ELECTRIC CHAIR

a modern device employed for the execution of criminals. It consists of a large armchair, to which are attached two electrodes. On being seated in the chair the criminal is strapped down around the arms, chest and legs, and one electrode, wetted with salt water, or water in which alkali has been diluted, is applied to the back of his head and the other to the calf of one of his legs, after which an electric current of 1,600 volts is sent through the mechanism, supposed to cause instant death. The contact lasts about a minute. The electric chair was first adopted as the official means of execution by New York, in 1888, according to the recommendations of a special commi ion appointed to study it. An attempt was later made to have it declared unconstitutional as a ‘cruel and unusual punishment,’ but without succe . Since then electrocution has been adopted by New Jersey, Pennsylvania, tucky, North and South Carolina, Virginia and Arkansas. It was also adopted by Ohio,