The Benton weekly record., 1882-11-09

a place. as crimes III most Ottoman conn
tries and he witnessed their punishment
fGom the steamer Snnatra. The men were
brought on deck at noon, and Eheir SCR
tence WAS read out before tho assembled
crew. The tackle, consisting Of tWo ropes
running from leading blocks made fast X.
the mainstay' and passed ,lnder the keel OF
the ship, was prepared and attached 10
the cnlprlts bodies. The craw were then
| divided, hall ol them puy to each ropes.
and the TWO Wretclies being led to the
side, were showed overheard. They both
screamed as they fell into the water. and
a7 the distance FROM the gangway 10 the
! surface was quite fourteen feet, rhey
must have been more or less hurf, Bar
this was only the beginning OF their 1aiseg-
les. The men on one side hauled taught
the rope underneath the ship, and then
the order 70 walk away was given. The
band played q solemn tune, something
| like the Carnival Of Venice in movement,
except the tune was changed. and stanu.
! stamp, stamp went the fnen.
We saw the TWO Nretches go under. sua
then the only movements were the ropes
going through their blocks, one side play
out, the other coming in. but slowly.
we had no measurement Of the ship, but
as the rope acted tiirectly--that IL, there
were no moving blocks---the distance
around the bottom was exactly that cover
cd by the men rs they walked the deck
drawing the rope behind them. Thus we
were able to make some estimate OF
the distance, and We calculated on It
at about fifty feet from the surface to
surface. Presently the two victims an
peared on the other side. They were haul
Ell quite out OF the water, and the rope by
which they were hoisted was made fast
and coiled up and ready TO play out again.
An ofiicer-probably a doetor-went down
and examined them. The one upon whom
the strain Of the rope had fallen was ap-
parently lifeless. His face was turned to-
ward us; it was bleeding and torn: his
clothes were hanging In shreds and his
hands were dripping with blood. His
eyes We're open, but they seemed to be fill
ed with blood. The ships bottom, cover
ed with barnacles, rasped upon the Door
devils like nails. The other man seemed
to he conscious. His back, as hung In the
air, was toward us, but he moved his
head, we thought, and apparently to beg
for mercy.
Evidently the officer reported them still
alive, for when he had come on deck again
the two men were lowered into the water.
and the crew manning the rope that led
up from the other side marched awav
with it. and once more the victims dIsap-
peared. From the time they went under
the surface of the water until they reaD.
peared on the other side Of the shin was
just tWenty-four seconds. It seemed to
us to have been All hour. The first fright
ful journey had terminated by their being
scratched and torn; at the end OF the
second they were mutilaCeti The nose Of
one wretch was almost torn away, one ear
gone, and the shreds Of the clothing be had
worn clung to him only where they were
held by MS bonds. lie was blood literally
from head to foot. Ills companions con-
dition was equally horrible. This time
they were hoistc'a up to the rail aud swung
on board. Then we could see something
Of the action Of this harbarons punisl,-
ment, for they were NOT held off the side.
but were scraped up along the ship, strik-
lnl, against the rlngholss, the chains ana
Grey c.D,. obstruction until they were
:" ung IN e.. svej the deck. Then ghey
's'Lr lowered down and released. They
were both unconscious, probably even then
dead. 1t may g hoped they were Death
must have been Il welcome release.