The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-07-04
How Criminals Were Treated g
--..s. . Century Ago.
From Dudsly's Annual Register.l

i''' From Dudsly's Annual Register.
1773-September 18th, London. This
morning Elizabeth Herring, who was
convicted last Friday, at the Old Bailey,
of the willful murder of her husband,
(who piled as waterman at. Mapping
Stairs) by stabbing him with a case
knife in the throat, in quarrel while
they were at dinner at public house in
King street. Herring was carried in a
sledge drawn by four horses, from New
gate to Tyburn She confessed that
her husband died from the wound she
gave him in her passion, to which she
was very subject, but declared that she
had no intention of numbering him, and
seemed to be entirely resigned to her
unhappy fate. The method of execu-
ting this unfortunate woman was as fol-
lows: She was placed on stool some
thing more than two feet high, and a
chain being placed under her arms, the
rope round her neck was made fast to
twp spikes, which being driven through
a post, against which she stood When
her devotions were ended, the stool was
taken from under her, and she was soon
strangled. When she had hung about
fifteen minutes the rope was burnt, and
she sunk till the chain supported her,
forcing her hands up to a level with her
face, and the flames being furious, she
soon was consumed. The crowd was
SO immensely great that it was long
time before the fagots could be placed
for execution
1774-October 4th This day ser
geant of the third regiment of guards,
who on Wednesday last was tried by a
court martial for enIisting men for the
governments service, and afterwards
enticing them to enter that of the
French and sentenced to be shot, was
reprieved and ordered to receive 900
lashes on the parade, punishment
thought by many to be worse than death
itself.
April 22d. This day, Thomas Ives,
for coming and counterfeiting the cur
rent silver coin, was drawn on sledge
to Tyburn, and, after hanging some
time, his body was opened, and his
bowels and heart taken out and burnt.
December 2lst. Letters from Paris
mention the execution of young
man and his accomplice, last week, for
the murder of his father, stable-keep-
er of that city, with knife. with which
he gave him two mortal wounds in the
body. His mother gave him ten guin-
eas to effect his escape; but the murder
ers, however, were both caught. tried
and sentenced to the wheel, &c. In the
morning of their execution, the son was
carried to Notre Dame, where, with a
lighted torch in his hand, he made pub
lie confession of his crime to God, his
king and justice, after which he had his
right hand severed at the wrist from his
body; he was next conducted to the
foot of scaffold, where he beheld his
accomplice on the wheel. Having as
cended it, he was likewise put on the
rack, with his face upward, in which ex-
cruciating torture he continued near six
hours, uttering the most horrid impre.
cations, before he expired.
1775-October 10th. Joannes Ba2-
tis.a Pale, a native of Genoa, was exc
cuted at Lisbon for having plotted
against the life Of the Marquis of Pom
bal. He was drawn in quarters by four
horses, after having his hands dragged
off, and afterwards burnt to ashes. 1t
is reported that though he suffered the
ordinary and extraordinary tortures to
his dying moment, not so much as q
sigh escaped from him.
November 18th. Nine old women
were burnt at Kalisk, in Poland, charged
with having bewitched and rendered un-
fruitful the lands belonging to a gentle
man in that Palatnate.