The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-08-15
HEBREW PUNIsHMENTs.
stoning, Burning, strangling and Decapi'
tatlon Described.

stoning, Burning Strangling and Decapi.
tation Described.
In work on the Criminal Code OF
the Jews" Mr.. Benny gives an interest
ing account of the various modes OF
punishment under the Hebrew law OF
capital offenses. In accordance with
the Mosaic creed, four kinds of death
were inflicted, each corresponding with
the crime Nothing can be more absurd
than the notions about some of these.
The stoning of the Bible and the Tai
mud were not pell-mell casting of
stones at criminal; the burning had
nothing to do with the practice of the
Middle Ages, nor did the strangling
bear any resemblance to the English
methods.
The stoning to death of the Talmud
was as follows: The criminal was con-
Quoted to an elevated place, divested of
| his attire if man, and then hurled to
the ground below. The height of the
eminence from which he was thrown
was always more than fifteen feet, the
higher, within certain limits, the better.
The violence OF the concussion caused
death by dislocating the spinal cord.
The elevation was not to be so high as
| to greatly dishgure the body. This was
tender point with the Jews; man was
created in Gods image, and it was not
| permitted to desecrate the temple
shaped by Heavens own hand. The
| first of the witnesses who had testified
against the condemned man acted as
executioncr in accordance with Deuter-
onomy xvii, Z. If the convict fell face
| downward, he was turned on his back.
| If he was not quite dead a stone, so
| heavy as to require two persons to carry
| it, was taken to the top of the eminence
whence he had been thrown; the second
| Of the witnesses then hurled the stone
so as to fall upon the cuiprit below.
| This process, however, was seldom nee
essary; the semi-stupefed condition of
the condemned, and the height from
which he was cast insuring, in the gen
erality of cases, instant death.
1t may be well to mention, in this
connection, that previous to carrying
into effect sentence of death, death
| draught as it was called was admins
cred to the unfortunate victim This
beverage was composed of myrrh and
| franlincense 0cbana) in cup of vine
gar or light wine. 1t produced Il kind
of stupefaction, a semi-conscious condi-
tion of mind and body, rendering the
| convict Indifferent to his fate and
scarcely sensible to pain. AS soon as
the culprit had partallen of the stupe-
flying draught the execution took place
criminal sentenced to death by
burning was executed in the following
manner. A shallow pit some two feet
deep was dug in the ground. IN this
the culprit was placed. standing upright
Around his legs earth was shoveled and
battered firmly down until he was fixed
up to his knees in the soil. Movement
on the part of the condemned person
was of course impossible: but care was
taken that the limbs should not be pain
fully constrained. A strong cord was
now brought, and very soft cloth
wrapped around it. This was passed
once around the Offenders neck Two
men then came forward; each grasped
an end of the rope and pulled hard
Suffocation was immediate. As the
condemned man felt the strain of the
cord, and insensibility supervened the
lower jaw dropped Into the mouth
thus opened lighted wick was quickly
thrown. This constituted the burning.
Decapitation was performed by the
Jews after the fashion of the surround
ing nations 1t was considered the
most humiliating, the most ignomini-
GUS and degrading death that any man
could suffer. 1t was the penalty in
cases of assassination and deliberate
murder. 1t was incurred by those who
wilfully and wantonly slew man with
a stone or with an implement of stone
or iron. 1T was likewise the punish
ment meted out to all persons who re-
sided in town the inhabitants of which
had allowed themselves to be seduccd
to idolatry and paganism-
Strangulation was the form of death
by sutfocation. 1t was effected as in
burning. The culprit stood up to his
knees in loose earth. A soft cloth con-
tanning cord was wound once round
his neck. The ends being pulled in OPP
posite directions, life was soon extinct.
This mode of death was the punishment
of one who struck his father or mother:
of anyone stealing a fellow Israelite;
of false prophets of an elder or pro-
vincial judge who taught or acted con-
trary to the decision of the Great Synhe.
drin of Jerusalem; and of some other
crimes against public morals.
These four deaths, as above described,
were the only modes of execution in ac.
cordance with Hebrew law.-American
Notes and Queries.