William Kemmler
William Kemmler (May 9, 1860 â August 6, 1890) of Buffalo, New York, was a convicted murderer who became the first person executed in the electric chair. Like many early electrocutions, the execution was botched; Kemmler was shocked with 1,000 volts for 22 seconds, which was though to be sufficient to induce unconsciousness and cardiac arrest. After the first shock, attending physicians Dr. Liviu Spitzka and Dr. Charles F. Macdonald examined Kemmler and determined he was still breathing. Spitzka reportedly called out, "Have the current turned on again, quick â no delay."[1]
For the second shock, the current was doubled. The intense power caused ruptured blood vessels and burnt flesh, which nauseated the witnesses. Nonetheless, the execution continued, lasting almost 10 minutes. One reporter in attendance said electrocution was ""an awful spectacle, far worse than hanging." [2]