The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-06-14
TORTURING by ELECTRICITY.
Tho Agony which tho Killers OF tho
CzRr Worc Compelled to UndcrRO.


Car Wcrc Compelled to Undergo.
Russakoff and Jaliboff, the killers OF
tho Gar OF Russia, were mercilessly put
to torture. RussakOff was electricized
by powerful batteries, and forced by the
intolerable agony he suffered to answer
the questions put to him.
Park Ben jamin, the scientific expert,
said to New York reporter: 1.-THE
idea OF torturing criminals by electricity
is not original with the Russians. It is
British inveo.lon, and was first sug-
gested about five years ago by an English
mechanical journal, in commenting up
on the execution Of criminals by electric
shock instead Of by hanging. The En-
glish writer wanted to do away with the
cato nine tails, which Ia administered
in England to garrOters and other GRIM
inals Of certain classes, and use the cleo
tric battery, rs he somewhat grimly ex-
pressed 1t, 30 rs to produce absolutely
understandable torture, unaccompanied 10y
wounds or even bruises, thrilling
through every fiber Of such miscreants.
There was an American inventor who
had design for inflicting this species OF
punishment. He fitted brackets of iron
on the arms and thighs of the criminal,
and placed in them wet sponges. When
connected with current of electricity,
the shock would by this system pass
through the legs and shoulders, and
avoid the vital parts of the body.
"The torture inflicted by electricity
iE Of two kinds-by contraction Of tho
muscles Mt rapidly-recurring intervals
and by burning with sparks. The tort
ures of old days, when not done by fire
or compression, were the straining and
Too ~ :,
kind were the rack, scavenger's daugh-
ter and the cages Of Louis XIV, in
which 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 Mt very short inter-
vals The degree of pnin produced is
about the same The force of the cleo
tricity has 10 he nicely graded, rs q too.
powerful shock would numb or kill a
man.
1.-The other method is by condensinR
number of intermittent sparks on the
flesh. This burns the skin, and at the
same time produces contractions of the
muscles. If put to the side of the jaw il
would make every tooth ache"
A distinguished surgeon, of whom
questions were asked concerning the
machine, said: 1.-The best way to OK
plain it is to give you actual e1peri
ence then You will know exactly how
it feels. Here is FNradic induction
coil. pull out this tube little way
Now, let me place this clectrode in youl
hand. There"
ooh !" exclaimed the inquirer, as
tingling, thrilling sensation ran through
every finger, and his hand closed in al
involuntary grasp.
"Does it hurt2" asked the doctor.
"a little"
"Well, we'll try again. Now, 20,
see, l pull this tube further out.
again touch it to your hand and"
"Whoop!" shouted the victim "tak'
it away -
The feeling was rs if the hand was
crushed in n wise. Every nerve achet
and trembled with pain.
"That hurt, did it? Why, that.
nothing. Here's something Of a very
different sort"
He fastened to ono wire n small we
sponge, and to the other wire something
like n paint brush, with the brush par
made of fine wire. He put the sponge
the back Of the hand with the wire brush
| L
Of tho skin was scorched and the mus
clcs Of the hand were contracted in
violent manner.
"That is called the electric scOurge,
said the doctor. If it were dark yo
conld see sparks fly from each wire
Imagine the effect if tho electricity wer
ten times more powerful.
"Could any man bear that torture :?
81 think not any man would confes
under it, but it is a question what cor
tidcncc could be placed IL such a cor
fcssion. A man would confess anythin
to escape the agony"
"What could you compare tho pal
to?"
at would be the same as burnir
/ alive"
"Would it injure the man?"
"No not unless the pain drove hi
insane. If the battery was too powt
ful it would kill at once. Applied
somc parts of the body the scour