The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-12-11
The Shower Bath,

Inv cHuNtl mum
A South Carolina paper tells Of the
punishment OF u criminal by the shower
bath. It says 1.-THE prisoner, Brown,
for two years, worked nj his trade, within
the walls of the penitentiary quietly,
performing the work that WINS given
him, hoping by good conduct to shorten
his term of imprisonment. One day he
yentured to demonstrate with the Warden
for furnishing him with mouldy bread,
and meat so putrid that it could not be
eaten. The Warden replied, with an
oath, "lhat it was too good for such u
hound, and ordered two of the keepers
to place Brown in "thc black hole, I"
cell twenty feet under ground, and
shut of from either light or mir, remark
ing that he Brown would be hungry
enough before he got any more food to
complain about. Afterremainiug in the
dungeon for nearly ten days, without
food or water, he was taken out and Of
dercd to his work. He had been so
weakened, however, by hunger and the
foul air of the loathsome cell, that he
found himself unable to perform his
usual task. The warden accused him of
lnziness and threatened to have him
punished again. Brown replied that he
wns doing as much rs he could, and sad
he believed the warden wanted to muir
der him. For this offence the warden
ordered the Captain of the prison. guard
to place Brown in the showcr-bath, and
"gire him as much as he could stand. "
The shower-bRth is one OF the most
terrible devices that cruelty ever invent.
ed. Its construction is very simple. A
square box, little higher than mans
head, and just broad and deep enough
for him to stand in, surrounded by q
reservoir containing water, form the
principal features Of this instrument Of
torture. The upper lid of the box is
perforated with anger holes, which may
be opened or closed at will by means Of
II string which hangs upon the outside
OF the box, The prisoner is gagged BE-.
fore being placed in the shower-bnth,
and his hands and feet arc strapped to
the sides of the box, and his chin is then
placed upon bar Of wood, which is
put at such n height as to Just permit
the toes to touch the ground, thus the
weight resting mainly on the bar; the
head is thrown back, and the face turns
up to receive the descending torrent Of
ice.cold water. There is no opportunity
forresistance-strapped fast and gagged,
the victim can neither struggle or cry
out against the terrible torture, which is
melted out Mt the discretion Of the
brutal keeper.
Into an instrument OF this sort Brown
was placed, in spite OF his entrcatics tC
be allowed to wait until he had recovered
from the effects of his previous punish
ment. Notwithstanding his frantic
struggles, he vas finally gagged and SC
cured by the straps in the manner above
described. The keeper thea drew the
string, permitting the water, which was
almost as cold rs ice, TO fall upon the
up-turned face Of the dying prisoner. II
heiehten the torture and prolong the vic
tins sufferings, the wafer was allowed t.
tricklc slowly down, but with gradual,
increasing force, until it poured owe
him in perfect torrent. In this manner
eight or ten buckets of water were pour
ed into the prisoners face when the ba
under his chin, which had been PLACED
nj such height rs to raise him com
pletely off his feet, broke, and he fell NJ
far as the straps, with which his hand
were fastened, would permit him. Til,
scene which ensucd is so revolving, tim
Tie description of it would be incredible
il the testimony on which the story i
based were not incontcstible. Taking
the Imp and lifcless body in their arms
they cndeavorcd to stand it up in til,
box again. But all their efforts proved
fruitlGss. The Captain OF the GUAR
then placed rope around the mani
neck, and passed it through one of til,
auger-holes; drew the body up while til,
others fastened it in an upright posi-
ton. The same performance was thei
gone through with again, fullyn dozci
buckets of water being allowed to iloy
into the box. When this had been com
pletcd, it was found that Brown wa
dead. For more than quarter OF III
hour they had been torturing IL corpse.