The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-03-06
Hanging and Whipping Afghans.

London StUndGTd letter from the
seat of war in Afghanistan describes the
punishment inflicted upon some native
prisoners, as follow: Between the SOL
diers hundreds of natives could be seen
squatting patiently for the proceedings
to commence, and it was curious to no.
tice 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 large,
square hole close to the gallows. Every
body understood its use. To the right
the men of the Hussars we're quietly ex-
ercising their horses, and the fields
above them were dotted with soldiers
belonging to the Ninety.second High
landers, who were quite content to see
the execution from distance. At
eleven o'clock company OF the Twen-
ty-first marched down to the gallows
with six prisoners in their midst.
Two were to be lashed and four to be
hanged. The four condemned men
were singled out and led to the front
Their dress consisted only of 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 hang
ing over their faces and their hands
strapped behind their backs, and all
looking thoroughly desperate ruffians.
The provost-marshal, stout-built ser
geant of the Tenth Hussars, 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 looking over their
shoulders to see what was going on.
Their legs were strapped together.
What appeared to be their old blue pug
garees or turbans we're tied over their
laces, and the nooses were fixed round
their necks. Then they appeared to
realize what was coming, and all COM
menced crying out prayers to Allah.
While they were doing this one of the
prisoners who was standing behind wait
ng for his fiogging 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 second, as the scene
being enacted in front was of more alb
sorbing interest. Four European sail
ors caught up ropes attached to the
plankipg, signal was given, and they
pulled at the same moment, sweeping
away the scaffold and launching the
prisoners into the air. But it was only
lor second that the condemned men
hung. The cross beam creaked and
ka 70 ~ 40
four men fell to the ground hanging,
nalf resting their feet upon the earth.
Scarcely had any person time to feel
mortified at this unfortunate accident,
before the provost marshal drew his re-
volver and sent bullet through each
mans brain. One of the Afghans was
then stripped naked and tied up to one
of the poles of the gallows. A stalwart
hussar gave him a dozen and half
lashes as warmly as his arm could lay
on, then another hussar completed the
three dozen. The fellow grinned con-
siderably, but bore the hogging marvel
ously. He never uttered groan the
whole time he was receiving his punish
ment. One OF the hussars threw his
clothes at him and told him roughly to
salaam. This the man did not under.
stand. 1t was grim joke at the best
He quietly put on his clothes-they
were but rags-and coolly asked if he
might go. He was told that the next
time he was caught with loaded rife
near a 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 fogged was marched back to
camp in custody