The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-11-04
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE INoUIsITIoN
OF MADRID.

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE INQUlslTloN
OF MADRID.
In the course Of lecture delivered few year.
ago, in the chapel OF Brown University, Col. Len
manowsky gave a most graphic description oi tbe
capture and destruction Of one Of these ESTABLISHMENTS
by soldiers under his own command
In the early part OF the year 1903, Napoleon com
manded all the buildings occupied BY The inquision
to be destroyed Col. l.. requested Napoleon 70 give
him a command in expedition against one oil THESE
dens of vice aud cruelty. az | remember right, II
was the lnquisilion of M8crid) "My request,
said the Colonel, {" was complied WITH and ] had
the command Of the 18th regiment of the line. Upon
approaching the building we several soldiers on
tie walls We summoned them 10 surrender IN the
name Of the Emperor of the French they turned
and bent over II conyersng with some who were
inside and after carefully scanning our number,
which was but small, they answered our summons
by firing among US. Several were wounded, and one
man killed. We then procured some heavy tmbers
and by the united strength OF all the men made
breach aud entered within the walls AS soon as
we were inside, we had specimen OF the cunning
jesustry Of these rascals. The whole company Of
priests aud inqusitors, came To IN very humble
attitude, with Their hands crossed over tier breasts
and the first heard, these artiul fellows were re-
proving the soldiers the wall for having made any
resistance, and for not having politely admitted these
very fine gentlemen, although IT was, OF course,
by the direction of these very that resistance had
been offered. The only answer we gave was by pla-
cling guard over these now obging fellows, WIN
directions TO keep sharp look out after them, that
none might escape.
Upon examining the interior Of the building, we
found IT beautiful in the extreme every thing appear
ed quiet and in excellent order.
The floor of the principal hall was paved with
slabs OF fine marble, and at the end altar with
several wax candles burning. The priests appeared
SO humble and submissive, and every thing appeared
so quiet and orderly, that my suspicious, said Col J.
were lulled TO sleep, (Which the effect they in
tended to produce,) and began 10 suspect that a
great many fasehoods had been told about the cruel
ties practised in these establishments. We could dis
cover nothing of The secret aud underground
cells OF which we have often heard, and was upon
the point Of retiring with my men, and leaving the
building for the present in the hands of lis old
pants, when brother officer urged to most dgenl
examination OF the whole building. We proceeded
to examine carclu fully the principal hall TO discover,
II possible some trap door other entrance to the
regions below Some Of the soldiers tried 10 thrust
The points OF their bayOnes, others of their swords
between the slabs Of marble, but all without success
was upon he point Of giving up, when it was sug.
gested that water should be poured floor, TO
see II II would find an outlet through the creyces.-
After watching the water carefully, we observed
place where 1t evidently escaped between the slabs
Ah,' said some, whats here; we shall make some
discoveries now'-Whlie the captive lnquIsors stood
by shaking with fear
Presently soldier struck a heavy blow with the
butl end OF his mu.ket upon one side of slab when
all at oncea spring seemcJ TO give way and the slab
at once turned upon pivot by which II fastened
at The two sides disclosing an opening and stair
case leading down to some dark cavity below.
! at walked up TO the altar aud seized some Of
the lighted candles, when one of The bald pated
priests stepped up to me and said very sanctimonous-
y, %, my son, these are holy candies you must not
touch them But, said the Colonel, my only reply
was Nery well rant them for holy purpose; rant
TO see holy things. Below found an apartment Of
considerable size, furnished with setlees sc which
we at once knew by the internal contriyanees to be
the hall Of torture. We went round and soon dis
covered an alley, and on each side Of this alley
number OF dark gloomy cells. Ia these cell. were u
large number OF the victims Of popi,h cruelty, young
and old, loaded with chains and some of them wo-
well men, literally as naked as their moth
or bare them The soldiers threw their coats and
cloaks over these poor miserable wrcches and loos-
ing them from their chains, proceeded to help them
TO the hall OF judgment, above ground.
When the soldiers had provided for the comfort
and safety OF these weeping wretches, they turned
their attention TO the inqustors, and insisted upon
putting them all TO death. In their excited state OF
feeling, il would have been vain for me to oppose
their will.
Among their instruments Of torture, we found an
image OF the Virgin Mary, SO contrived with spikes
knives, &c, that when person went to kiss il tie
a. hs cioaeI anu 'Ie 'io' was pierced wiih ihou-
ID fp6 TIE crief hquisilor kissing this mae IT.,
prcked him with their bay onets and compelled h, r.
do so, when the arms closed and he was cut a,d
hacked TO death m most shocking manner Afer
taking out the valuable book, and other article.
We placed number OF barrels of gunpowder IN The
building, aud setting fire 10 The tram, soon had tt
Satisfaction Of seeing this horrid abode Of cruelty
heap OF smoking ruins.
Alter we had seen the end Of the inquisiiion, we
invited ali Of the ueighbOrhood whose relation. had
been torn from them 10y the officer, Of thus bloody
tribunal 10 come and convey u their homes such OF
them as they could find alive And said the Colo.
nell never shall forget that sight The soldiers
whom commanded were men q blood the sigbt of !
human misery aud slaughter had become 80 common
10 item, that they could their meal with none The
les relsh because they were using the dead BODY Of
comrade for a seat; but when tiey saw their rni.e
rabe company OF living skeletons standing be(,r.
them, and their anxious relatives pressing around 10
discover their long lost loved ones-when they say
now a weeping father aud mother embracing a. /
though they had recovered him from the dead = he |
loved son then husband clasping in his arms tbe
hali-murdered mother of his children-and tLen
weepng wiie and mother, turning in despair from
The search alter beloved husband and father. con.
,inced that he had found grave in these borrid
dungeons when the iron-hearcd warriors witnessed
TN, sight, said Col j., they wept snd sobbed like
'A'