Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-04-29
THE KNOUT.

OF all punishments the knout is the most severe
and sanguinary, but it is seldom inflicted except
for crimes Of the deepest dye. Although il NAV
appear to the casual observer little worse than our
punishment of whipping petty offenders yet its
effects are greatly increased, and death frequently
ensues in consequence of the pains taken by the
judicial authorities in Russia, to perfect the execu-
TONERS in their horrid occupation.
The knout is very heavy thong as thick as
man wrist, and weighing from two to three pounds
the lash is Of leather, about the breadth of ABROAD
tape, and narrowing at the end aud the handle is
about two feet long.
The place usually chosen Mt st. Petersbureh for
the public nGcton of the knout, is an open, muddy
plain, near the river Nevn, and the execution Is
always attended with military guard of Cossacks
and other troops. As soon as the eulprit arrives
ut the platform; paper is read aloud, which con-
tains description OF his crime, and the sentence
of the court before which he has been tried.
In ordinary cases. the criminals, in turn, are
fastened to an inclined post, having ring at the
top to which the head is so tightly fixed by means
of rope, as to prevent the sufferer from CRYING
out. The hands are then closely tied on either
side, and at the bottom the feet are secured by
means of two rings the back is then barred TO the
waist, and the executioner commences his duty
/ The Able Chappe d'Auteroche relates the exc.
cution of female in the reign of Elizabeth lie
says that Madame Lopookin, who was one of the
mort beautiful women belonging to the court OF
that Empress, had been indiscreet enough TO men.
tiOn some Of the endless amours of her imnerial
mistress and was therefore condemned to underrc
tho knout.
Tho beautiful culprt mounted the scaffold in an
elegant undress. She was surrounded by the exc.
cutioners, on whom she gazed with establishment
and seemed TO doubt that she the object of sucl
, preparations. One of the executOners pulled of
the cloak that covered her bosom, at which hel
modesty took alarm she started back, turned pale
and burst into tears Her clothes were som sirin
ped of, and she was naked to the waist before IN,
eager eyes of an immense cOncourse of people
profoundly silent. Two of the executioners the1
took her by the hands, and turning her half round
raised her on their backs nclining forward anc
lifting her little from the ground upon which
another executioner adjusted her on the backs o
, his coadutors, and placed her in the most pr0pe
position for receiving the punishment He ther
, retreated few steps measuring the proper dstanc,
: with steady eye, and, leaping backward gave ,
stroke with the knout so to carry n piece Of hesl
from the neck to the bottom Of the back strikin,
4 his feet against the ground, he made second blow
parallel to the former, and in few minutes all tn
: skin of the back was cut away in small slips mos
Of which remained hanging down; her tongue wa
s cut out. and Immediately after she was banished
t Siberia.
il In times Of the early Cars the performers q
NJ the horrd task regarded with so much respec
II that they were admitted into the best society Nav
it is said, that in, those days, merchants thinkin
il honorable 10 pass into the ranks of those abov
le them, paid large sums Of money to be allowed }
N perform the murderous duty. When their ambi
on was satisfied they resold the vocation frequent
II y at profit.
30 expert are the executioners Of the prescn
day, that they can handle the knout with mucl
q more skill than coachmen do their whips. As
," PROOF OF their dexterity, wager was laid by tw
RUSSIAN noD'emen' relative to the professional tai