The Execution of William Kemmler: The First Electric Chair Execution in History

On August 6, 1890, William Kemmler became the first person to be executed by electric chair at Auburn State Prison in New York, marking a grim milestone in the history of capital punishment. Kemmler was convicted of murdering his common-law wife, Matilda Ziegler, with an axe. The electric chair, designed by dentist Alfred P. Southwick and implemented by the state of New York, was intended to be a more "humane" method of execution compared to hanging. However, the procedure itself proved to be far from this ideal.

The first shock of approximately 700 volts lasted only 17 seconds and failed to render Kemmler unconscious. Witnesses described the smell of burning clothing and charred flesh, but the condemned man was still alive. A second shock was then administered - this time at 1030 volts for approximately two minutes. Smoke began to rise from his body, and only after this was he declared dead.

The subsequent autopsy revealed that the electrode attached to his back had burned through the tissue to the spine, highlighting the horrific nature of the procedure. The execution sparked widespread public outcry and heated debates about the morality and feasibility of using electricity to carry out death sentences.

Kemmler's death exposed the monstrous reality of a method intended to be "more humane," revealing both the technological limitations of the era and the deep ethical contradictions inherent in state executions. This event remains a grim reminder of the brutal and experimental history of capital punishment in the United States.

So that's where he went through the veil. And it wasn't an axe, but the "Sectumsempra" spell!