Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-01-17
HOW THEY TAKE LIFE.
Modes of Executing Criminals i'm Va
TiOus Misunderstanding Off leads
in Japan-The GarrOte.
How 1t Feels to Be Lynched, as Told
by Man Who h ad a Chance of
Knowing.

eho SutlIpilne ana me recent action of
the New York Legislature, by which, after
the hrst of January, the execution of
CT minai=, by banging is abolished and
electricity employed instead, says the
Cincinnati Enquirer, suggests some
notice of tine Various MODES EN- pIoyed to
put men TO death i'll obedience TO the law.
The guillotine has been the favorite
instrument in use in France for the past
century. 1T derives its name from Joseph
Ignace GuillOtine, French physician
who honrlshea in the days of the French
revolution, Wao suggested the use of the
INSTRUMENT as speedy method of get
ting rid of criminals, but who was not the
inventor of the machine. 1t is composed
of two upright posts, grooved on the in
side, and conn cted at the top by cross
beam. In these groves sharp iron or
steel blade, placed obliq uely, descenos by
is own weight on the neck of the VIC
who is bound TO a BOARD laid beu cath
The machine possesses the virtue of speed
and certainty, but thus has a superiority
over the sword and az.
1t is curious and not generally known
fact that the first guniotine was con-
struoted after designs of recorder at
SJrasburg. Tobias Schn1tz, manufac-
urer of what is often another instru
ment of torGure-a piano. Until 1872 the
gulltotlne had not been improved. 1t re-
sembled the scaffoId used in America. A
flight of steps led up to platform, which
was surrounded by railing. The object
was to let every body see. The criminals
called it the Abbawe de Monte-a- Regret.
That is, an abbey which separated
them from the rest of the world, on the
steps of which they mounted with regret.
Helndereicr, who was the headsman in
1872, greatly improved the instrument
Instead of monster N achine, which it
took three or four men to put together.
he reduced it to its sim plest expression.
And such it is today. Two upright iron
beams containing two groves on each
inner side, one for the ''Iunette," or
socket, and the other for the ira ape z form
knife, perpendicular swinging plank,
rising to the level of the cul prits breast,
against which he is thrown forward be-
tween the two beams; at the right of tn S
plank aud leaning on a willow basket
painted black and partly filled wi bran
Is board, over which they slide the bod y
after decapitation; TO the left two pals
of carbonated water; in front sort of
zinc tub into which the head falls. The
guilotine was formerly painted red an
the knife so exposed that it was the first
object seen by the condemned man u
leaving the prison gate. Nov it is pale
yellow and the knife concealed.
Criminals in Spain suffer the Death
penalty by the garrote. The Felon sits
in a chair; behind him is stout post, to
which are affixed two clasps of non,
which, when joined, encircle his neck
Through the post and back of the collar
runs a screw. When this screw is turned
the collar is frightened and an iron wed &c
enters the neck at the base of the brain,
which dislocates the axis, pierces the
The criminal does not wear cap or
mask, and the snap of the bones and
gnastly look of the last moment can be
heard and seen by the tookers-on AS
soon as the execution is over one of the
police rushes forward aud seizes the exc
cutioner, who is arrested and taken to
prison, where the jurado is still assembl-
ed. The executicner Is placed in their
midst, accused of having killed a man,
and denounced q murderer. The Judge
askes him what he has to say in answer
to such a charge, and he replies: at is
trGe that l have killed the prisoner, but
deny being the murderer, for, although /
committed the act charged displaying
his arms with the badgeG did it in the
the cause of Justice ard In pursua pee of
the law, all of whieh 1 was compelled to
do by virtue of my offit e." "The accused
lis innocent and is discharged" .nswers
the court, and then the formula of the
Spanish law is satisfied.
Beheading by the sword has been a
favorite method OF executing Grim mails
in Japan and other countries, of the east.
The victim kneels and bows his head.
The executioner draws two s6g ed sword,
a long and glIttering weapon, keen as a
razor. He wipes it With piece of hig lilly
colored silk, and taking his stand raises
the sword and wish quick 6rm move
meDt a drawing stroke sewers the head
from the BODY, giving vent to loud hiss
ing noise. The execut1oner then re-
moves the stains from the sword With a
piece of paper, sheathes it and wal KS
away with enVious eyes. In India peo-
pie are frequently executed with the
sword, while petty offenders are thrown
into dens with poisonous eobras, which
sting them to death, and they die with
horrid agonies. Some of the ancients
put their criminals to death by poison.
Socrates took the fatal poison and the
Persiaus use a species of the upas, while
the Egyptians employed ground glass,
that was mixed with the food of the
victim. The Romans had various forms
of capital punishment. Roman citizens
could only die by the sword. Hence ST..
Paul who was Roman, was beheaded,
while ST. Peter, who was an alien, was
orucifie6. The Romans also hurled their
criminals from the Tarpein rocks, and
the vestal virgins whu were untrue to
their VOWS we're stoned to death; al
though afterwards this was changed to
he more horrible death of being buried
alive.
How it feels to be hanged has been de-
scribed by criminals who after hours of
animation, have been brought
to life. On Christmas night few years
ago Theodore Baker was hanged in
Springer, n. NJ. He quarrelled with a
neig hboring ranchman about a boundary
line, and giving himself up, was locked
in jail, but taken ont by masked mob
and. hanged. He said that he went with
the men, and at the Jail door began to
curse them, when one of then, put the
muzzle of pistol TO his ear and said,
Keep still, damn you, or I'll put & bullet
through you" "a little further on we
came to a telegraph pole. From the
cross bar swung a new rope; on one end
was a big slip-noose. They led me under
the rope. L tried to stooP down and pull
my boots off, as had promised my folks
that would not die with my boots on,
but before I could do it the moose was
over my head and L was ierked off my
feet. My sense left me in moment,
than L Eod in nh Of Cd