Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-01-05
SAVED AT LAST.
PREPARATIONS FOR AN EXECUTION
THAT DIDN'T TAKE PLACE.


reached the spot the avenue and the roadway
shades, as was every place in the vicinity
where view of the field and scaffold was
possible. | be ieve there were fully 10000
natives there-men, women and children
and as they have weakness for bright colors
in their scanty garments they formed a very
circus poster" picture. In double hollow
square around the scaffold was q regiment of
infantry, Spanish and native, and a cavalry
company occupied position in double line
at the extreme right Under the bamboo
trees that line The avenue and Jail roadway,
and in the shade of the Jail wall, were
gathered groups of Europeans and Spanish
army officers, but the soldiers and native
spectators were exposed to the direct rays OF
the sun, which | could not have endured for
any great length of time was armed with
u good sun umbrella, but | sought shady
place under some bamboo trees just as soon
as | could get there.
DESCRIPTION OF THE GARRoTE.
To the left o. the center of the field stood
the scaffold and ''garrote." A merely cas-
ual glance at is calculated to send a thrill
of horror through every fiber of the body,
for it seems to be one of tho crueest instru-
ments of death imaginable 1t can be briefly
described 1t consists only of a strong up
right post, midway upon which projects a
piece of inch board for the condemned TO sit
upon. 1t isn't a very comfortable seat, but
he probably never gives it thought after
the execution begins Above tue seat, placed
ut proper leight to catch the prisoner
neck, is the "Earrote.n 1t is screw lever
attached to an iron collar, and looks as if it
might be letter copying press slightly re-
constructed. The screw does not pass
through the post, but through fat iron
bnnd which passes around to the front, be-
ing held in pace by grooves in the wood
The condemned, with his hands and feet
heavily manacled, is placed upon the seat
and his body is bound firmly with cords to
the upright post. The fat iron band is then
clasped securely about his throat, and at a
signal from the proper official the execu-
tioner begins 10 turn the screw very much
as You would turn the screw on a copying
press. The neck of the prisoner is gradually
pressed back against the post, the fat iron is
drawn tighter and tighter against the throat,
blood starts from the mouth and nostrils, the
tongue is forced ont over the chin and the
man dies in tie most horrible agony
The executl oner, who stands behind the
victim, in full view of every one, must have
an exceedingly peculiar mind, to say the
least. Fortur ately, a black cap is drawn
completely over the head and face of the
condemned, and the fearful contortions of
his face cannot be seen, but one can readily
imagine how the face looks as tho iron collar
slowly chokes the life out of the body.
Presently procession of about q dozen
black robed priests, several acolytes and n
delegation from the Society of Peace and
Charity came moving slowly up the avenue,
and turned into the jail to give the prisoner
the last consultations of his religion. They
carried q large silken banner, heavily
weighted and decorated with pure silver en-
bFoidery and filagree work, in the center of
which was q most artistically executed oil
painting of the Virgin Mary, while the AGO.
lytes carried cruc!fixes and pail of holy
water, all of solid silver
The procession passed into the Jail yard to
the little chapel, where the prisoner sat un-
der guard waiting for the final summons.
And, oh, what pitiful sight he presented
Promptly at oclock-to the second-a
small bell in the Jail yard sounded and a
guard appeared with pair of heavy hand
cuffs, which we're quickly clasped upon the
Wrists OF tho trembling prisoner. He was
lifted to his feet, but seeued too weak to
walk, and was supported on either side by q
Jail guard. Near him stood a priest, who
whispered words of encouragement to him
occasionally, and a procession was formed
for the march to the scaffold In advance
walked an altar boy with large bell, which
he toiled mo1otonously as be moved along.
and then cane the prisoner and guards, fol-
lowed by the priest and acolytes bearing the
beautiful silver banner On each side marched
a file of soldiers, and the jai! officials and a
few privileged spectators brought up the
rear. The solemn procession moved slowly
out of the chapel through the Jail yard, a
distance of perhaps twenty yards and into
the outer yard to the main gate, about forty
yards further, and down the roadway to the
field. At this point the commander of the
military placed himself at the head of the
column, and marched with it to the foot of
the steps leading to the scatPold
The executioner, dressed in an ordinary
business suit, had already reached his post
had given the screw lever a turn or two to
see If 1t was in proper working order, and
had placed the ropes SO that the prisoner
could be quickly bound TO the upright beam
He threw open the iron throat clasp, hung
his hat on the top of the post and was ready
to proceed W til his part Of the transaction.
sNATcHED FROM DEATH
Suddenly there was a movement in the
crowd near the jail entrance and a man was
seen working his way toward the scafFold.
The lines of soldiers opened and Senior Pinto
one of the aids or ''ayudantesr of the gov
ernor genera, rushed into full view shouting:
''Stopl Stopl In the name of her majesty"
Probably the most dramatic scene l ever
witnessed in real life then followed. As
Senior Pinto hurried across the field the
priests on the scsfold knew at once what had
occurred, an1 they set up wild shout:
HE lives! Long live the queenr'
"I ou're not to die; the queen has pardoned
your some one shouted in the prisoners ear,
and he sank to the floor in u dead faint
Then the vast multitude be- to realize
what had occurred, and from 10000 throats
arose the wi d cry:
He lives! Long live the queenl"
"Vival Vivst Vivallin
Then the priests raised the bewildered
prisoner on their shoulders, and he passion
ately kissed the image of tie Virgin on the
beautiful banner, while the crowd raised q
deafening shout of:
''Vival Nivall Viva!lr'
He had at last realized that he was not to
die, and his tear stained face beamed with
joy and gratitude. The crowd, now released
from restraint, cried and shouted, and gave
vent to its feelings in every possible way.
The march from the scaffold back to the Jail
was quickly done, the thousands of spectators
following closely behind, shouting Justify
until the outer gates were closed in their
faces, and then the intense excitement began
to decrease. TIE crowd soon dispersed, and
within few hours ali traces of the exciting
dvent had been removed.-8Ianilia Cor. st.