The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-06-17

The London Weekly Tunes publishes sn
extract from 40 English work. entitled
The S<poy Revoa, by HEsRy MEAD"
which has lately been published in London
The Times introduces the paragraph with
the following remark
The English people should not &c, credit
or rather discredit, for that which belongs
to acts committed in their name The most
horrible revelation Of modern times is indl-
putably the practice of torture 10 India. no.
with the sanction, indeed, but with the con
nivance Of successive Governors General
The following il the extract
The following list OF the tortures current
in Travancore was prepared in lsi8, by an
English gentleman Of the highest respecta-
bility at that time, and for many years pre-
vious residing in the country. II will be
seen that the operator had extensive choice
in bis modes Of treatment, and could deal
with any kind Of subject in any locality.
Some Of the kinds Of torture were constant
ly practiced, others with less frequency hut
there were few Of the Government servants
who had learned the whole system, and could
apply any example OF persuasive treatment
that might be required. Beating hardly
comes under the head of torture, though the
Burmese method Of laying the patient down
on bis face, and kncadng his back with the
elbows OF strong man, approaches very
near to it.
Our catalogue should commence with rack
ing the arms backwards with cords tig hten-
I'd with increasing severity. While the
tl,,s tigl l..ri,,, .,xur the pc,E
ty heavy weight pressed on the nacH. 10
several ways wrenching different parts of
the body, even to the dislocation OF bones
Using an instrument called the " kitti, form
cd by two sticks connected by loose joint
at one end, which serves as a fulcrum, the
two sticks being levers between which the
fingers, &c, are squeezed; the degree OF
tighlncss is not limited, but increased accord
ing to the nature Of the ease and the will OF
the torturer. Whipping with a species of
singing nettle Tying two women together
by their long hair and suspending weight
on that hair between them. Using long
iron rod, with rings which slide on it, each
one lifted to contain leg when these
are filled, putting the rod, with violence
through hole in the wall of q wooden frame.
by one ED, ~ that al. TIE segs ure ji.i::sssl
up together at the other end. Suspending
by the hands on pole for heightened time
1t is not neediul to tie hands together they
can be constituted self suspenders in this
manner while holding the hands in front
with the palms inward toward the chest, and
the fingers extended, turn them inward, and
then lock them one 10 the other, so that the
end Of the fingers on one hand rests in the
palm Of the other then pole passed across
them in the inside, which will suspend the
body, its pressure preventing the fingers
from slipping out.
While suspended in this manner, lighting
u fire beneath the victim. Adding TO hIa
suherngs by throwing the strongest red
pepper on the fire, 30 that its severely pun.
gent fumes assail his eyes, nose and throat
Shutting up in "a close room and then smok
ing the sufferer. Applying no, pncers and
that to parts of the body which cannot be
mentioned. Enclosing IA number Of pinch
ing beetles in half q cocoannt shell. and ty-
ing 1t over the naval go that the horrid sen
saton of digging into the bowels is inhict-
cd. Rubbing the arm, from the wrist 10
the elbow, with salt and sand, and then ap-
plying longitudinally num.er of eekil or
ribs OF the cocoauut leaf, and tying them
on firmly, then iorcibly drawing them out
one by one, the finer end first, so that each
one, by its own Increasing thickness, and
aided by the salt underneath, cnts burning
~ into the flesh, and leaves ia snaFtiug
sting.
As a cotcmporary truly remarks, il thc
above testimony had come from any bat a
purely English source, il would be difficult
to give 1t credit. 1t enables us TO appre-
ciaic the genuineness OF British philanthro-
py for the slaves Of the South. II soli-
tary slave in the United States had bccn
subjected 10 such tortures as those to which
the people OF India have been exposed with
the connivance Of successive Governors
General should we ever have heard the last
Of 1t? After these startling admissions
we can scarcely wonder at the Indian rebel
iioo