

Since Edison did not want his invention to be associated in any way with death, he wanted alternating current to be used in an apparatus designed for the death penalty. The scientist in 1887 published the pamphlet "Warning". In it, he compared direct current with alternating current and pointed out the safety of the latter.

The speech before the commission of Thomas Edison made a strong impression. The inventor convinced all those present that when using alternating current, death from electricity is quick and painless. The commission to resolve this issue was faced with an alternative to the use of lethal injection, which is considered more humane than execution in the electric chair. It was in the 20th century that almost all states where the death penalty existed began to use it. Perhaps many would not have had to suffer in the electric chair if there were no competition between companies, as well as Thomas Edison's convincing speech before the commission. It was also a question that executions by lethal injection are carried out by doctors, which, for obvious reasons, is impossible.

First execution

In 1889, on January 1, the first execution took place using such an invention as an electric chair (its photo is presented below). The unit used for it was called the Westinghouse chair, or the Westinghouse chair, a few decades later. In the spring of 1891, the following executions took place. 4 people were executed for different crimes. The method of execution has been adjusted. Became more powerful generator and thicker wires. The 2nd electrode was connected to the arm and not to the spine. These executions went more smoothly, and a new method was adopted by public opinion.

Execution of William Kemmler

William Kemmler, who killed his civil wife with an ax, was the first "tester" of this innovation. He was executed in the city of Obernai in 1890, on August 6th. For well-known reasons, he could not describe his feelings. Whoever invented the electric chair could not have foreseen what happened. The witnesses who were present at the time of the enactment of the sentence noted that the offender was still alive 15-20 seconds after the 1st category. I had to turn on the current for a longer time and with a higher voltage. The "experiment" was still painfully and for a long time brought to an end. This execution caused a lot of protests of the world and American public.

Electric chair murder

Let us describe the technology of murder using the electric chair. The offender sits on it and is tied with leather straps to a chair, securing the chest, hips, ankles and wrists. 2 copper electrodes are fixed on the body: one on the leg (for better conduction of electricity, the skin under it is shaved), and the other on the shaved crown. The electrodes are usually lubricated with a special gel in order to reduce skin burning and improve current conduction. An opaque mask is put on the face.

The executioner presses the switch button on the control panel, thereby giving the 1st charge, the voltage of which is from 1700 to 2400 volts, and the duration is approximately 30-60 seconds. The timer sets the time in advance and automatically turns off the current. The doctor, after two charges, examines the body of the criminal, because he may still not be killed. Death occurs as a result of respiratory paralysis and cardiac arrest.

improvement

However, modern executors have concluded that instantaneous cardiac arrest (that is, clinical death) does not cause the passage of current through the brain. It only prolongs the agony. Criminals are now slashed, and electrodes are inserted into the right thigh and left shoulder in order for the charge to pass through the heart and aorta.

Electric Chair - Cruel Punishment

Does it matter who invented the electric chair: a carpenter or an electrician? More importantly, this method of punishment is inhuman. Although all methods of execution are cruel to some extent, it is the electric chair that often causes tragic malfunctions that cause additional suffering for the condemned, especially in cases where the equipment used is in need of repair or is old. This led to the fact that this type of death penalty was recognized, under the influence of Leo Jones, a well-known American human rights activist, as an inapplicable, cruel punishment that is contrary to the US Constitution.

Now you know who invented the electric chair. Dentist Albert Southwick, apparently, did not even suspect what fate was in store for the idea that had come into his head. Today, this method of execution has become one of the symbols of the United States. But the electric chair was invented by a dentist who just wanted to alleviate the suffering of people.