River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-04-17
Hanging and Whipping Afghans.

A London Standard letter from the
seat of war in Afghanistan describes the
punishment inflicted upon some native
prisoners, as follows: Between the SOL
diers hundreds of natives could be seen
| squatting patiently for the proceedings to
commence, and it was curious to notice
here and there Afghans with their long
black hair, sitting quietly among the
crowd of Hindoos. A party of low caste
Hindoos were busy digging a large,
square hole close to the gallows. Every.
body understood its use. To the right
the men Of the hussars were quietly exer-
Gil ing their horses, and the fields above
them were dotted with soldiers belonging
to the .Ninety-second Highlanders, who
were quite content to see the execution
from distance At eleven o'clock a
company of the Twenty-frst marched
down to the gallows with six prisoners in
their midst. Two were to be 'ashed and
four to be hanged. The four condemned
men were singled out and led to the
| front. Their dress consisted only of a
long, blue cotton shirt and loose pygamas
| tied in at the ankles. In two of the in
| stances the shirts were a mass of rags
frayed into ribbons at the edges, and
holding wonderfully together. None of
them wore sandals or head dresses. There
they stood staring curiously around them
! with their jet hair hanging over their
| faces and their hands strapped behind
their backs, and all looking thoroughly
desperate ruffians. The provost marshal,
stout built sergeant of the Tenth Hus-
sars. showed each man his plank and
made him walk across it. This all the
men did without much compulsion.
They did not appear to realize what was
about to happen to them, and kept look
| ing over their shoulders to see what was
going on. Their legs were strapped to-
gether. What appeared to be their old
blue puggarees or turbans were tied over
their faces, and the hooses were fixed
round their necks. Then they appeared
to realize what was coming, and all COM
meneed crying out prayer to Allah.
While they were doing this one of the
prisoners who was standing behind, wait
ing for his flogging, shouted out to them
that they were never to mind; he would
be left alive and he would avenge their
deaths. All eyes were turned toward
him, but only for a second, as the scene
being enacted in front was of mere alb
sorbing interest. Four European sail
ors caught up ropes attached to the
planking, signal was given, and they
pulled at the same moment, sweeping
away the scafold and launching the
prisoners into the air. But it was only
for second that the condemned men
hung. The cross beam creaked and broke
with startling crash, and the tour men
fell to the ground hanging, half resting
their feet upon the earth. Scarcely had
any person time to feel Mortified at this
unfortunate accident, before the provost
marshal drew his revolver and sent 6
bullet through each mans brain. One OF
the Afghans was then striped naked and
tied up to one the poles If the gallows
A stalwart hussar gave him dozen ano
a half lashes as warmly as his arm could
lay on, then another hussar completed thu
three dozen. The fellow grinned consider
ably, but bore the fogging marvelously
He never uttered groan the whole time
he was receiving his punishment. One
of the hussars threw his clothes ut him
and told him roughly to salaam. This
the man did not understand. 1t was q
grim joke at the best. He quietly put on
his clothes-they were but rags--and
ccolly asked if he might go. He was told
that the next time he was caught with a
loaded rifle near British camp he would
not get off SO easily, and then he was
marched across the river by two armed
Sikhs, who gave him parting push with
right good will. The other man who
was to have been foqged was marched
back TO camp in custody.