Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-05-20
The Fearful Torture, Confession, and
Execution Of Beatrice Cepcf.

The guide-book and the legend-keep.
ers tell pretty story as to how Guido
sketched the painting of Beatrice the
night before her execution in the prison
how the artist took a sheet from the bed
and arranged it in the well known grace
full drapery for head and figure which
we see in the picture.
The story of her life is well known,
but short account of her confession
and execution may not be without in
terest. When the Cencis came to trial,
Beatrice knew that the least sign oil
guilt or fear on her part, or on the part
of any of the family. would end in ruin,
and SO determined to bear torture, death,
q thousand times, rather than confess.
The assassin Mario, who had told all,
was new brought before the two women
in the prison and hidden to repeat his
story. Beatrice denied each and every
particular. and SO warmly, and with 80
much elOquence, that Mario was at last
led to say his whole story was lie. 1t
was all an invention, he said-all lie.
He was put upon the awful rack, and
still denied. He was made to sit in a
chair of sharp steel spikes, and his arms
and legs were drawn almost from his
body still he denied. The torture was
increased. terribly, namelessly, and
then, without word, he died.
The last evidence of Beatrice's guilt
was gone. The case was reported to
the Pope, aud an order asked for the re-
lease of the Csnci family from prison.
For the second time the end seemed to
be. The Pope, however. was not salts
ned. He had his own private convic-
ton that Count Cenci had been muir
dered. An order was issued to put the
two women in the prison of San Ange-
10. Still there was no living evidence
against them, and hope was again re.
newed.
Hope in vain. To Beatrice's horror
the Pope ordered that the Cenci family
should at once be put to the torture. The
order was promptly obeyed.
The whole family were conducted in
70 one room. Curious ropes aud hooks
hung from the ceiling. On the walls
were other dreadful looking Instruments
of torture. At the back end of the
room stood two men, dark and silent.
They were the torturers. Atthe front,
by table with crucifix upon it. sal
the judge and his secretary. All was
grim and silent, waiting the torture,
What a scene for Beatrice! The room
with its internal memories, is still exhi
blted to the curious traveller in Rome
The questions commenced, and each
OF the family strongly denied all guilt
in the murder of Count Csnci. Mos.
catl, the grim judge, beckons to two
grim figures in the rear They advance
Lucrezia and GiAcomo are seized, strip.
ped. and fastened by their wrists to the
suspended ropes. "'One more. are you
guilty 2" "No." Another wink. and
mother and son are jerked to the cell
ing. The pain is terrible, too great tc
endure. They beg for mercy, aoknowl-
edge their part of the guilt, and SO are
let down. They have been hanging by
the wrists, with the arms drawn up from
behind. Their shoulders and arms are
almost torn out of joint.
This much was only the introduction
to the torture court of that enlightened
day on the Continent. Bernardo, the
boy, comes next, but the awful specta
Gle he has just beheld is enough. He
confirms all, more than all, anything
everything, only spare him the torture.
He confesses himself guilty, although ii
is well known he was perfectly innocent
and was not even aware of the proposal
to kill his fathar. And now comes the
young girl. She is so young, thinks
the dreadful Moscati, so tender, so beau
tiful, it will be short work with Bsa
trice. All! little did he dream of ths
soul possessed by the maid before him
Beatrice was led under the ropes, and
again Questioned, threatened with
Things ten times worse. "All, ALL" she
cried, sis false" Further stretching,
pulling, and torture, and the girl stl
maintains her innocence. Moscati was
astonished and perplexed. Even in the
agony OF the torture the girls eloqunce
reasoning, pleading, was complete. HI
dld not know that Beatrice had deter