Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-12-24
Tho implements OF Tortufs-The
Way Slaves are Punished in the
:, S0nfh-Some OF the Beauties- of
the Benign INSTRUMENTATION Col
lars, Shqckles, Chains and Gags

-
the Benign INSTRUMENTATION Col
-, lars, Shackles, Chains and Gags
: = : Prom the New oslesas Era, oct- llsh
So. Col. Hanks, who has had mnch to do
with the plantations in-tho neighborhood
Of this city. aud has. in the line of his dn-
~. paid many visits to them. has discov-
cred ay-insttv.rcnts- and implements OF
,ortme. (which so-faI to show chiyalric
. douthern planters: or those debased .crea-
.tnres. their overseers, would have, made
excsllsnt,torturss for tho Spanish inqnisi-
tiof. Many of these implements prove
them to.have been aiepts in the re6nements
of cruelty. anl in some OF them have dis
pieyei an inrentives ceuiuy worthy Of even
the great Yankee Nation. From among
the numerous implements of barbarity. lie
8 has selected few of the least burdensome.
: which be intends taking with him to the
Sorth. First there is an iron collar made
to 1T tbs neck. which is fastened with a
screw. To this is fastened three upright
prongs about Is inches in length. to each
of which is attached a small ball. The
Beauty OF this instrument il, that the per-
son wearing It can never rest his head up
on the ground. tho Prengs keepiugit al
ways. when in . reclining position. GER
tain distance from support. and the bells
keep him awake by their tinkling. This
was put upon the neck Of a young woman
sby order OF her master, anil wa, condemn-
81 to wear it for life. Fortunately. the
Yankees relievel her suffering ere death
came TO the resene: Z 81 .
q Another article Is heavy iron collar
With mouth pisce. or gag attached
This gag comes up from beneath The chin.
snd Is immediately fixed in the mouth
In order to spsals. eat or drink. it must
be remoyet. Tho hatel King Of Italy
never bal more effective instrument in
Bis toTture-rooul A piece of iron armor.
OF ingenins workmanship. to be worn ON
the leg. forcing the victim to limp, and
proven. his running away, was next ex-
hibi'esi. 1t must have been extremely
painful to the wrarer. There was very
thick iron ring. 10 which was attached by
heavy chain sqnare block Of iron,
weighing over go pounds. This has been
selded on the poor slaves leg by the
plantation blaeksnsith-an operation not
performed without burning him seveily;
and thus burienel he was compelled to
keep up with the other hands IN the fiel !.
and perform an equal amount OF labor. or
be further punishel by the lash To take
this off. the iron had to be cut at the anvil.
and then pryed apart to get it over the
foot-an operation under which one slave,
at least was knownto have died on the
plantation where it was found. There
were several other Instruments equally eff
fective for tormenting and torturing pur-
poses. but it is unnecessary to describe
them here. for there is scarcely planta-
ton in the country where they are not to
be found. The vice anil pnchcrs are "a
vorite implements in some places, and the
overseers delight to get the thumbs of a
runaway negro in the first. or pinch his
flesh or tongue with the latter. to force
him TO confess who have bren his confei-
srates--who hsrborel, clothed or fed him
while hiding in the swamps or forests.
whence be bad been dragged by the blood
hounde.
With these evidences before MS. who
will say that slavery is not barbarous and
inmoral? It's effects are to brutalze all
who have any connection with the insttu-
tion--as is well shown by tbs character
of the men who deal in slaves in our cities,
md who act as overseers on the planta-
tons. And although thare are many kind
and gentle masters, who never resort to
any Of these extraordinary modes Of pun
ishmsnt. yet these are but the exceptions
10 the general rule.-l'hat the effect is de-.
moralizing upon society. is proved by the
fact that the greatest delight of the people
Of the country is to practice upon The un-
offending strangers who chance to visit
them and elaim;their hospitality. the same
fortunes they inhict upon their slaves. with
tho exception that they generally end by
hanging the unfortunate wight, because
he does not happen to be born in the South.
The instincts of the masses in the South
are brutal, otwithsts nding their boasted
chivalry and eivilizition-ani the reason
is their constant association with the bar
bsrous institutions Of slavery. This cause.
thank God. is now being removed. and
there is every prospect that in a few years.
with the example set them by civilized
people from The North. they will become
q little more civilized AM humane in their
conduct. and more respectful in their treat
mept OF neighbors when they call to see
them ct home.