# electric chair **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 6, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044 "2014-03-06T20:23:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kaf1954](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@kaf1954](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaf1954)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/1 "2014-03-06T20:23:52Z")
I have an electric chair “execution” that I have been trying to find out where it came from. It is not an Edison Chair but I believe it is from the late 1800’s or early 1900’s when they where trying to figure out the best way to execute someone. Anyone out there who might be able to help me or know of someone who could I would greatly appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/2 "2014-03-06T20:31:38Z")
Your question is not too clear… help you with what exactly? Do you (somehow) own a real electric chair? ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/3 "2014-03-06T21:27:01Z")
Pics please. How do you own an electric chair? I’m guessing you can’t just plug it into the wall socket… ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/4 "2014-03-06T21:31:40Z")
Sit in it to see if you get a spark of inspiration. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/5 "2014-03-06T21:33:32Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Pics please. How do you own an electric chair? I’m guessing you can’t just plug it into the wall socket… You really wouldn’t want to do that-someone could get electrocu… …nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/6 "2014-03-06T21:35:58Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > I’m guessing you can’t just plug it into the wall socket… > [@Czarcasm](#): > > You really wouldn’t want to do that-someone could get electrocu… Wow, this really tangles up the notion of what it means to pull the plug on someone. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/7 "2014-03-06T21:38:04Z")
No, he doesn’t own the chair; he owns the execution. He says so right there. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/8 "2014-03-06T21:39:33Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Wow, this really tangles up the notion of what it means to pull the plug on someone. Whether you plug him or pull the plug on him, it all ends up the same. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/9 "2014-03-06T22:01:42Z")
This thread is revolting. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/10 "2014-03-06T22:07:32Z")
I am shocked, SHOCKED! to hear this… ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/11 "2014-03-06T22:08:53Z")
I remember a story about an inmate who, during one stint, helped build the prison’s chair. Yep, at a later stint, he was executed by it. Point being: it was built in the prison, not purchased from an outside firm. If you have a real, execution-style chair, look for signs of factory joints - finger joints vs mortise and tendon, glue blocks - you should be able to tell factory vs talented prisoner. This is, of course, assuming you have looked all over for a data plate or a craftsman’s signature. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/12 "2014-03-06T22:14:00Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > No, he doesn’t own the chair; he owns the execution. He says so right there. “Execution” is the name of the chair. And a perfectly apt name it is too. You want he should name it “cuddles”? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/13 "2014-03-06T22:14:58Z")
Sometimes I think that the most important contribution this Board can make toward fighting ignorance lies in teaching people how to ask a question in a way to get the most useful answer. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/14 "2014-03-06T23:03:59Z")
A picture would really help here. Better yet, LOTS of pictures! Show the chair as well as the straps and the electric parts. Be sure to include any cords and plugs that are there. We may be able to point to the maker/manufacturer by what these pieces look like. ---
**Author:** ![sich\_hinaufwinden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@sich\_hinaufwinden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sich_hinaufwinden)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/15 "2014-03-06T23:38:08Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > This thread is revolting. I suppose you thought that by starting in with the puns you could amp it up a bit? ETA: I see the puns actually started up in post 4. ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/16 "2014-03-06T23:44:13Z")
Puns about electricity always seem to be met with resistance. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/17 "2014-03-06T23:48:45Z")
Ohm my God, enough puns already. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/18 "2014-03-06T23:55:51Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > Ohm my God, enough puns already. I don’t understand the discomfort. The current puns are well-executed. 😛 Which brings it back on-topic, I think. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/19 "2014-03-07T00:07:54Z")
> [@hibernicus](#): > > “Execution” is the name of the chair. And a perfectly apt name it is too. You want he should name it “cuddles”? Most seemed to be called “Old Sparky.” (Seriously.) ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044/20 "2014-03-07T00:20:55Z")
Still don’t know watt the op is asking. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-chair/683044.md?page=2)