Electric chair

The electric chair was a mechanism commonly used for execution of convicted criminals during the 20th century in the USA. It was first used in the not on time 19th century. It was used by more than 25 states throughout the 20th century, acquiring nicknames such as Sizzlin' Sally, Old Smokey, Old Sparky, Yellow Mama, and Gruesome Gertie. To be put to death in an electric chair is colloquially known as "riding the lightning." Its continued use in the 21st century seems to be quickly on the way out. The electric chair was also used, for a time, in the Philippines.

History

The first practical electric chair was made-up by Harold P. Brown. Brown was an employee of Thomas Edison's, hired for the function of researching electrocution and for the growth of the electric chair. Since Brown worked for Edison, and Edison promoted Brown's work, the development of the electric chair is often incorrectly credited to Edison himself. Brown's design was based on Alternating Current, which was then just emerging as the rival to Edison's less transport-efficient Direct Current, which was further along in commercial progress. The decision to use AC was wholly driven by Edison's attempt to claim that AC was more lethal than DC.

New York State in 1886 recognized a committee to determine a new, more humane system of implementation to replace hanging. Neither Edison nor Westinghouse wanted their electrical system to be selected because they feared that consumers would not want in their homes the same type of electricity used to kill criminals.

In order to prove that AC electricity was superior for executions, Brown and Edison killed many animals, including a circus elephant, while testing out their prototypes. They also held executions of animals for the press in order to ensure that AC current was connected with electrocution. It was at these events that the term "electrocution" was coined. Most of their experiments were conducted at Edison's West Orange, New Jersey, laboratory in 1888.