Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-02-01
A MOORISH EXECUTION
The Horrible and Cruel Decapitation of
Two Sturdy Smugglers.

The Horrible and Cruel Decapitation of
Two sturdy Smugglers.
Some years ago two men were con-
victed of carrying on contraband trade
with the Spaniards, just across the
strait from Tangier. To have any
thing to do with the infdel Spaniards
was a capital offense. Early one morn
ing band of soldiers conducted the
condemned men outside of the town of
Tangier. After going a short dis
lance they came to a secluded place,
where they found Notwithstanding
Moor dressed as a butcher, with a knife
in his hand about seven or eight inches
long. This was the executioner. He
was stranger and had agreed to do
the work, provided the Kaid. as the
chief among the soldiers was called,
and he could agree upon the sum to be
paid. The executioner insisted that he
should receive certain amount, what
in our money would equal four dollars,
for each criminal, but the Kaid was
only willing to pay four dollars for
both. After a good deal of bargaining
for this blood money, the Kaid agreed
to pay four dollars apiece.
The executor then seized the first
victim, whose arms were bound, and
threw him to the ground. A fearful
struggle followed. Finally the execu-
toner got his knee upon the victim $
breast. After little while he said:
"Give me another knife-mine won't
cut" The poor wretches' throat was
cut, and he was writhing in the most
terrible manner. Soon another knife
was given to the executioner, and he
finished his first victim amid shouts of
the soldiers: MAY God prolong the
life of our Sultan"
When it came to the execution of the
next criminal, the Kaid denied his
promise to pay four dollars apiece, and
declared that if the executioner did not
finish the second one he would not even
pay the four dollars for any part of it.
There was nothing left for the execu-
toner to do but finish his work and
take the four dollars.
The second unfortunate was large,
fne-looking fellow. He had watched
the horrible death of his comrade with
out any sign of fear as to his own
death. He stepped boldly forward and
asked that his hands and arms be M
bound. This was granted. He then
walked to where his companion was
lying and exclaimed
There is no God but God, and Ma
homet is His prophetr'
He then lay down by the side of his
friend and said to the executioner:
For the love of God, sever my head
with better dispatch than you did that
of my brother"
The executioner placed his knee upon
his victim breast and with cool DELHI
Grafton severed the head entirely from
the trunk. The execution over, the ex-
ecutioner was paid his salary-four
dollars-and started off for the coun-
try.
The soldiers picked up the two heads
and carried them back to town. The
first Jew the soldiers met they COM
PEELED to sprinkle salt on the heads.
They then placed the heads upon the
posts of the market gate and allowed
them to remain there three days, after
which they were sent to the Sultan to
convince him that his orders had been
executed. When the soldiers returned
to the town the news of the execution
soon spread and great crowd of boys
started out after the executioner, de-
termined to revenge the deaths of their
friends. In the evening it was reported
that he had fallen senseless about five
miles from the town, covered with
bruises. The next morning news came
that the young brother of the second
victim had shot and killed the execu-
toner and that the body was buried on
the spot No inquiry was made by the
authorities as to the death of the exc
cutioner.
The party who bore the heads to the
Sultan was met on the way by mes
senger bringing reprieve for the two
men. He had been detained by high
rivers caused by the heavy rains.-
Pittsburgh Dispatch.