The electric chair was invented by a dentist. It’s a little-known fact that one of the most infamous instruments of capital punishment, the electric chair, was invented by a man whose profession was dedicated to saving lives, not taking them. In a shocking twist of irony, a dentist named Alfred P. Southwick pioneered the development of the electric chair in the late 19th century, forever changing the face of execution in the United States. But what drove a man of medicine to create a device designed to kill?
In Buffalo, New York, at the beginning of the 1880s, a steamboat engineer, dentist, and inventor named Alfred Southwick was interested in using low-voltage electricity to reduce the pain routinely experienced by his patients. In 1881, his research took a fortuitous, albeit horrifying, turn when he read the widely reported story of a Buffalo dockworker who accidentally died by electrocution while attempting to shut down a power dynamo.
Though tragic for the victim and his family, Southwick discerned a silver lining to the incident: The dockworker had reportedly died almost instantly, and apparently without pain. At a time when capital punishment was common and usually inflicted by hanging – which too often resulted in ghoulish malfunctions – could electrocution offer a more humane alternative?
The Inventor
Born in 1826 into a prominent Ohio family that traced its American roots to the Mayflower, Alfred Southwick demonstrated a keen intellect from an early age. His first career was as a steamboat engineer, a profession at which he excelled even without a college degree, rising to a position as chief engineer.
Later, Southwick turned his interest to dentistry in Buffalo. After serving an apprenticeship, his new career flourished, and he put his engineering experience to use designing appliances and devices for dentistry. Eventually, he became a clinical professor of operative techniques and mechanical techniques at the University of Buffalo, School of Dentistry.
Inventing the Electric Chair
For several years after the unfortunate death of the Buffalo dockworker, Southwick worked on his initial designs for the electric chair. In the late 1880s, Alfred P. Southwick leveraged his appointment to the New York State Commission on Human Execution to champion the electric chair as a humane and effective method of capital punishment.
As it happened, another member of the commission was Thomas Alva Edison, America’s most famous inventor. Edison engaged in a ruthless competition with George Westinghouse to dominate the market for household and industrial electricity, seeking to reap enormous profits. When Southwick approached Edison for advice concerning design challenges, Edison suggested that he talk to Westinghouse instead.
The Electric Chair Gains Acceptance
Southwick’s electric chair design faced initial skepticism and opposition. While proponents argued that the electric chair provided a more humane means of execution, critics raised concerns about the potential for pain and suffering inflicted by electricity. Some jurisdictions eventually adopted the electric chair to execute people convicted of capital crimes.
New York authorities executed the first person using the electric chair on August 6, 1890, but they did not use the design created by Southwick. Edison secretly supported a rival design, which authorities employed for the execution. And, to make matters worse, the execution did not go well. The executioners killed William Kemmler, a convicted murderer, in a gruesome manner, contradicting Southwick’s assurances of a quick and painless death. New York state courts declared the electric chair’s use to be ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ in 1963, ending its use in the state.
Southwick’s Tarnished Legacy
In later life, Alfred Southwick could not escape his association with the invention of the electric chair. He continued to advocate for capital punishment by electricity, arguing that it was more humane than other methods. But critics did not relent. The New York State Dental Society went so far as to decline to recognize the University of Buffalo School of Dentistry, ostensibly because Southwick had not actually earned a degree in dental medicine.
In conclusion, Alfred P. Southwick’s legacy is a complex one, marked by the stark contrast between his life’s work as a healer and his role in creating an instrument of death. Yet, his story serves as a poignant reminder that even the most unlikely individuals can leave an indelible mark on history.
As we reflect on the electric chair’s controversial past and its continued use in modern times, we’re forced to confront the darker aspects of human nature and the blurred lines between progress and punishment. Southwick’s invention may have been born from a desire to make death more humane, but its impact has been far more profound, sparking debates and challenging our understanding of justice, morality, and the value of human life.
