Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-07-05
THE KNOUT IN RUSSIA.
THE TEKKIBLE PUNISHMENT IN.
EliCTED UPON CRIMINAL.
The Wonderful Powers OF Fnhurance on
the Part Of a Russian Prisoner-390
BIoWs, and then the Mines Of siberia.

The Wonderful Powers Of Fndnrance on !
ths Part OF a Russian Prtsoner-390
BIo~s. and then the Mines Of siberia.
Mfzof had murdered man, a woman
md little boy. Before the magistrate
he had made q full confession of his
guilt A determined attempt was made
by tie soldiers to mob him while he was
making his confession, but it was re-
pres sed. He was reserved for mnch
more terrible punishment than that &C
corded by lynch law. He was sentenced
to three hundred and ninety-nine lashes
with the knout.
He was marched out to puniahmant
in company with two forgcrs, all st.
Petersburg turning out to witness the
spectacle. THIS horrible show is thus
graphically described by the old chroni-
Gle:
''The stake prepared for him was a
strong block Of wood fixed in the ground
with three grooves at the top and two
rings near .he bottom; the middle groove
was for the neck, and the two others for
the armpis. the rings, below to lock
round the ankles; about the stake were
laid coarse skins, especially where the
knout master trod, upon which lay his
whips, marking irons, pincers, etc. An
officer then read paper to the people,
signifying that forgery upon the I'M
perial Bank being a capital crime, two
of the prisoners convicted Of it were
condemned to receive eleven blows with
the knout, to have their nostrils pulled
out and be banished for life to Siberia;
the murderer OF SO many people to re-
ceive three hundred and ninety-nine
blows, to be branded three times in the
face. have his nostrils pulled out, ard,
f then alive, to be banished for life to
the mines of Siberia.
'The executioner and his assistants
then stripped him, tied his hands across
and led him to the post. After fixing
his ankles they bent his meek and arms
over it, and drew the rope with which
his hands were tied through the ring on
the opposite side, which seemed to
str.+ch all the muscles of the hack. He
then retired about four or five yards
from him, and, taking up one of the
knouts, worked it with his hands to give
it q proper elasticity. Walking toward
he criminal with four or five steady
steps, then taking spring, he struck a
perpendicular stroke with heavy, loud
crack. The first stroke cut from the
right side Of the bottom of the neck to
the left armpit. The effect was visible
in moment, and by the violence of his
screams afforded reason to suppose that
the pain was very great. The second
was abont half an inch below the first
and so on till twenty-five, when,
changing the whip, the operator erased
the former wound, striking from the
left side to the right, and afterwar1
quite perpendicular. The strokes were
given with the greatest regularity. Be
tween each a person might deliberately
= count eIRut, tue cAeCutAoAci hi"ae {
walking slowly to and from the stake.
"His cries were now so terrible tha,
some of the spectators were obliged te
turn their backs and put their fingers il
their ears. All was quiet and silent
and the crack of the knout was heard &
great distance. After receiving three
hundred lashes, the culprit's voice grew
faint. and during the last one hundred
he showed no signs Of life whatever, thu
whole OF the upper part OF the back by
ing beaten to black mummy. Aftel
the last blow the assistants lifted up tn,
face by the hair, and the executionc
struck him three times with an instru
ment that left the initial OF murderer
throwing each time handful Of blacI
dust into the wound; after which, at tg'
pnlls. he tore the gristle Of his nose
AID loosere.l him from the block. Tn
whole lasted about three quarters OF al
hour. and !. was generally thought tha
lie hal been dead some time; however
he made feeble attempt 10 put On hi
coat, aud recovered sufficiently TO b
able % make some repaEation TO soc.et
" working the iron mines.
Batting.