The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-02
Chinese Mode of Torture,

Al otuei W e&IOrC money. The victim Is
put on wooden rack, flat on his back-and
his neck, wrists and ankles are fastened
down by boards having curves made large
. enough for the purpose. These instruments
= are pressed down on the parts of the body
to which they are fitted and are then TIED
under the bedstead. Besides all this. some
times pole is fastened at right angles to a
bar of wood placed across his ankles-the
pole extending to his chin and pressing
against it, SO that his head will be thrown
backward and upward. In this position he
is made to pass the night, unless the jailors
relent or he comes to- their terms. No one
is willing to sleep the second night on such
bedstead, if he can arrange matters with
the keepers.
The tortures of the frame of the fowery
eyebrow require the aid of the pencil for
an intelligent description. One mode is to
tie up the victim by one wrist and one ankle,
his head turned upwards; another is to tie
both wrists and both ankles. with the head
downward; by either method the weight
of the body is brought 20 bear upon those
delicate portions of the human frame The
punishment occasions intense agony.
The torture called 1.-The monkey grasping
a peach" is employed by the Mandarlns to
compel a prisoner to confess his guilt. The
weight of the body is wholly sustained by
one arm, which is placed over slender hor-
izontal pole several feet from the earth, while
the other arm, and this, are passed under
the legs and tied together by the thumbs
below the knees. No part of the body is
permitted to touch the ground. Let the
reader suffer his thumbs to be tied in this
way, even with his feet on the floor; and he
will soon realize the terrors of this frightful
torture.
The torture of the cage is caused by COM
pelling the culprit to stand on tiptoe with
his head portruding through the top of it,
The hole is just large enough for his neck,
and if he attempts to rest himself by draw
ing up his legs, the weight of his body is
brought to bear on his neck. During the
latter part of the rel gn of the Emperor who
died in 1850, noted robber was compelled
to stand in public in such cage in the sub
burbs of Fuchau, until he died in agony.
The torture of the tube is caused by put
ting large tube of bamboo or small tub
or pail, turned bottom side up, upon the
head of the culprit incense is then lighted
and so placed that the smoke shall ascend
into the prisoners head cover AS the smoke
cannot escape through the top, the victim
endures understandable agony, is suffoca-
ted, unless the instrument is removed
Another mode of torture is to compel the
prisoner to kneel on chains or bits of crock
cry. His arms are outstretched, and lie is
severely whipped if he dares to lower them
sharp and uneven substances with his hands
tied behind his back. The Chinese say that
in the case of stubborn criminals, it happens
quite often that several hundred blows, in
ficted with n rattan thong, are laid the
prisoner, while he is in this painful position.
A tiendish mode of torture occasionally
used upon state prisoners is called the hot
water snake. Hollow pewter tubs, made in
form of snakes, are so constructed that they
can be wound round the arms of the prison
er. Another, and the third coil, is some
times wound round the body. Boiling hot
water is then poured into the mouths of
these snakes and as it runs through the hol-
low tubes it burns into the unhappy victims
flesh, and occasions the most exquisite tor
ment. This devilish continuance is still oc-
casionally used at the capital on State pris-
oners.
The torture of the shirt of iron wire is
even more diabolicaI than the boiling of
snakes. A shirt-like garment made of very
fine iron wire, with interstices something
like those of a fishing net, is put upon the
prisoner, the clothing from the upper of the
body having been removed. A cord sfaf:
tached to it in such q way that when pulled
the shirt will press down closely on the body,
and the skin and flesh will protrude more
or less through the interstices. A knife
like instrument is then passed over the wire
on the outside, cutting or rasping off the
protruding skin flesh. The operation is re-
peated at the option of the dispenser of JUS |
tice.
The torture of the whip of hooks is no
less inhuman. A large number Of very fine |
hooks are securely fastened to handful of
the fbres of hemp. The whole is then used
as a whip with which to heat the prisoner |
in order to elicit confession. When blow |
is given with this whip, many of the hooks
will stick to the body of the victim, and I'M |
less a satisfactory confession is forthcoming |
the whip is pulled or jerked by main force,
and another blow given. The operation is
repeated according to the dictation of the
presiding officer.
class hotel, at Frankfort, KY, a few days |
since little girl entered the bar-room and |
in pitiful tones told the bar keeper that her !
mother sent her there to get eight cents.
"Eight cents 2" said the bar keeper
Yes, sir"
"What does your mother want of eight |
cents /? don't owe her anything"
"Well," said the child, 8 father spends all
his money here for rum and we have no
bread to-day. Mother wants to buy loaf
of bread"
A loafer suggested to the bar keeper to
kick her out.
mo" said the bar keeper, I'll give her
mother the money. and if her father comes
back here again, I'll kick him out"
Such circumstance never happened be-
fore and may never happen again. Human.
ity owes that bar keep keeper vote OF
thanks.
Seventeen things in which young people
render themselves very impolite:
1. Loud laughter.
3. Reading when others are talking.
8. Cutting finger nails in company.
f. Leaving meeting before it is closed.
S. Whispering in meeting.
Gazinr of