Crime & Law

William Kemmler Executed by Electric Chair

William Kemmler was the first person to undergo execution by electric chair at Auburn Prison in New York. This landmark event occurred following his conviction for the murder of his girlfriend, Matilda Ziegler, in 1889. The use of the electric chair was implemented as a more humane alternative to previous methods of execution, such as hanging. The execution, conducted on the morning of August 6, 1890, was fraught with complications and sparked a nationwide debate on the ethics and efficacy of capital punishment.

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