The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-03-22
The Torture Chambor!
Hartford Couraht.

Passing through several harrow
passages, closed by stout doors, we
came to the torture chamber where
the implements of persuasion Of tho
lnqulAitions or, OF private tyranny
arc still preservcd Outside the Ell
trance of tho narrow chambor is q
bench Upon which tho victim WAS
seated III order that he might reflect
whether he would confess before
torture VI after One side of thc
room WAY IL lattice screen, behind
which the secretary sat at table to
take down any cXrlamations wrung
from the sufferers Withinare seats
for the Judge and sturgeon, who at
tended from motives Of inhunanity,
III order that tue victim should not
be too soon released from his srsf-
fcrings by death. Tho room looks
like the lumber room attached to q
farmer 3 wood-shed, or rather like u
cheaply-htted up gymnasium, At
one end is pillory, with an
iron band for the mock, that once
stood III the public square, Lying
on it were two pieces Of board, two
feet long, each pierced With threo
round holos-ono for tho neck and
one for each wrist. They were put,
said my guide, upon base women.
Two OF them, yolcl with these insiG
MIA ofthcir disgrace, were coupled t.
Scthcr and let so III tho street. Il wa,n~
mH; ~ all frail and imperfect beings of
their SEX. I saw no such budgns
Tor men. One Of the Instruments
used to teach men the beauty Of
holiness WAS Il ladder, the rounds of
which were sharply triangular sticks
OF wood, which rcvolve. The recu-.
sant was drawn up and down this
aller by IL pulley, his back abradcd
by the. revolving prisms OF the wood.
Another machine is " strctch"r.
upon which the condemned was laid,
his feet fastened to one end and his
arms tied to a rope which passed
over IL windlass. Under his back
was roller armed with blunt spikes,
over which his vcrtcbr:r were
drawn backward and forward. The
playful inquisitors called this ma:
chine the "lardcd hare" There is
also ~ frame with windlass and
crane for hoisting q man up by his
&rms. Two big stones, which weigh
over 100 pounds each, were tied to
his feet and when he was drawn
up to tho ceiling ho was suddenly let
drop, and the jerk would tislocatc
every socket: Sometimes his feet
were secured to rings in tho floor,
and he was drawn up till all his
joints cracked The stone weights
we're also used in different way.
There is Il chair called the "Maidens
Leap, the scat Of which is studded
with Il Mndred3woode pins. The
victim sat on this with stone weights
i'll his lap. 1.-The Spanish ASS" is II
simple board, Is inches wide, set
upright in 4 standard. The upper
cad is sha1pcncd. Upon this the
patient sat nstlitlc, with the big
stones attached to his feet. On one
side Of the roof is q roccss in thick
wall: Before it is screen OF masonry,
with fireplace in it. Tho con
dcmned stood in the lcccss, which
has no opening above, and was slow
~ or quickly s,li1ocatcd or roasted
by the smoke and heat. Any New
England boy who has been properly
brought up on Fox's Book of Mar
tyrs, und ,rstanla oil about the rack
and the thumb-scrcw and tho regu
lar appliances Of torture. But I
confess until l snw these machines
that had no idea of the ingenuity
Of the old masters: What especially
imprcsses you about their instru-
mcnts IS that they are intended to
hnrt. They aro rude, unpublished
the chamber is mean. Tt is not even
mysterious. The whole thing is
vulgar aud disgusting.