Latest news with #WilliamKemmler
Boston Globe
06-08-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
Today in History: The atomic bombing of Hiroshima
In 1825, Upper Peru became the autonomous republic of Bolivia. In 1890, at Auburn Prison in Auburn, New York, William Kemmler became the first person to be executed via the electric chair. Advertisement In 1926, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. In 1942, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands became the first reigning queen to address a joint session of Congress, telling lawmakers that despite Nazi occupation, her people's motto remained, 'No surrender.' In 1945, during World War II, the US B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, resulting in an estimated 140,000 deaths. In 1962, Jamaica gained independence from the United Kingdom after 300 years of British rule. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, prohibiting racial discrimination in voting. In 1991, the World Wide Web made its public debut as a means of accessing webpages over the Internet. In 2011, insurgents shot down a US military helicopter during fighting in eastern Afghanistan, killing 30 Americans, most of them belonging to the same elite Navy commando unit that had killed Osama bin Laden; seven Afghan commandos also died. Advertisement
Chicago Tribune
06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Today in History: Jamaica gains independence
Today is Wednesday, Aug. 6, the 218th day of 2025. There are 147 days left in the year. Today in history: On August 6, 1962, Jamaica gained independence from the United Kingdom after 300 years of British rule. Also on this date: In 1806, Emperor Francis II abdicated, marking the end of the Holy Roman Empire after nearly a thousand years. In 1825, Upper Peru became the autonomous republic of Bolivia. In 1890, at Auburn Prison in Auburn, New York, William Kemmler became the first person to be executed via the electric chair. In 1926, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. In 1942, Queen Wilhemina of the Netherlands became the first reigning queen to address a joint session of Congress, telling lawmakers that despite Nazi occupation, her people's motto remained, 'No surrender.' In 1945, during World War II, the U.S. B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, resulting in an estimated 140,000 deaths. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, prohibiting racial discrimination in voting. In 1991, the World Wide Web made its public debut as a means of accessing webpages over the Internet. In 2011, insurgents shot down a U.S. military helicopter during fighting in eastern Afghanistan, killing 30 Americans, most of them belonging to the same elite Navy commando unit that had killed Osama bin Laden; seven Afghan commandos also died. Today's Birthdays: Actor-director Peter Bonerz is 87. Actor Dorian Harewood is 75. Actor Leland Orser is 65. Actor Michelle Yeoh is 63. Basketball Hall of Famer David Robinson is 60. Movie writer-director M. Night Shyamalan is 55. Singer Geri Halliwell Horner is 53. Actor Vera Farmiga is 52. Actor Soleil Moon Frye is 49. Actor Leslie Odom Jr. is 44. Soccer coach and former player Robin van Persie is 42.
UPI
06-08-2025
- Politics
- UPI
On This Day, Aug. 6: U.S. drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima
1 of 6 | An unidentified newsman stands amid the rubble of Hiroshima in September 1945. On August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on the city. UPI File Photo | License Photo Aug. 6 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1890, the first execution by electric chair was carried out. William Kemmler was put to death at Auburn Prison in New York for the ax murder of his girlfriend. In 1926, Gertrude Ederle of New York became the first American to swim the English Channel. In 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later an atomic bomb hit Nagasaki and Japan soon surrendered, ending World War II. In 1965, U.S. President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law. The measure barred states from conducting discriminatory voting practices. UPI File Photo In 1969, Robert Rheault, commander of the Green Berets during the Vietnam War, and seven of his subordinates were arrested for summarily executing Thai Khac Chuyen, a Vietnamese civilian they suspected of being a double agent. The charges were later dropped, the Army said, in the interests of national security. In 1978, Pope Paul VI died at the age of 80 after a heart attack. He had led the Roman Catholic Church for 15 years. In 1986, William Schroeder died of a stroke in Louisville, Ky., after 620 days with the Jarvik-7 mechanical heart. At the time, he had been the longest-living permanent artificial heart patient. In 1997, a Korean Air jetliner crashed in Guam's capital city of Adana, killing 228 people. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that pilot error, fatigue and poor training were the causes of the crash involving the Boeing 747-300. Twenty-six people survived. File Photo courtesy of Michael A. Meyers/Department of Defense In 2009, the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for the U.S. Supreme Court on a 68-31 vote. In 2011, Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan shot down a Chinook transport helicopter, killing 30 Americans and eight Afghans. Officials said it was the highest U.S. death toll in a single incident in the decade-old war. In 2012, U.S. President Barack Obama signed legislation that bans protests within 300 feet of military funerals 2 hours before or after the services. In 2018, rival leaders in South Sudan signed a power-sharing agreement to end a five-year civil war and form a transitional government. In 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz would be her running mate in her presidential campaign against former President Donald Trump. Trump won the election. File Photo by Jemal Countess/UPI
Hindustan Times
05-08-2025
- Hindustan Times
On this day 100 years ago, first electric chair execution took place — and shocked the world
More than a century ago, William Kemmler, a vegetable seller, became the first person to be executed by an electric chair, marking a grim milestone in the evolution of capital punishment. On August 6, 1890, Kemmler was executed at Auburn Prison in New York after being convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Matilda Ziegler, with an axe. On August 6, 1890, William Kemmler was executed after being convicted of murdering his girlfriend with an axe.(Representational) Electrocution for execution While many would disagree, the dentist who first suggested electrocution pitched it as a humane way of execution in 1881. Dr Albert Southwick had once seen an elderly drunk man die 'painlessly' after touching the terminals of an electrical generator in New York. The dentist considered this better than the prevalent form of execution at the time, which was usually death by hanging for up to 30 minutes. Who was William Kemmler? Kemmler, the son of German immigrants, dropped out of school early and turned to peddling, largely to support his struggle with alcoholism. According to the New York Times, Kemmler was recovering from a drinking binge and accused his lover, Tillie Ziegler, of stealing from him to elope with one of his friends. The couple argued and Kemmler grabbed a hatchet and struck Tillie repeatedly, killing her. After the brutal murder, he barged into a neighbour's house and announced that he had killed his girlfriend. Kemmler's last words The New York Times reported that when Kemmler was sent to the execution chair, he looked at it and said: "Gentlemen, I wish you all good luck. I believe I am going to a good place, and I am ready to go." After he was strapped to the chair, he told the executioner to "take it easy" and "do it properly". "I'm in no hurry," Kemmler quipped. The execution lasted around eight minutes and was heavily criticised by reporters at the scene. The New York Times captured the public outrage with the headline: 'Far Worse Than Hanging.'
