Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-01-30
5fliscellamy.
Modes of Infiicting Capital Punish
ment.

ment.
To begin with the ancients, and frs
of all the Assyrians the disinterred pal
aces, besides bringing to light many rev
Citations of their political, religious, anC
social habits, and the extent of theil
civilization, also show us their mode o.
treating captive rebels. One the most
dreadful, was the infiction of impa!e-
ment, but not that implement which
prevailed in later times in the East and
among the savages of Africa whereby
the sufferer was exposed to a lingering
death of agony. Assyrians pointed a
stake at one end, and having planted
the other end firmly in the ground,
placed the criminal with the pit of his
stomach on the point, and SO transfxed
his body. Death must have followed
after no long interval; whereas the i'm
placement of the later Arabs by red-hol
hooks pierced into the shoulder must
have proved as horrible mode of pun
ishment as could be devised. Usually
the Assyrians either decapitated their
criminals, or crushed their heads with
mace. In either case one blow would be
enough. The faying of the skin is
sometimes represented, but that was
probably done upon those who had al.
ready been put to death, and not on the
living body. The Jews were singularly
merciiul in their methods of execution,
being probably restrained by their d.
vine religion and law. Their usual
mode, that of stoning, depended entirely
upon the executioners. 1t might be
fearfully barbarous, all the limbs being
mangled and crushed before life was
forced out; so it was with st. Stephen,
who offered up more than one prayer
during the process or insensibility
might quickly stay suffering. Hanging
was also unknown. This was something
like crncifxion, being not the hanging
by the neck, but the criminal was first
put to death in some other way, and it
was only his lifeless body that was SO
treated by way of contumely. This reg
ulation shows that by hanging could not
not be meant the cruci6xion or impale-
ment of the living body. Burning with
fire was inflicted upon the family of Sam
sons wife by the Philistines, and Judah
ordered it when he suspected his daugh-
tar-in-law. The daughter of priest
who went astray was condemned to this
death by the law of Moses, but the ex-
ecution of Achan and his family shows
what the punishment really was. The
sufferer was not burned alive; he was
first stoned, and afterwards his body
was exposed to the fire. Decapitation
seems to have been practiced under the
kings. 1t was the duty of the captain
of the guard to execute great criminals.
So Benaiah was required to do his work
to Adonijah, Joab, ana Shimei 80 in
like manner among the Egyptians, Pot
iphar, captain of the guard, was really
chief of the slaughterers. This post
was one of considerable Importance in
those days, as it was also in France, up
to the Revolution. 1t would not be
quite fair now to compare Potiphar to
our sheriff. Yet in most cases they
probably appointed deputy, just as
now the business of the sheriff is to exc
cute the sentence of the law, although
he usually finds deputy to do his work
for him. The Babylonians were natur-
ally more cruel than the Assyrians,
probably owing to the infusion of Cushite
blood into the composition of their race.
Among them we first hear of the
fearful death of burning alive, not only
as in the case of the three children,
when the victims were hurled into the
midst of blazing furnace which would
had the fire been allowed its power
have brought them to speedy end
jeremiah tells US of certain false proph
cts whom the king of Babylon roasted
in the fire. Another new form of execu
ton was first devised by them. The der
of lions into which Daniel was thrown
by the Median viceroy of. Cyrus, wa
probably inherited from the Babyloni
ans.