The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-12-29
THE STEEL MAIDEN.
A Look at Some of the Instruments Of Hu
man Torture used Ia the Middle Ages.


man torture used 1h the Afaufe ages.
Germany Letter by d. u. Locke.
In ali adjoining tower is a room where
there are preserved number Of very curious
instruments of torture used in Nuremberg
hundreds of years ago, before the days of
jails and penitentiaries. There are thumb.
screws Of the most approved patterns, and
helmets for gossiping men and women. A
singular piece of furniture Is large, heavy
wheel on one side Of which stands out a
large, sharp piece Of iron. In the glorious
days of old, an offender who had to be pun
lshed with the wheel was stripped and firmly
bound to plank, face downward. The
piece of iron was heated hot, and the wheel
was rolled up and down and across the vic
TINS back until Justice was satisfied or the
victim dead.
Inasmuch as the spike was long enough to
60 half way through the mans body, and
heated red hot, the victim generally died,
and justice was entirely satisfied; 1t was not
as expeditions as the guillotiue, but 1t was
just as certain. The only man that ever
survived 1t was adjudged magician because
he survived it, and was promptly beheadsd
for being a magician. That settled him. He
didn't bother Nuremberg any more.
There are displayed switches made Of fine
threads of steel, which were laid on the
bare back with great effect. A little of these
things goes great way, but on being told
that in the adjoining tower is the "steei
maiden" you get over, your qualmishness
Your party is taken charge of by guide,
who shows you large assortment of horrors
before you come to the chief one, as q sort
of preparation. There are stocks, gags for
tattlers, handouts, anklets and cradle, the
bed of which is filled with spikes, in which
old-time offenders we're faithfully rocked to
sleep-a sleep from which there's no awaken
ing. There are long tables with screw at
top and bottom, to which men were strapped
by the hands and feet, the screws then turn.
ed till the unfortunate man was torn apart.
In another room Is large iron cage. In
those days, when . merchant, a baker OF
butcher was found selling goods by false
weight or measure, he was placed in this
cage and carried all through the city, with
his name and trade fastened conspicuoasly
in front. After making the grand tour, he
was taken to the river, cage and all, and
ducked again and again, till it was thought
that his lesson was sufficient to prevent repe
tition. Perhaps some such form might be
advantageous in these days.
Wife-beaters in those days were severely
punished. They were furnished with close
fitting helmets. from which heavy weight:
were suspended. They were gwen a con.
spicuous place in the public square, appro.
priately labeled, and placed In stocks, with
heavy weights attached to their arms and
feet, and there sat the livelong day subjected
to the jeers and iidicule Of the town.
Scolding wives were put in cages, with
gags in their mouths and exposed in the
public square.
You are shown all kinds Of beheadine
blocks and galIows upon which noted vii.
laiGs had gone to reap their reward, while
the walls aie covered from the top TO the
bottom with pictures of the practical opera.
tions Of the various Instruments that filled
| room.
All this preparatory to the steel maiden,
which is kept in room above, precisely as
she was in the days of her usefulness. You
are shown what at first sight appears to be a
rude 81 atue Of woman clumsily hewn out
of wood. The guide noiselessly opened IT,
one door swinging TO the right and the other
to the left. The statue was hollow and just
the size Of the average man. Inside were
straps by which the offender was bound SC
| that he could not meve muscle. All the
doors were lined with long, sharp, steel
spikes, strong aud thick. When the victim
was firmly secured, the door on the left was
slowly but firmly shut, and the long spikes
went into the body, two being so arranged
as to pierce his eyes. Then the door on the
right was closed In similar manner, and he
would receive another complement of spikes
the closing of the doors very slowly, that the
torture Of the man In the embrace of tht
maiden might be prolonged as long as posi-
BILE. The very last spike pierced his heart
After remaining shut up for awhile,the straI
was unloosened from the outside, sprini
was touched, and the man fell fifteen fee
into a cleverly constructed machine tina
ground him up as fine as mincemeat ant
dropped him into the river below, maxim.
food for fishes.