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William Kemmler | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Kemmler | |
| Born | William Francis Kemmler May 9, 1860 |
| Died | August 6, 1890 (aged 30) |
| Cause of death | Botched execution by electrocution |
| Occupation | Produce merchant |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Spouse | Tillie Ziegler (common-law wife) |
| Conviction(s) | First degree murder |
| Criminal penalty | Death by electrocution |
William Francis Kemmler (May 9, 1860 – August 6, 1890) was an American murderer who was the first person executed by electric chair. He was convicted of murdering Matilda "Tillie" Ziegler, his common-law wife, a year earlier.[1] Although electrocution had previously been successfully used to kill a horse, Kemmler's execution did not go smoothly.[2]
- ^ Ruddick, N. (1998). "Life and death by electricity in 1890: the transfiguration of William Kemmler". Journal of American Culture (01911813), 21(4), 79.
- ^ Jonnes, J. (2004). The Horrible Experiment" Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Electrify the World. New York: Random House, 206–39.[ISBN missing]