Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-11
roRruRINa By ELEcrRIcrrY.

According to o dispatch frem Geneva,
Russakoff and Jaiboff, the killers of the
Car, have been merciiessly put to torture
in the presence of General I,oris Melikoff
Russakoff was elestricized by powerful
batteries, and forced by the intolerable
agony he suffered to answer the enestions
put to him.
Park Benjamin. the scientific, expert,
said yesterday "The idea of toyturing
criminals by electricity is not original with
the Russians. 1t is British Invention,
and was first suggested, about five years
ago, by an English mechanical jour
nal, in commenting upon the execution of
criminals by electric shocks instead of by
hanging. The English writer wanted to
do away with the cato nine tails, which
is administered in England to garroters
and other criminals of certain classes, and
use the electric battery, as he comewhat
grimly expressed it, so as to produce abso-
lutely indescribable torture (unaccompanied
by wounds or even bruises) thrilling
through every fiber of such niscreants.
There was an American inventor who had
a design for inflicting this species of punish
ment. He fitted brackets of iron on the arms
and thighs of the criminal, and placed in
them wet sponges. When connected with
a current Of electricity the shock would by
shis system pass through the legs and
shoulders, and avoid the vital parts of the
body. The torture inflicted by electricity
is OF two kinds by contraction OF the mus
cles at rapidly recurring intervals, and by
burning with sparks. The tortures of old
days, when not done by fire or compress
SION, were the straining and tearing asun-
der of the muscles. OF this kind were
the rack, scavengers daughter, and the
cages Of Louis XIV, in which mancoald
not stand up or lie down. The electric
shock exactly reverses these conditions. It
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 man. The
other method is by condensing a number
Of intermittent sparks on the flesh. This
burns the skin, and at the same time pro-
duces contractions of the muscles. If put
to the side of the jaw it would make every
tooth ache"
| A distinguished surgeon of whom ques.
tions were asked concerning the machine
said: The best way TO explain it is to
give you actual experience then you will
know exactly how it feels. Here is a
Faradic induction coil. l pull out this
tube little way. Now, let me place this
electrode to your hand. There"
"Oh." exclaimed the inquirer, as a
tingling, thrilling sensation ran through
! every finger, and his hand closed in an IN
voluntary grasp.
g Does it hurt: asked the doctor.
{" A little.
Well, we'll try again. Now, you see,
pull this tube further ont. Iagain touch
it to your hand and -
Whoop p shouted the victim ''take
it away = The feeling was as if the hand
was crushed in wise Every nerve ached
and trembled with pain.
That hurt, did it Why, that's
nothing. Here's some OF very different
sort"
He fastened to one wire small wet
sponge, and to the other wire something
like a paint brush, with the 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 was unbearable. The surface of
the skin was scorched and the muscles of
the hand were contracted in violent man.
ner.
"That is called the electric scourge,"
said the doctor. eff it were dark you
could see sparks fly from each wire. I'm.
agine the effect if the electricity were ten
times more powerful.
could any man bear that torture -
81 think not Any man would confess
under it, but it is question what conf
dence could be placed in the confession.
A man would confess anything to escape
the agony"
"What could you compare the pain to-"
1t would be the same as burning alive"
"Would it injure the man ?"
"No-not unless the pain drove hia in
sane. If the battery was too powerful it
would kill at once. Applied to some parts
of the body the scourge hurts more than on
other parts. s."-[ New York Sun.