The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-08-30
JEWISH EXECUTIONS.
The Four Modes OF Capital Punishment
under the Code Of Moses.

The Four Modes OF Capital Punishu1ent
under the Code of Moses.
1.-THE general impression that hanging
is barbarous method of shufiling crimi.
nails off the e.rth," said 8 local attorney
to a ST. Louis Republican correspondent,
"has caused the New York legislature to
create an enactment substituting elec-
tricity for tie rope, but glance at pun.
ishments invented and practiced at the
beginning of the Christian era shows that
hanging is mot so bad after ALL The
rabbis were the first among ancient legists
to render the iBAiction of the death pen.
atty as painless as possible. The manner
in which the sentence Of the lau In capi.
tai cases was carried into effect Was reg
ulated by series of enaetments. Every
detail vas proclaimed: The place OF
execution was af6ayd Beyond the limits
of the town, generally at some distance
from the hall where judgment had been
pronounced. There we're two reasons for
this. First, that a certain interval of
time should elapse between sentence and
execution, 90 IS to permit the court to
examine at3 evidence that might yet be
forthcoming; and, secdfdly that the
sanhedrim should not witness the e1ecu:
ton. As soon IS the punishment OF
death was decreed the criminal vas con.
Quoted from the court, Two elders, the
witnesses, and the officers of the tribunal
accompanying him. In advance Of the
cortege walked an attendant, proelaiming
aloud: so and so is to be executed fof
such and such an ofense: go and so are
the witnesses; I; the Crime Has committed
at such a place, on such a day, and at
such an hour; if any person can urge
anything against the infection ofthe pun
isbment let him go to the eaaE!edrfn4, now
sitting, aud state his arguments Their
the party proceeded through the town.
"Arrived within six yards of the place
of execution the sages who we're with
the culprit pressed him to confess his
crime. They told him that whosoever
makes confession is privileged to shafe
in the olam haba-future existence
since dsath was an e1piation for all ini.
quities. If be refused to acknowledge
his guilt he WAS asked to say: May my
death prove an atonement for all my
transgresaions.' He uas then conducted
to within four yards of the place where
the sentence vas to be carried into effect
The death draught was here administered.
This beverage reu somposed of myrrh
and frankiucense, (lebana) 10 9 cup Of
vinegar or light wine. It produced in
the convict kind Of stupefaction, 8 semi
conscious. condition Of mind and body,
rendering him Indifferent to his fate and
scarcely sensible to pain. The drink was
lin Jerusalem-provided by women,
who considered this one of the greatest
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. deeds In pro-
gincial towns ths local communal
authorities we're required to furnish the
criminal with the draught. As soon as
the culprit had drank of the stupefying
draught the execution took place.
In accordance with the Mosaic code
four kinds of death we're inflicted, each
appropriate to distinct series Of crimes
starving, strangliug, burning and decap.
itation. Nothing can be more absurd
than the notions generally current re-
specting the manner in which these pun.
ishments we're carried out among the
Jews. The stoning of the bible and Of
the Talmud, was not, ss vulgarly sup
posed, pell-mell casting Of stones at g
criminal; the burning had nothing
whatever in common with the process Of
consuming by fire a living person as
practiced by the churchmen of middle
ages. Nor did the strangling bear any
resemblance to the English method Of
putting prisoners to death. This stonine
to death Of the Talmud was performed as
follows: The criminal was conducted to
an elevated space, Invested of his attire
! if a man, and then hurled to the ground
below. The height of the eminence
from which he was thrown vas always
more than fifteen feet-the higher5 within
certain limits, the better. 1t was not
however, to be so high as to smash o.
greatly disfgure the body. This was
tender point with the Jews Man wal
created in Gods image, and it was no
permitted to desecrate the temple shaped
by heavens own hand. The first of the
witnesses who had testified against ths
condemned man acted as executioner, il
accordance with Deut. xviii Z. 1t th'
convict fell face downward he was turned
on his back. If he was not quite dead
stone, so heavy as to require two persons
to carry it, was taken to the. top OF tn
emineuce whence he had been thrown
the second of the witnesses then hurled
the stone SO as TO fall upon the culpri
below. The process, however, was sci
dom necessary, the semi stupefed condi
ton of the convict and the height from
which he was cast enBuring instant death
The bodies of those condemned fol
blasphemy or idolatry were subsequent!
hung upon gallows until dusk; in othe
cases Immediately after execution th
corpse was inferred. Outside of ever.
town we're two cemeteries for criminal
one for those sentenced to be stoned 0
burned, and one for those decapitated o
hanged. As soon as the flesh had disap
pesred the skeleton could be removed t
the family burying place. a few day
days after an execution the friends ant
relatives of the dead mamie was NJ
1onoar regarded as an offender-callet