Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1855-04-12
were TO make firm footing for the execu-


appeared, guarded by four soldiers with ma
ked ssbres, accompanied by several officers
of police, and followed by two execu1ioners,
each bearing under his arm bundle con-
tanning knout-throngs. The battalion now
formed hollow square, three deep-lhe
police, execu,ioners, and criminal being in
The centre.
':The execuioners, or foggers, in Russia,
are themselves criminals, kept in perpetual
confinement, save when taken out TO perform
their cruel office, which, from pent-up re-
venge, they render as agonizing as possible
to the poor sufferer. The frs. executioner
was The cosrsest specimen Of humanity ]
ever saw. His height was over six feet, his
shoulders were immoderatey broad, his
body large, end his limbs bulky and s,hle-
tic; his head was covered with dark olor-
ed coarse bris.les, and his complexion was
Of fierce mahogany tinge. His assistant,
strong and muscular young man. was his
v4ry counterpart, being one Of the m os' fa-
vorabIe specimens Of young Russian pea
SAINT had ever met with.
I'll must now describe the criminal. He
was apparently about twenty-five years Of
age, very full built, bu, Of low stature, with
q very s,olid counlenance; but he showed
neither remorse nor fear. He seemed per-
fec,ly callous took off his cap, and cody
pre- par ed hmsel for his terrible punishment.
"Hsving thrown aside his cafian and his
shirt, and having nothing on bu. his trow-
sers and his boots, he approached the stake
With firm step, and was securely fastened
10 i, bv the eXecu'ioners, who now threw
off their coats and go, ready The instruments
Of torture. The knoM consists of handle
about foot long. with piece Of twisted
hide Of the same length. TO this hide is al
tached, by loop. piece of thong, prepar-
ed TO almost metallic hardness, in length a.
bou. four or five feet, perfectly fiat, and on
inch broad. /. is changed after every six or
eight blows, being unfit for use when it be-
comes at ell soft.
"The senior execu.ioner having placed
himself within five or six feet of the prison
er, with the lhrong of the knout on The
ground behind him, then drew it forward.
raising it slowly and steadily ill it had al.
iained The proper elevation. when he brought
il down with iEsmendous force upon the
very middle of the criminals back, leaving
a deep crimson mark of an inch in breadth,
of his irowsers.
"Upon receiving the blow, the wretch Ut
lefed scream, or rather a yell Of agony,
aud every fibre of his body seemed in state
Of violen, and instantaneous contnrlion-
With hardly an interval the blow was re-
pea,ed, followed by The same result, the
same Gigh.fuI yell, the same appalling shud-
der! The second mark appeared about an
inch from and parallel to ,he first: third,
fourth, and fifth blow followed in quick sue
cession, when the operator stepped aside
and resigned his place to his assistant.
safer giving eigh. blows, the assislan! re-
tired IN his turn, when his principal, who
had in The mean time been flung on fresh
,hrong, resumed the dreadful task. He was
again succeeded by the young man, who in
like manner had renewed the efficacy Of his
weapon by similar process.
SIN This manner did they continue. mutu-
ally relieving one another, at each relay ad'
ding new thong, until the destined num-
ber Of blows were inflicted on The Iacerated
back of the sufferer. Abou. the ffiie'h
stroke, his struggles having partially loos-
to stop and have them fixed more firmly
From the first until about the twentieth blow
each was followed by the same scream and
convulsions; from the twentieth 10 the IF
telb, both gradually became weaker-,he
latter, indeed, had degenera,ed into sor. Of
involuntary shIvering. After The fflie.h,
boih ceased lhe criminals head fell TO one
side and although each touch of the knout
brought with it a convulsive shudder, he
seemed 10 be perfectly unconscious of pain
THE criminals back now exhibited
horrid spectacle. 1t was one msngIed, bloa-
ted mass, of dark crimson hue; ye. still
mangIed as it was, not drop of blood came
from it. A common cart having been drawn
into the square, The executioners united the
strap by which The malefactor was fastened
to The stake, and with assistance, carried
him TO and placed him in he cart, throwing
his shir. Lightly upon him, then his ca(,an,
then mat over all.
"When removed from The stake be was
quite insensible ; so much so that did u o,
suppose he would survive ill he reached
the hospital: but was mistaken; for upon
observing him s.'en.ively, after being placed
in the cart, ] perceived ,ha. he had so far
recovered as 10 al,emp. TO move one arm.
No surgeon was PRESENT, nor was one need
ed. The number Of stripes Is specified, and,
happen wha! may. they mus. be admins
tered.
"He was driven off to the prison with The
same gusrds end attendants as al first; the
whole affair, from the arrival TO the depsr-
.ure Of The poor victim, no. exceeding ,wen-
ty minutes.
"What became Of him sfierward ! could
no. learn bu. have little doub, that in q