The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-11-30
AN EXECUTION IN CUBA.
THE ExPEDITIoUs MANNER OF
aARRoTING MURDERERs.
A Peculiar Instrument of Justice, and
How IL il WOrked-Trying the
ExccutiOner.

A letter from Havana to the Philadel-
! phia Record saws: Those who have sailed
| by daylight into the beautiful harbor OF
Havana will, perhaps, recall dark and
low stone building upon the right shore,
almost directly opposite Moro Castle,
which is perched on the other side of the
bay. This building is the prison in
which criminals are confined who have
been sentenced to death. Attached to it
is a chapel, where many a poor wretch
has received the last consultations of
religion, and the worn stone sill of the
| door bears witness to the many feet that
have passed out to return on earth never
any more.
In the month of May, 1866, General
Dulce being captain-general of the
Island of Cuba, one Ramon Torres, a
private in a Spanish infantry regiment
| stationed at Havana, for some cause or
other in a moment of passion drove a
knife to the hilt in the bosom of his SUI
perior officer, killing him on the spot
The culprit was, of course, Immediately
arrested and sent to prison, where he
was at once tried and condemned to die
! by the garrotc. Spanish law sometimes
renders swift justice, and in this case
but few days INTERVIEWED between the
murder and its expatiation.
When the death sentence is passed
upon a criminal, the Juzgado or court of
justice, proceed to the prison, and, call
ing the criminal out of his cell, the
! Judge reads the sentance to him. After
doing so he generally makes him an adj
dress exhorting him to prepare for the
awful change that is coming upon him.
The prisoner is then taken in irons to
| the chapel where he remains until he
goes out to his execution. There is a
| bed in the chapel where he can rest, and
a priest is always with him. During the
period he is here no reasonable request
is denied him, and everything that can
| contribute to his comfort is readily fur
nished
On the day of the execution of the
subject of this sketch about five thou
sand troops were paraded outside the
prison walls, almost as many people of
the city and surrounding country were
also on the ground. Suddenly there
came a chorus of voices from the build
ing, singing in unison funeral dirge.
1t was the farewell of the doomed mans
| fellow prisoners, a ceremony never
omitted by them. The sun was cleaning
brightly over the still, smooth water,
the dark green foliage scarcely stirring
in the gentle breeze, and amid all the
quietness and beauty of nature, the
wall awoke in the heart thoughts so
sad as never to be forgotten to one
dying day.
All at once the prison doors were flung
wide open, and the criminal, Il man of
small stature, came forth with a priest
and soldier on either side, the former
holding in his hands a crucifiX, while he
occasionally leaned down and encour-
aged the doomed man. Immediately
following came the verdago (execu-
toner, wearing dark dress, having
upon each of its sleeves an embroidered
ladder, the insignia of his office. Two
drummers followed beating the funeral
march. II being Spanish custom on
such occasion to loosen the drum snare,
the peculiar rattle they produced was
far less agreeable than the mufilcd drum
we are accustomed to hear.
The garrote was erected near, and di-
rectly north of the prison walls, at a
place called La Punta, "the Point" 1t
was with difficulty the poor wretch
could walk to the spot, and he seemed
frequently on the point of sinking to the
earth. The instrument of death stood
upon wooden platform and was com
posed of an upright piece of scantling
with the iron collar and lever attached,
while below was rude seat.
Arriving at the foot of the platform
the death sentence was again read, and
the alguacil de cortc-corrcspondi to
our sheriff asked the prisoner il
he had anything to say to the peo-
| pie. He merely shook his head, by
way of reply, and was at once
seated, his legs tied and his
arms pinoned, with the hands crossed
on his breast and the collar fixed about
his neck. At this point of the proceed.
ings the verdaSo pulled from his person
a long bright knife and handed it to the
police who were present a black car
was then drawn over the prisoners face
and the priests began to rccitC
the credo. When they came tC
the words His only son." The
verdago, by swift and dexterous turf
of the lever, launched the soul of the
poor wretch into eternity. There wa,
but momentary culver of the Limbs
anu d Strengthening VI tnc lOlIH, tHti
all was still, for the man was stone dead
Tie mode of punishment is far NOR,
merciful than the hideous and bunglinl
performances frequently gone through
with at our gibblets.
The troops then wheeled into column
and marched away to the beat Of drums
and now came the strange sequel to thi
dismal spectacle.
AS soon as the ground was cleared on
of the police went forward and, seizin,
the verdago, arrested him for murder
! hurrying him to the prison, where tn
!! juzgado were still assembled. Placin,
him in their midst he accused him O
: having killed a man, and denounced hin
as "A murderer The judge asked hin
what he had to say in answer to tn
7 charge,
! 81 1t is true" replied the verdago
"that killed the prisoner, but den
! being "A murderer, for, although com
mitted the act charged-displaying hi