Topsy

Topsy the elephant, who performed with the Forepaugh Circus, had killed three men in three years (the last being a drunk trainer who mistreated her). Her owners, seeing her as a threat, decided that she had to be executed. After discussing several means of execution Thomas Edison suggested electrocuting her with alternating current. On January 4, 1903 Topsy was given copper-lined sandals, was covered in electrodes, and then received the current from a 6,600 volt AC source. She died in a matter of seconds. Edison captured the whole event on film and later released it under the title "Electrocuting an Elephant." On July 20, 2003 a memorial was erected for Topsy at the Coney island museum.



Here is Topsy's wikipedia page. Here is more information on the event.