The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-08-06

VAAAOO, UuV ~ was ulOIO tu8U OUCC cU.
forced with all its horrors. A contempt.
rary writer tells of one of the rebels under
the house of Lancaster, who was first
hanged until he was half straneied. on
being let down still alive, he was disem.
boweled by sharp knife in the hands of
the executioner, the contents of his alb
domen and then his heart being next
drawn forth. The quartering Of his
remains was the last act in the revolving
tragedy. implement is still practiced
by Mohammedan tyrants, and we read
only few months ago of its infliction
on three thieving officials. Death comes
to the victims of this savage punishment
with much of the slowness and torture of
crucifxion.
The torrents to which Ravaillac was
subjected for the assassination of Henry
~. of France, and a century and q half
later Damiens, for scratching Louis XIV.
with q penknife, are too shocking for de-
tail. 1t is sufficient to say that after
having been placed on racks several times
during their trial they were burned ON
various parts of their body with melted
lead, burning pitch, and scalding oil, had
their leg bones mashed by wedges being
driven between the limb and an iron
boot, and were finally torn in pieces by
four horses attached to their arms and
legs. Yet these horrible spectacles were
witnessed by thousands of interested gen.
tlemen and ladies of the court. George
Selwyn, who had strange love of wit
Messing executions, even went from Lon.
don to Paris to see the last torments Of
Damiens.
Torture was not abolished in France
until about the time of the revolution of
1888, and in Germany it continued in
vogue for q number of years longer The
dungeons of Nuremberg Castle and the
Council House at Ratisbon contain,
among other devilish inventions, q large
variety of racks, iron boots and wire
gloves, to be heated red hot before being
put on; boots into which wedges were
driven; the Spanish pear, which resem-
bled that fruit in shape when first put in
the mouth, but could be made to open,
thus half choking the victim and causing
him fearful pain by stretching open his
jaws. Besides these there il at Nurem-
berg a cradle filed with iron teeth, like
those Of harrow, in which man, after
ward found to be innocent, was rocked
as late as 1903. There is also the Iron
Virgin, box of the form and size of q
woman standing on her feet. The inside
OF the door Is full of long spikes, which,
when it was closed, would penetrate the
eyes and body of the condemned. Be-
meath is . trap through which the corpse
might be dropped into deep vault be-
Breaking ON the wheel was common
punishment on the Continent during the
last century. The prisoner was placed
on an X-shaped, or st. Andrews, cross,
lying fiat. The executioner with an iron
bar would successfully break the bones
OF the arms and legs both below and
above the elbows and knees, and finally,
if humane, end the prisoners sufferings.
or, as the phrase went, give him oovp 10
grace, by heavy blow ON the breast.
The process completed, the broken
limbed wretch was laid on the circumfer-
ence OF wheel, whence the name of the
When Elizabeth, the Czarina Of Rus
sia, abolished capital punishment, she re-
tanned that of the knout. The floggings
will this instrument could easily be
made fatal, 80 heavy were the blows that
might be struck with it. Not few per-
sons were thus put to death In . land
where executions were for time NOM
inally extinct institution.
The humane DR.. Guillotin, of France,
decapitation as . substitute
for more cruel modes Of execution. A. i
has already been mentioned in our col
umns, he did not fall . victim to his in.
for he died q natural death in
1914. Nor was he the inventor Of an ap-
paratus which has given an uuenviable |
notoriety to his name. Similarly |
Btructed machines were in existence IN
The sixteenth century, and perhaps
earlier.
The opponents Of hanging have made
capital out Of the many laundering and |
needlessly- protracted attempts to carry |
L out which have recently been made,
ND have suggested ssvering the spine
yarrote, electric shocks, and other tub |
Ititutes. There d no doubt room for I'm.
and need for greater care.
lulnses; yet the introducsion 81 the drop,
nsuring In most instAnces the brsakisg