Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-02-12
Modes of Inficting Capital Punishment.

A~oueo Vi A'AiCtAuS NaplIdl uulSuWtuL.
To begin with ancients, and first of
all the Assyrians the disinterred
palaces, besides bringing to light many
revelations of their political. religious
and social habits, and the extent of
their civilization, also show US their
mode OF treating captive rebels. One,
the most dreadful, was the infliction
OF impalement, but not that impale-
ment which prevailed in the later
times in the East and among the
savages Of Africa, whereby the sufferer
was exposed to 4 lingering death of
agony. Assyrians pointed stake at
one end, and having planted the other
end firmly in the ground, placed the
criminal with the pit Of MS stomach on
the point, and so transtiXed his body. |
Death must have followed after no
long interval whereas the impalement
OF the later Arabs by red-hot hooks
piercing into the shoulder must have
proved ~ horrible a mode OF punish
mcnt as could be devised. Usually
the Assyrians either decapitatcd their
criminals, or crushed their heads with
mace. In either ease one blow would
be enough. The flaying Of the skin is
sometimes represented, but that was
probably done upon those who had
already been put 10 death, and not on
the living body. The Jews were sin
guIarly mcrclful in their methods Of
execution, being probably restrained
by their divine religion aud law Their
usual mode. that OF stoning, depended
entirely upon the eXecutloners. 1t
might To- leartully barbarous, ali the
limbs beng mangled and crushed be
fore life was forced out 50 t was with
st. Stephen who offered up more than
one prayer during the process; or in
sensIblllty might quickly stay suffer
ing. Hanging was also unknown.
This was soncthin. like cructiXlon,
being not the hanging by the neck, but
the criminal was first put to death in
some other way, and it was only his
ltcless body that was 50 treated | v the
way Of contumely. This regulation
shows that by hanging could not be
meant the crncliiXlon or Implement of
the living body. Burning with fire was
inflicted upon the family Of Samson's
wife by the Philistincs, and Judah or
dercd II when he suspected his daugh-
ter-ln-law. The daughter of priest
who went astray was condemned to
titis .lnutl, Ia, Ia - N = I,.
execution of Achan and his family
shows what the punishment really was.
he sufferer was not burnt alive he
WAS first stoned, and afterwards his
body was exposed TO the fire. Decapl-
tatlon seems 10 have been practsed
under the kings. 1t was the DUTY Of
the captain Of the guard to execute
great criminals. SO Benaah was re-
quired To do his work TO Adonij.l,
Joab, and Shimci; SO in like manner
among the Egyptians. Potiphar, cap
tam OF the guard, really war chief of
the slaug ghterers. This post was one
of considerable Importance in those
days, as it was in France up to the
Revolution. 1t would not be quite fair
now to compare Potiphar to our
sheriff. Yet in most cases they prob
ably appointed deputy, just as now
the business Of the sheriff is to execute
the sentence of the law although he
usually finds 4 deputy to do his work
for him. The Babylonians were natu-
rally more cruel than the Assvrians,
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 their lives to a
speedy end. Jeremiah tells US of GER
tain false prophets whom the king of
Babylon roasted in the fire. Another
new form of execution was first devised
by them. The den of lions into which
Daniel was thrown by the Median
viceroy of Cyrus, was probably in
herited from the Babylonians.
A RACY ExAMINATIoN.-The follow
ing racy examination of candidates for
the admission to the bar is taken from
the Western Law Journal. The exam.
inatiOn commenced with: sDo Won
smoker II do sir" Have youa spare
cigar?' 81 have, sir" Extends a
| short SiX,) s'NOw sir what iS n. t;,e,