Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-09-08
The Torture in Missouri.

Our Southern brethren not only preservs
the good old custom of burning people alive
but the torture, that ingenious method oI
examining witnesses, and arriving al the
truth, is retained among them. In the ex
perience of DR.. Doy, recently rescued from
the ST Joseph Jail, is the following incident
related to correspondent of The Ne,o York
II i5une:
A negro had been caught somewhere and
was brought to Jail. Negroes are confined
in The lower part, and communication could
be had through hole made for a stove-pipe.
Through this DR.. Doy learned frem the cap
tive that he was free man, and had been
born in the State of Illinois. He had-Has
so acres of land, with some Improvements
near Aurora, Illinois. He had come to Kan
sas to look at it, expecting to locate there,
and on his return was seized by the Missou-
ri thieves and hurried to the county Jail.
Tie dsy after his arrival he was taken out,
stripped and tied to post. The iron whip,
with its sharp knife edges and dagger points
was produced. The Sheriff or his deputy,
and other legal parties were present. The
unfortunate negro was asked where his maS
ter lived, and what that masters name was,
and when he ran away. In vain did the
poor fellow tell his story. 1t was received
with oaths and abuse. and he was told
"That kind of style would no, do" while
the instrument of torture was applied
ferociously to his naked back. Blood started
from the wounds, and the victim wriihed
and shrieked in his agony. At last there
was cessation, and the question::
"Well tell US who's your master, and
when you ran away
81 told you never had master. | was
born in Illinois. / am Free"
"Oh, d-n you, we have heard such
stories before. Give i: to him, Tom, till he
confesses."
Again the horrid scene was renewed. 1t
was in the Jail court-in the precincts of
Justice, and the prisoners through the CRATES
could witness it. In agony the writhing
victim cried for them to tell him what they
wanted.
The question was repeated, but the i'm
mediate horrors being respited little the
trembling, bleeding victim hesitated TO re-
peat words that would ccnsign him to a
fate even more horrible than desth. Again a
torrent of profanity was poured upon him
He had fallen down, as the cords had been
somewhat loosened.
"Put him up! put him up! we'll bring him
to yet; and the poor, crushed victim again
was made to writhe under the horrors of
torture. At last, almost too faint to shrek,
bleeding snd weak, the execution was once
more stopped, and questions asked.
"Who'S your master!"
"Oh, anybody you like"
"Well, was 1t Mr. Brownl"
"Yes, yes.''
"Of Culpepper County, Virginia!"
"Well, Just as you like; don't know any
counties in Virginia; never was there"
WHAT"
ayes, yes. cried the trembling victim,
THAT was the county-Virginia."
"And it is rather more than six months
since you ran away from him.
"Yes, yes-oh, yes" and the shriekipg
man, without hope in all the world iof des.
potism around him, let his head fall forward
on his breast, and his agony broke in tears
and sobs.
"Ycu have all that noted down!" said
one of the o flicating villains TO the Sheriff
ayes; al, right"
The victim was unfastened and led away.
1t was nearly two weeks before his wounds
were well enough for him to travel, and
then he was taken away. Where!