The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-01-12
An Old Torture Chamber.

l ETOH tne 4 0U -udU TUzetIe.
To the right of the principal entrance
to the burg or castle at Nuremberg there
stands pentagonal tower, part of the old
fortihcations. Interesting as is its exter-
nal appearance, its contents are still more
so; for on entering it by low and small
door, we are surrounded by numerous and
curious old wood cuts, illustrating or re-
cording instances of almost every possible
kind of torture and execution, and by
collection of the instruments by which some
of the tortures were inflicted Hanging
against the wall is great wooden board,
split in the middle, with hinge at one end,
and place for a lock at the other. The
board is about four feet long, with hole
at each end large enough for a persons
neck; between these holes are four smaller
ones large enough for his wrists. The in
strument was for compulsory coupling to-
gether quarrelsome husbands and wives,
who were then paraded in public, the OBJ
ject of ridicule, if not worse, to all passersby.
Here, too, another and rather rougher
punishment for different class-the sturdy
beggar or vagrant 1t is large iron cage
some five or six feet high, into which the
offender was put, and then the cage and
he were lowered into the river or moat and
drawn up again-a process repeated as
long as was thought necessary possibly
effective enough remedy, for even now
beggars are said to dislike cold water more
than anything else. Much more horrible
is a small table with little bit of raised
metal work at one side The metal work
consists of three small upright pieces of
metal, with jagged cross pieces between,
and brass screw on the top. Between
these jagged pieces of metal the thumbs or
fingers of the unfortunate victim were
placed. A few turns to the screw sufficed
to infict the most intense pain, and then
a handle attached to the table by sort of
ratchet work, Jared the table and soinhicted
additional suffering. Close beside this was
another implement of deviltry, its name
probably showing its origin-''the Spanish
donkey" 1t is an upright board, two or
three inches thick, sharpened at the top to
a sharp ridge. Astride of this the victim
was placed, heavy weights were attached
to each foot, and then the sharp wood
slowly cut into the flesh.
One might think that human ingenuity
or, rather, human deviltry, could not go
much further but one would be quickly
undeceived. Here is a sort of framework
about seven feet long and some few inches
off the ground-bars of wood running
diagonally, with gaps of few inches
between. On this the victim was stretched,
and then there was a heavy wheel-the
size of small cart -wheel-with asharp-edged
piece of metal some few inches long attached
to it, which by little skill was rolled on to
the victim so that the sharp edge just hit
him on the portion of his limbs between
the gaps in the framework, and so smashed
any bones it came in contact with. Begin
ming with the ankle, this bone-breaking
process would be repeated every few inches
up the leg.
Change the scene, and then comes a re-
velation enabling us to realize it all. Under
the Rathhaus at Regensburg Cor Raitsbon,
the name by which it is better known
there are some subterranean dungeons and
chambers in which the implements above
described were freely used. Descending
fight of steps, and guided by the light of
a lantern held by an attendant, one finds
oneself in vaulted chamber. At one
side of it there is wooden trellis work,
behind which sat unseen the judge or offic-
ial who was to write down the sentences
wrung from the victim by the torments to
which he was subjected. Close to this
trellis work was the rack or whatever other
internal implement of torture was deemed
most likely to wiring from the sufferer the
needed confession or information and close
by also stood seat for the doctor, who
was present to prevent the punishment too
quickly ending the sufferers life. Dragged
from dungeon into which neither light
nor air ever entered, hauled before judges
who knew not what mercy was-here in
the darkness, beyond the reach of all help
or even consolation, the wretched being
was subjected to the most agonizing tortures,
until he was finally done to death.