Wiktor Wise
The electric chair was conceived in 1881 by Alfred P. Southwick, a dentist from Buffalo, New York, as a more humane alternative to hanging. In 1886, the New York State Government established a commission to study alternative forms of capital punishment, and two years later, in 1888, electrocution was adopted as the state's new official method of execution. On August 6, 1890, William Kemmler became the first person to be executed by electrocution at Auburn Prison in New York. The electric chair became a symbol of capital punishment in the United States, though its use has declined in recent years with the adoption of lethal injection.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Conception | 1881 |
| Conception credited to | Alfred P. Southwick, a Buffalo, New York dentist |
| Conception inspiration | An accident in Buffalo, New York, on August 7, 1881, where a drunk man was "painlessly" killed after touching an electrical generator |
| First official use | August 6, 1890 |
| First person executed by electric chair | William Kemmler |
| Location of first execution | Auburn Prison in New York |
| Year electric chair was developed | 1880s |
| Year New York State Government established a commission to study alternate forms of capital punishment | 1886 |
| Year New York Legislature passed a law establishing electrocution as the official method of execution | June 4, 1888 |
| Year New York's Electrical Execution Law went into effect | January 1, 1889 |
| Year of first execution by electric chair in Philippines | 1976 |
| Year of first execution by electric chair of a woman | 1899 |
| Name of first woman to be electrocuted | Martha Place |
| Year of first execution by electric chair in Florida | 1990 |
| Year Nebraska Supreme Court ruled electric chair execution as "cruel and unusual punishment" | February 8, 2008 |
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What You'll Learn
The electric chair was conceived in 1881 by Dr. Albert Southwick
Southwick's idea for using electricity as a means of execution came at a time when there were growing concerns about the inhumane nature of hanging. In the late 1870s to early 1880s, the spread of arc lighting, which required high voltages, led to several accidents where people were killed by electrical currents. This sparked a conversation about the potential use of electricity as a form of execution.
Southwick advocated for the use of electricity as a more humane alternative to hanging, and his ideas gained national attention when he published them in scientific journals in 1882 and 1883. He conducted experiments with dogs, varying the electrode type and placement to develop a method that could be scaled up for humans. Southwick's early designs included a modified dental chair to restrain the condemned, which became known as the electric chair.
In 1886, the New York State Government established a commission to study alternative forms of capital punishment, and in 1888, electrocution was adopted as the state's official method of execution. The first execution by electric chair took place on August 6, 1890, when William Kemmler was executed at Auburn Prison in New York. While electrocution was initially considered a more humane alternative to hanging, it eventually faced similar criticism, with botched executions and concerns about cruel and unusual punishment.
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New York State adopted the method in 1889
The electric chair was conceived in 1881 by Alfred P. Southwick, a dentist from Buffalo, New York. Southwick advocated for the use of electricity as a more humane alternative to hanging, which was the primary method of execution at the time. In the early 1880s, he conducted experiments on dogs, varying the electrode type and placement to devise a repeatable method of euthanization using electricity.
In 1886, the New York State Government established a legislative commission to explore alternative forms of capital punishment. This, along with the rivalry between electrical service giants Edison General Electric Company and Westinghouse Corporation, set the stage for the invention of the electric chair.
On June 4, 1888, the New York Legislature passed a law adopting electrocution as the state's official method of execution. However, the specific design of the electric chair remained undecided, with two potential options: the Edison design using direct current (DC) and the Westinghouse design using alternating current (AC). Harold Brown, an inventor hired by the Edison research facility, publicly experimented with both types of current, showcasing that DC voltage tortured animals without causing death, while AC voltage resulted in swift death.
On January 1, 1889, New York's Electrical Execution Law came into effect, marking the world's first electrical execution law. The committee selected the electric chair design utilizing AC voltage, supplied by Thomas Edison and Harold Brown. This decision was protested by Westinghouse, who refused to sell AC generators directly to prison authorities.
The first execution by electrocution took place on August 6, 1890, at Auburn Prison in New York. William Kemmler, convicted of murdering his lover, Matilda Ziegler, became the first person to be executed by the electric chair. This highly publicized execution was considered a gruesome and botched event, requiring two attempts to complete. Despite the initial challenges, the electric chair became a symbol of capital punishment in the United States, with New York State leading the way in its adoption in 1889.
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The first execution by electric chair took place in 1890
The electric chair is a device used for capital punishment through electrocution. The method involves strapping the condemned person to a custom wooden chair and electrocuting them via electrodes attached to the head and leg. The idea for this method of execution was conceived in 1881 by Alfred P. Southwick, a dentist from Buffalo, New York.
Southwick's idea came about after an accident in 1881, in which a lineman was killed by a high-voltage power line in Buffalo, New York. This incident, along with other similar accidents, sparked a series of newspaper stories about how high voltages could instantly kill people without leaving any marks. Southwick witnessed one such accident in 1881, where an elderly drunkard was "painlessly" killed after touching the terminals of an electrical generator. At the time, hanging was the prevalent form of execution, and it was often a slow and painful process, with the condemned person sometimes hanging by their broken neck for up to 30 minutes before succumbing to asphyxiation.
In the 1880s, two developments set the stage for the invention of the electric chair. Firstly, in 1886, the New York State Government established a legislative commission to explore alternative forms of capital punishment to hanging. Secondly, there was a growing rivalry between the Edison General Electric Company, which offered DC (direct current) service, and the Westinghouse Corporation, which offered AC (alternating current) service.
On June 4, 1888, the New York Legislature passed a law adopting electrocution as the state's new official method of execution. However, the specific design of the electric chair (AC vs DC) was yet to be determined. Harold Brown, an inventor hired by the Edison research facility, began publicly experimenting with both types of voltage. He demonstrated that DC voltage left animals tortured but not dead, while AC voltage killed them swiftly. On January 1, 1889, the world's first electrical execution law went into full effect in New York, and Brown and Thomas Edison provided the AC generators needed for the first working electric chairs.
On August 6, 1890, the first execution by electric chair took place. William Kemmler became the first person to be executed by electrocution at Auburn Prison in New York. He was convicted of murdering his lover, Matilda Ziegler, with an axe. Kemmler's execution was botched and gruesome, requiring two charges of electricity. An autopsy showed that the electrode attached to his back had burned through to the spine. Despite this, Dr. Southwick applauded the execution, declaring, "We live in a higher civilization from this day on."
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It was considered a more humane alternative to hanging
The electric chair was conceived in 1881 by Alfred P. Southwick, a dentist from Buffalo, New York. It was developed over the next decade as a more humane alternative to hanging. At the time, hanging was the primary method of execution, but it was considered too slow and painful. There were also several botched hangings, which led to mounting criticism of this form of capital punishment.
In 1886, the New York State Government established a commission to study alternative forms of capital punishment. Southwick advocated for the use of electricity as a more humane replacement for hanging, and his ideas gained national attention when he published them in scientific journals in 1882 and 1883. He had witnessed an elderly drunkard "painlessly" killed after touching the terminals of an electrical generator, and believed that electricity could provide a quicker and less painful death.
In 1888, the New York Legislature passed a law establishing electrocution as the state's official method of execution. The first execution by electric chair took place on August 6, 1890, when William Kemmler was put to death. Witnesses reported smelling burnt clothing and charred flesh, and a second shock of 1,030 volts was required to kill Kemmler. Despite this, Dr. Southwick applauded the execution, declaring, "We live in a higher civilization from this day on."
While the electric chair has been considered more humane than hanging, it is important to note that it has also been the subject of controversy. There have been several botched electrocutions, and in some cases, prisoners have experienced prolonged and painful deaths. Additionally, the electric chair has been deemed "cruel and unusual punishment" by some courts, leading to its discontinuation in certain states.
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The electric chair is now rarely used due to lethal injection
The electric chair was conceived in 1881 by Dr. Alfred P. Southwick, a dentist from Buffalo, New York. It was developed over the next decade as a more humane alternative to hanging, which was considered slow and painful. On August 6, 1890, the first execution by electrocution was carried out against William Kemmler in New York.
The electric chair became a symbol of capital punishment in the United States and was also used extensively in the Philippines. However, its use has declined over the years, with lethal injection becoming the primary method of execution in many states. Lethal injection is viewed as a calmer and less violent alternative to electrocution. Tennessee, for example, adopted lethal injection as its primary method of execution over two decades ago.
The decline in the use of the electric chair can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, there have been court challenges over the decades, with inmates and their lawyers arguing that electrocution is cruel and unusual punishment. This led most states to abandon electrocution in favour of lethal injection. Secondly, there have been several botched electrocutions, such as the case of Willie Francis in 1946, who survived the electric chair due to improper setup, and Jesse Tafero in 1990, whose face and head caught fire during the execution. These incidents have sparked controversy and raised questions about the effectiveness and humanity of electrocution.
Additionally, the availability of drugs for lethal injection has become more difficult due to the reluctance of pharmaceutical companies to associate themselves with executions. This has further contributed to the decline in the use of lethal injection and, by extension, the electric chair. As a result, the electric chair is now rarely used, with no state having used it since 2013, except for Tennessee, where inmates can choose between lethal injection and electrocution.
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Frequently asked questions
The electric chair was first adopted by New York State in 1889.
The first execution by electric chair took place on August 6, 1890.
William Kemmler was the first person to be executed by electric chair.
The first execution by electric chair was botched. William Kemmler received a charge of 700 volts for 17 seconds, but this failed to kill him. A second charge of 1,030 volts was applied for about two minutes, after which smoke was seen coming from Kemmler's head.
The electric chair was introduced as a more humane alternative to hanging.
