Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-12-08

thorised by them, hoping, II they could
make us believe they were friendly. they
should have better opportunity, in the
confusion of the moment, to escape. Their
artifce was too shallow and did not sue
ceed. caused them to be placed under
guard, and all the soldiers of the Inquisi-
ton to be secured prisoners. We then
proceeded to examine all the rooms Of the
stately edifce. We epaSsed through room
after room; found all perfectly in order,
richly furnished, with altars and crucifix-
es, and wax candles in abundance, but
could discover no evidence OF inquity be-
ing practiced there-nothing of those Pc
culiar features which we expected to find
in the Inquisition. We found splendid
paintings, and rich and extensive libra
ry. Here was beauty and splendor, and
the most perfect order on which my eyes
had ever rested. The architecture--the pro-
portions were perfect. The ceilings and
floors of wood were secured and highly
polished. The marble pavements were
arranged with strict regard to ORDER
There was everything to please the eye and
crafty the cultivated taste, but where were
these horrid instruments of torture of
which we had been told, and where those
dungeons in which human beings were
said to be buried alive q? We searched in
vain. The holy fathers assured us that
they had been belied; that we had seen all
and was prepared to give up the search,
convinced that this inquisition was differ
ent from others of which had seen.
But Col. DeLile was not so ready as
myself to relinquish our investigation, and
said to me, "Colonel, you are in COM
mand to-day, and as you say, so it must
be; but if you will be advised by me,
let this marble floor be examined. Let
water be brought and we will watch and
see if there is any place through which it
passes more freely than Others" re-
piled to him, DO as you please, Colonel,
and ordered water to be brought accord
ingly. The slabs of marble were large
and beautifully polished. When the wa
ter had been poured over the floor, much
to the dissatisfaction of the Inquisitors,
and a careful examination was made Of
every seam in the floor to see if the water
passed through, presently Col. DeLile ex-
claimed that he had found it. By the side
of one of these marble slabs the water
passed through fast,.as though there was
an opening beneath. All hands were now
at work for the further discovery the Of
ticers with their swords, and the soldiers
with their bayoncts, seeking to clear out
the seam and pry up the slab; others with
the butts of their muskets striking the
slab with all their might to break it, while
the priests demonstrated against our desc
Grating their holy and beautiful house
While thus engaged, a soldier, who was
striking with the butt of his musket
struck spring, and the marble slab flew
up. Then the faces of the Inquisitor
grew pale as Beshazzar, when the hand
writing appeared on the wall they trem
bled all over. Beneath the marble slab
now partly up, there was staircase.
stepped to the altar, and took from tn
candle-stick one of the candles, four fee
in length, which was burning, that Imigh
explore the room below. AS | did this
was arrested by one of the Inquisitors
: who laid his hand gently on my arm, ant
with very demure and sanctimoniou
look, said, my son, YOU must not taxi
those lights with your bloody hands, the.
are holy" "Well," I said, II will tax
holy thing to shed light on iniquity:
bear the responsibility! p I took the can
die, and proceeded down the staircase. A
we reached the foot of the stairs we en-
,, tered large square room, called the Hal
Of Judgment. In the center of it was
huge block, and a chain fastened to it
On this they had been accustomed to plac
the accused, chained to his seat. On on
, side of the room was an elevated seat
, called the Throne of Judgment. This tn
Inquisitor-general occupied, and on eth
es side were seats less elevated, for tn
priestly fathers, white engaged in the sol
emn business of the Holy Inquisition.
|. From this room we proceeded to tn
. right, and obtained access to small cells
extending the entire length of the edifce
= and here such sights were presented as W
| hope never to see again.
d These cells were places of solitary cor
v fnement where the wretched objects Of ir
n quisitorial hate were confined year afte
y year, till death released them from the
d sufferings, and there their bodies were su
g fered to remain until they were entirel
q decayed, and the rooms had become fit ft
G others to occupy. TO prevent this bein
v offensive to those who occupied the Ii
/ QUESTION, there We're fues or tubes cxtenc
O ing to the open air, sufficiently capacio,
o to carry off the odor In these cells "
I found the remains of those who had pal
10 debt of nature some of them had bee
q dead apparently but short time, viii
IS of others nothing remained but the bone
N still chained to their dungeons.
r In other cells we found living suffere
It of both sexes, and Of every age. from thr
v score years and ten down to fourteen
pt fifteen years--all naked as when born I'M
re the world and all in chains ! Here we
ly old men and aged women, who had be'
As shut up for many years. Here, too, we
to mid lie aged, and the young men al
n maiden of fourteen years old. The SC
IT. diers Immediately went to work to relea
n these captives from their chains, and to-
'ir from their knapsacks their overcoats al
We other clothing, which they gave them