Thomas Edison in his efforts to show that his direct current was safer than alternating current electrocuted a number of animals. In the process, he also demonstrated the dangers of AC on Coney Island’s Luna Park Zoo elephant Topsy. The experiment took place in 1903 and you can read the story on Wired here. Edison made film of this and the YouTube video below shows the unfortunate Topsy getting zapped by 6600 Volts of alternating current.