Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-10-27
THE INOUIsITION CHAMBERS.
A Visit 20 the TOrturing Instru
ments Of NuremDurg.

ments of NuremDIrg.
Correspondence Courier-Journal.l
About a week ago we we're in Nurem-
burg. where we went to see the chambers
of the lnquisition. AS very few tourists
visit these places (for they are not even
mentioned in guide book published in
the eity), | thought it might not be amiss
to attempt a description. First we were
conducted to small room with the walls
completely covered with torturing iu-
struments Of every description. This
room was used by the regular officers of
the State. There was Spanish cloak
barrel with the bottom knocked out
and hole in the top large enough for
the neck-and above this wire cage
for the head. This cloak the drunkard
was compelled to wear about the streets,
thus representing a bottomless barrel
The torturing chair has high arms, with
the seat, back and arm rests covered
with iron spikes.
The victim was strapped to this chair,
weights attached to his hands and feet,
and then kneaded," as it we're, with a
spike covered roller. Spanish collars,
Spanish boots, thumb.screws, thumb
hammers and Gddles are to be seen in
any number, besides various instruments
for cutting off little at time Of the
ears, nose, fingers and tongue and for
pulling out the tongue. There we're also
ladies for dropping melted pitch. The
instrument they had for catching their
man might be used, with advantage, by
some Of the Louisville policemen. II
consists OF long stick, at the end of
which is a kind OF fork with spring
prongs that will open when something is
forced between them. In days Of yore,
when It was desired to catch man, one
would walk up behind him and catch his
neck between the prongs The prongs
would open aud his neck would be en-
circed by Spanish collar, /. E., iron
spikes. After examining various other
instruments, among which were several
used for beheading, also axes and block,
we were conducted to the chambers Of
the so called "Vehme Gericht." These
are a series Of FIVE vaults, directly un-
derneath the old city walls. Passing
through the first we we're shown the
"stretoher" By this mode of punish
ment the victim was let down through q
hole in the ceiling; his feet we're attach
ed TO iron rings in the floor, and his arms
to a yoke suspended from block By
means of windlass be was thus slowly
torn limb from limb.
In the next room is the Spanish
Mule" high board with the upper edge
sharpened. Across this the poor fellow
was seated and stone weights Tone of
which ! could hardly liit) were attached
to his feet. The cradle" is a semi.
cylinder, with the interior covered with
spikes. AS late as 1903 woman was
rocked to sleep in this cradlel The hus-
band was accused of having stolen some
money, and with his wife was put to the
rack. The husband survived the proof
Of his innocence, but the wife died in
the cradle.
Next we were conducted through o
long, narrow, crooked passage, cut out
of the solid rock, to a small vault There
facing the wall we saw the cele.
brated "Eiserne JuAgfrau," an iron fig.
uTe of a woman, about eight feet high.
The figure is divided all the way down
from side to side, and the front half divi-
ded again so as to make doors, attached
by hinges, at the sides. to the back half.
On the inside of these doors are a mum.
Der Of iron spikes six or eight inches
long-one for each eye and twenty-three
for various parts of the body. To close
these doors, when the man was inside,
brace from the wall was necessary. I'm.
derneath the figure is trap-doer, through
which the corpse was dropped on to
set Of knives, which were worked by the
water in the canal below. The bones
and skulls found there show where the
spikes entered.