The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-04-06
roRrURIsG By TKLEeRAPHY.
The Agony which the Killers OF the Cxax
We're Compelled to Undergo.

The Agony which the Killers OF the Car
Were Compelled to Undergo.
New York SUM-
According to . dispatch from Geneva,
Russakoff and Talbot. the killers of the
Gar. have been mercilessly put to torture
in the presence of General Louis Melikoff
teries, and forced by the intolerable agony
he suffered TO answer the questions put TO
him.
Park BENJAMIN, the scientific expert,
said yesterday: 1.-THE idea of torturing
criminals by electricity is not original with
the Russians. Ii is a British invention, and
was first suggested, about five years ago, by
an English mechanical journal. in com
menting upon the execution OF criminals
by electric shock instead Of by
hanging. The English writer wanted to do
away with the cat-o'-nine-tails, which is
administered in England TO garroters and
other criminals of certain classes, and use
the electric battery, as he somewhat grimly
expressed it, so as to produce absolutely
indescribable torture (unaccompanied by
wounds or even bruisesl thrilling
| through every fiber of such miscre-
ants. There was an American inventor who
had design for inhicting this species of
punishment He fitted brackets of iron on
the arms and thighs of the criminal, and
placed in them wet sponges. When con-
nected with a current of electricity the
shock would by this system pass through
the legs and shoulders, and avoid the vital
parts of the body.
1.-THE torture inflicted by electricity is of
two kinds-by contraction of the muscles at
rapidly recurring intervals and by Burning
with sparks. The tortures of old days,
when not done by fire or compression. were
the straining and tearing asunder
of the muscles. OF this kind were
the rack, scavengers daughter, and
the cages of LOUIS XIV, in
which a man could not stand up
or lie down. The electric shock exactly re-
verses these conditions. 1t produces an
enormously rapid contraction in the body
of the muscles at very short intervals The
degree of pain produced is about the same.
The force of the electricity has to be nicely
graded, as too powerful shock would numb
or kill a man.
The other method is by condensing a
number of intermittent sparks on the flesh.
This burns the skin, and at the same time
| produces contractions of the muscles II
put to the side of the jaw it would make
every tooth ache"
A distinguished surgeon, of whom ques-
tons were asked concerning the machine,
said: THE best way to explain it is to give
you actual experience; then you will know
duction coil. Ipull out this tube a little
way. Now let me place this electrode to
your hand. There"
"Ohr' exclaimed the inquirer, as ting
ling, thrilling sensation ran through every
finger, and his hand closed in an involuntary
grasp.
Does it hurt?' asked the Doctor.
! "a little"
well, we'll try again. Now, you see, ]
L IOnCh
to your hand and"
"Whoop" shouted the victim; take il
awayr' The feeling was as if the hand was
crushed in a wise. Every nerve ached and
trembled with pain.
THAT hurt, did it? Why, that's ffothing
Here's something of avery different Sort"
He fastened to one wire a small wet
SPONGE and to the other wire something like
a paint brush. with brush part made of fine
wire. He put the sponge in the visitors
hand, and then touched the back of the
hand with the wire brush. The pain wa
unbearable. The surface of the skin wa:
scorched, and the muscles of the hand were
contracted in violent manner.
THAT is called the electric scourge," said
the Doctor IF it were dark you could see
sparks fly from each wire. Imagine TIT
effect il the electricity were ten times more
powerful"
Gould any nan bear that torture?'
> Il think not; any man would confess un
der il, but it is question what confidence
could be placed in such confession. A
, man would confess anything to escape thu
agony"
What would you compare the pain tor
ut would be the same as burning alive.
would il iljure the MANI"
"No--nOt unless the pain drove him in
sane. II the battery was too powerful i
would kill at once. Applied to some part
of the body the scourge hurts more than 90
other parts"