, 1891-08-11
SRGCKLED AND dashed
Awful Scenes of Torture in a
Gillian Prison.
A Suspect Almost Murdered by
Balmacedans.
Arms Twisted, Chest Crushed
and Then Flogged.

NEW YORK, Aug. l0.-The following
personal narrative oftho tortures Inflicted
under Balmaceda's government upon a
suspect, to force him to confession of
completely with the revolutionary party,
is given in a recent issue of FL Industrial
of Autofagasta, Chill. The victim was a
gentleman named Barcelona. who gained
his liberty after a long confinement in
prison following his torture.
About $50 a. m, on Feb. 2S." sand
he, Il had a brief, friendly conversation
with Col Desider;o Ilabaca at the agri-
cultural school in Santiago. When l Yas
about to depart Col. Julio Garca Videla
detained me and bad mt taken as a
prisoner to the barracks of the Seventh
regiment, where u sentinel was placed
over me. An hour and a half later Car
villa Orrego, chief of police, appeared and
conducted me personally to police head
quarters. Here | was placed in a cell
and Senior Valdes Calderon told me that
he would formulate me an accusa-
ton. He did so at once, charging me
with having attempted TO take Col. Ila-
baca and the officers of the Seventh regi-
meut from the allegiance. | denied the
charge and explained that my visit to
Ilabaca had for its sole object a friendly
chat with an old friend and was utterly
devoid of political significance.
'Valdes Calderon declared that | must
confess my guilt. He had me put in irons
and taken to a dungeon, where he insisted
upon a confession. Again | protested my
innocence. Then he himself handcutfed
me, with my arms. crossed upon my back
aud my elbows tied together with ropes.
He put a stick through the ropes and be
gan to twist it around, causing the most
horrible pains. Alter every question and
my denial, he gave n turn of the stick,
crushing my chest and arms. In despair
| begged for death, declaring hat |
would rather die than make such a state
ment as thew we're attempting to force
from me. Naldes Calderon replied that
he did not care a straw for my life, but
hat he wished TO get at the names of
those who had commissioned me and who
he believed were the committee. He de-
clared hat | should be tortured until
had confessed, or until | should die. He
continued to twist the stick until the
ropes broke, leaving my body in a terrible
condition.
, He left the dungeon, but returned
again almost Immediately with his agent,
Garredo. and notified me that | should
Valdes Calderon entered the dungeon, ac-
companied by Gerredo and four men.
They stripped me and stretched me on the
floor, and the scourginG was begun by a
tall. powerful man. Thick, crooked sticks
were used in the fogging. Alter every
blow they demanded the confession, which
| refused to make. This was continued
until | had received 100 lashes, Then
Valdes ordered the men to turn me over
on my back, so that my chest and stomach
might be lashed.
FINALLY, being anGered at not attain
tanning his object, he said: Let us make
an end of it,. He directed two soldiers
to enter the dungeon. | was ordered to
kneel. while the soldiers leYeled their guns
at me. After a moment, seeing nv ST.
lence, he ordered them to lift me upl |
endeavored to rise, but my wretched body
would not obey my will. Seeing this,
Valdes exclaimed: Drop him. Let him
die At length they dressed me again,
and carrying me between two of them,
seated me IN a chair. All this
time | was shackled and hand
cuffed, with my arms crossed on my
spine. [ remained seated in this char
until 8 p. m. Of the following day.
After that | was left in strict solitary
confinement except that a physician
came to examine my wounds. re-
manned for nineteen days in bed on &C.
count OF the injuries | had received. The
tortures which had been applied to my
arms had so affected my chest and
organism that | could not move without
assistance. had been whipped on the
cheeks and finger tips. | do not know
whether it was by accident or through
intention. The whipped part OF my
body remained Que huge swelling. BY
the pressure of the ropes. which Valdes
had twisted with all his strength and with
the rage OF impotence at not succeeding
in his object, the blood had been impelled
to the extremeties, making my arms and
legs like logs of wood. When the ropes
suddenly snapped, the blood rushed
forcibly to the heart and brain, producing
a sensation so horrible that [ believed
myself passing through the agonies Of
DEATH