Propaganda War
Edison stood to lose a fortune if AC power transmission replaced his DC power transmission, so in the late 1880's Edison set out to convince the public that AC power was dangerous and deadly. In June 1888, Edison began demonstrations for the media in which he used AC power to electrocute stray dogs. At that same time New York State was looking for a more humane way to execute death row inmates. Despite his opposition to capital punishment, Edison's desire to stomp out AC power was so great that he arranged a demonstration for the panel overseeing the effort in which he electrocuted several calves and a horse. This demonstration convinced the panel to pursue electrocution as a means of execution, and they commissioned Harold P. Brown, a salesman of electrical devices, to build the first electric chair. Brown was paid under-the-table by Edison to design the chair with AC.
Convicted murderer William Kemmler was the first man to be sentenced to death by the new electric chair. On August 6, 1890, he was set to be electrocuted, or as Edison called it, "Westinghoused". Kemmler was strapped into the electric chair, and after a few last words and preparation the switch was thrown. Current went through his body for 17 seconds, his fists clenching so hard on the chair that he began to bleed from his palms. Much to the horror of the onlookers, however, the shock had failed to kill him: he was unconscious, but still breathing. The AC dynamos needed time to recharge, and afterwards the switch was thrown again, this time at 2000 volts. Kemmler's blood vessels ruptured and bled, and his coat briefly caught fire. The whole affair lasted about eight minutes in all. The onlookers were horrified, some vomitting and passing out. As one eyewitness of the event, a reporter for the New York Herald described it: "The scene of Kemmler's execution was too horrible to picture. He died the death of Feeks, the lineman, who was slowly roasted to death in the sight of thousands."
