The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-01-24

The manner In which the sentence of the
law in capital cases was carried into ef.
feet was regulated by series of enact
ments. Every detail was preordained.
The place Of execution was always be-
yond the limits of the town; generally at
some distance from the hall where iudg-
ment had been pronounced. There were
two reasons for this-first. that a certain
interval OF time should elapse between
sentence and execution, so as to permit
the Court to examine any evidence that
might yet be forthcoming ;and. secondly.
that the Synhedrin should not witness
the execution. As soon as the punish-
ment of death was decreed. the criminal
was conducted from the court. Two ell
ders, the witnesses and the officers of the
tribunal accompanied him. In advance
of the cortege, walked an attendent pro-
claiming aloud. '.So-and-so is to be ex-
ecuted for such and such and such an
ofense; so-and-so are the witnesses; the
crime was committed at such a place. on
such day, at such an hour. If any per-
son can urge anything against the infiic-
tion of the punishment. let him go to the
Synhedrin now sitting and state his ar
guments. Thus the party proceeded
through the town. Arrived within six
yards of the place of execution the sages
who were with the culprit pressed him to
confess his crime. They told him who
SO ever makes confession is privileged to
share in the oldaa habd-future exist
enee, since death was an expiration of all
iniquities. If he refused to acknowledge
his guilt he was asked to say: MAY nv
death prove an atonement for all my in
iquities. He was then conducted to
within four yards of the place where the
sentence was to be carried into effect.
The death-draught was here administer
ed. This beverage was composed oi
myrrh and frankincense (lebGadl, in 9
cup of vinegar or light wine. Itprodue.
ed in the prisoner kind of stupefactior
"a semi-conscious condition of mind and
body that rendered him Indifferent to hi.
fate, and scarcely sensible to pain. The
drink was in Jerusalem, provided by thu
women, who considered this one of the
greatest mitzroM meritorious deeds. Ii
provincial towns the local communal au
thorities were required to furnish ths
criminal with the draught. As soon a
the culprit had drank of the stupefyine
draught the execution took place. In ac
cordance with the Masaic code, foul
kinds of death were inflicted, each appro
pirate to distinct series of crimes--ston
ing, strangling, burning and decapita
tion
Nothing can be more absurd than th,
notions generally current respecting th,
manner in which these punishments wer,
carried out among the Jews. The ston
ing of the Bible and of the Talmud wer,
not, as vulgarly supposed, pell-mel
casting of stones at a. criminal; the burn
ing had nothing whatever in common
with the process of consuming by fire
living person, as practiced Dv church
men of the Middle Ages; nor did tn
strangling bear any resemblance to ou
English mode of putting criminals t
Talmud was performed as follows
The criminal was conducted to al
elevated place, Invested of his attir
if man, and there hurled to the groun
below. The height of the eminence fror
which he was thrown was always NOR
than fifteen feet; the higher, within Gel
tain limits, the better It was not. how
ever, to be SO high as to smash @
greatly disfgure the body. This was
tender point with the Jews; man wa
created in Gods image, and it was ne
| permitted to desecrate the temple shape
by Heavens own hand. The first of th
witnesses who had testified against til
condemned man acted as executioner, i
accordance with Deut. xvii. Z. If th
convict fell face downward he was turne
on his back. If he was not quite dead,
stone, so heavy as to require two person
to carry it, was taken to the top of q
eminence whence he had been thrown
| the second of the witnesses then hurle
the stone so as to fall upon the culpr
below. This process, however, was Sc
| dom necessary; the semi-stupefied cond
! tion of the convict and the height frol
which he was cast insuring instant dcatl
The bodies of those condemned for bla
phemy or idolatry were subsequent
hung upon gallows until dusk;
other cases Immediately after executie
the corpse was inferred. Outside ever
town there were two cemeteries for erin
inals-one for those sentenced to |
stoned or burned; one for those decap
tated or hanged. As soon as the fes
had disappeared the skeleton could /
removed to the family burying place.
few days after an execution the friend
and relatives of the dead mamie Wa
| no longer regarded as an offender -calle
upon the judge who had tried him. Thi
was tacit acknowledgment that th
/ punishment had been Justly awarded
and that those charged with the admins
1 tration of the law were regarded with n
revengeful feeling by the family an
connections of the unfortunate man.
criminal sentenced to death by burnin
was executed in the following mannel
A shallow pit some two feet deep Wa
dug in the ground. In this the culpr
was placed standing upright. Aroun
his legs earth was shoyeled and ba
tened firmly down until he was fixed n
to his knees in the soil A strong cor
was now brought, and very soft clot
wrapped around it. This was place
once round the offenders neck. The
/ two men came forward, each grasped a
end of the rope and pulled hard. Suft
cation was immediate. As the col
demned man felt the strain of the core
and insensibility supervened, the lowe
jaw dropped. Into the mouth thu
opened lighted wick was quick
thrown. This constituted the burning
Decapitation was performed by til
Jews after the fashion of the surrount
ing nations. It was considered the moi
ignominious and degrading death tbs
any man could suffer- 1t was the penalt
| IN cases of assassination and deliberai
| murder. 1t was incurred by those VIII
wilfully and wantonly slew fellow-ma
with o stone or with an implement
stone or iron. 1t was likewise the pun
ishment meted out to all persons guilt
of paganism and living in o town.
Strangulation was form of death b
suffocation. It was effected as In bum
ing. The culprit stood up to his knee
| IN loose earth. A soft cloth containin
a cord was wound once round the necl
The ends being tightly pulled in oppt
/ site directions, life was soon extinct
Pal Mall Gazette.
Bangor Hhig: "1'he sweetest voice
ever heard, said the Bishop, twas VIC
mans. It was soft and low, but pent
trating, musical and measured IN il
/ accents but not precise. We were on
steamer and she murmured some com
monplaee words about the scenery.
| do not remember what she said, but
can never forget the exquisitely tender
musical voice .'The sweetest voice
ever heard" said the Professor, was
mans. had been out fishing nearly al
day and got to the hotel about s o'clock
The man came out and roared, sDIS
/ NER' till it soured the milk in the cellar
/ have heard other voices since then, bu
/ never" -But the Bishop with look 9
intense disgust all over his face. had a