The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1868-08-08
Chinese Mode of Torture.

The torture Of the hcdsicad Is tesorled 10 u
| order 10 exiort money. The victim IL put on
wooden rack-nat on his baek-and his neck,
wrists and ankles are fastened down by board.
having curves large enough for the purpose The
instruments are passed down on the parts Of tbs
body To which they are lifted, and then tied un.
der the headsiead. Besides all these, sometimes
pole 10 fastened at right angles 10 bar Of wood
| placrd across the ankes--tlie pole extending "a
bis chin aud pressing against u, 80 that his head
will be thrown backward aud upward. In this
position he Is made TO pass the night, nnless the
jalleis rcleut or he comes 10 terms. No one Il
willing 10 sleep the second night on such bed
stead, " he can arrange matters With his keepers.
The ioriurcs Of the frame with the nowcry eye
brow, require the aid Of pencil for an iniellipi-
bic description. One mode is 10 ie up the victim
by one wrist aud one Anklc--his head turned up
ward another Is 10 tie both wrists aud both an-
kles, with the head downward; by either meth.
cd the entire weight of the body ls brought 10
bear upon those delicate portions Of the human
| frame.
The torture called .'inonkey graspiug a peach, Z"
10 employed by mandarius 10 compel prisoner 10
confess his guilt. The weight Of bis body Is Who'll.
y sustained by the weight Of one arm, which is
placed over slender horizontal pole, several feet
from the earth while the other arm, and this,
are passed under the legs aud tied together by the
thumbs below the knees. No part ofthe body Is
permitted to touch the ground. Let the reader
suffer bis thumbs 10 he tied IN this way, even
with his feet the floor, and he will soon real
ize the ierrors Of this frghiful torture.
The torture OF the cage Is caused by compelling
the cnlprit to stand on tp-toe with bis head pro-
tfuding through the top Of Il. The hole is just
large enough Tor his neck, aud II he attempts to
rest himself by drawing up his legs the weight
of his body is brought TO bear ON his neck. Du-
ring the latter part Of the reign of the emperor
Who died iu& $50, a nolrd rohbcr was compelled
10 stand In public Ia such n cage, In the suburbs
Of fuehau, until be- died in agony.
The torture of the tube is caused by putting =
large tu5c of bamboo, or n small tub or pail,
turned bottom side up, upon the head Of the cul-
pril; incrnse 10 then lighted and 50 placed that
the smoke shall ascend into the prisoners wood
en- headcover. As the smoke cannot ascend
through the top, the victim endufcs indescriba-
bic agony, or vs. suiIvcaied unless the instrument
Is removed.
Another Inodc Of torture Is 10 compel the prs-
Oncr To knecl on chains or bits Of crockery Ills
arms are oHis,riched, and he Ia severely whipped
ifhe dAres TO lower them. Again, he may be
made To kneel ON these hard aud uneven subsian-
ces with his hands tied behind his back. The
Chinesr say that In the ease of stubborn crimi-
nails Il happens quite often that several hundred
blows, inflicted with rattan thong, are laid on
the prisoner while he is 10 this painful position.
A iendish mode Of torture occasionally used
Hollow pewter tubes, made In the form Of snakes,
are 80 constructed that they can be wound round
the body. Boiling hot water IS then pourel into
the mouths Of the snakes and as Il runs through
the hollow tubes II burns into the unhrppy VIC
tins iiesh, aud occasions the most exquisite tor.
ment. This deyilish contrivance isstill OCCASION
ally used n, the capital on state prisoners
The torture Of the shirt OF iron wire Is even
more diaboleal than the boiling snakes.
shiri.like garment Of very fine wire, with inter-
siices something like those Of fishing net, Is
put on the prisoner, the clothing from the upper
part Of his body having teen removed. cord
Is attached TO II in such q way that when pulled
the shirt will press down closely on The body,
and the skin aud flesh will proirude more or less
through the in'eFs'ices. knifc-like instrument
Is then Iasscd over the wirrs on the outside cut
ting " raspiug OF the protruding skin and flesh
This opetaiion is repeated at the option Of the
di.pcus,r of justice.
The torture of the whip Of hooks is no less in
human 4 large number of very fine hooks arc
securely fastened 10 a handful Of the iibres Of
hemp. The whole is thea used Ms a whip with
which 10 h.ai the prisoner in order to elicit con.
fessiOn. When blow Is given with this whip
many 81 the hooks will stick TO the body Of the
victim, aud, ahless satisfactory answer is forth
coming, The whip Is pulled or jcFked back by
main forc~, and another blow given The opcr-
alton i repeated accofding TO ihe diciation Of
the presiding officer.