The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-02
J. HORRIBLE RELICS.
Enstruments OF Torture Used In
d the Dark Ages.
Il IA. 49, -
hare collection from tho Castle Of Nu- !.
n xemburg on Exhibition in tho
-. City o. rcndon-Ghastly
Inventions.

Invontfons.'
) 3t#- So
The earl Of Shrewsbury recently pur-
chased the torture Implements of Tie
castle of Nuremberg, and they nTe now
bn exhibition In London. The most
valuable, as 1T is the rarest of the whole
collection, is the iron maiden (Eiscrmo
yungfraul. This terror-inspiring tor
skure instrument, says the Albany Ar
gus, is made of strong wood bound to-
gether with iron bands. 1t opens with
Two doors to allow tho prisoner to DO
placed inside. The entire door is fitted
with long, sharp iron spikes SO that
when the doors are pressed to these
sharp prongs force their way into va
t1ous portions of the victims body
q Two entered his eyes, others pierced
his back, his chest, and in fact, impaled
bum olive in such n manner that he
Fingered in the most agonizing torture.
When death relieved the poor wretch
from his agonies-pcrhaps after days
p trap door in the base was pulled open
hnd the body was allowed to fall into
Ehe .moat or river below. Persons were
condemned to death by the embraces
OF the iron maiden for plots against tho
governing powers, parricide, and re
3gfous unbclief The date of this rare
specimen is the fifteenth century. A
greet number of torture machines wero
apparently constructed with such dew.
Eish ingenuity that they would twist
and rack the delicate human D.ody to
the point of madness, and yet not
actually endanger life.
y The torture bench, about ten feet
long, was used for stretching prisoners,
The feet being fastened to one end, tho
hands to the other, across roller stud
Hed with wooden spikes, called n spike
hare"
/ The torture chair, the seat being com
pletely covered with sharp wooden
spikes, body arms and legs being
strapped to the chair, and in some cases
two heavy stone weights attached to
the feet.
Is The metal boots, which, being placed
on n prisoners feet, molten lead or boil
ling oil was poured into them.
i a ghastly relic in black box of cof-
Unlike appearance is the dried head of
q child-murdercss, still transfxed on q
rusty spcar-hcad
There are tongue-tearcrs, thumb
screws, mouth gags, Spanish CATERS for
squeezing the legs to pulp, branding
irons, footrscrews, iron chain gloves, to
Ibe used when rcd-hot; iron nippers,
1ron-wirc whips, heavy stones to be
worn around the neck, thicf-catchcrs
and Large number of two-handled cx-
ccutioner's swords. OF the humorous
Hrticles-if, indeed hunor can enter into
such grim companionship-we may in
l;tanna the e1orn ~, eli I,-n,1~.
worn as signs of degradation for slight
t2fenssS , by men or women, those for
the nobility having visors to them like
helmets, so That the features were con-
cealed till the penance was over; wood
en- collars, with bells and tassels for
scolds; ducking stools and churn- shaped
boxes, known as drunl<ards' cloaks-an
uncomfortable garment fitting too
tightly round the neck to allow the head
to be withdrawn, and, while too heavy
TO walk about in for any great length
of time, yet not quite short enough to
permit the wearer to lsneel down in
them.
Among the pictures is one Of Damien,
of whom it may be remembered that,
nfter four horses had failed to pull him
nsunder, he was afterward tortured
with burning oil, and, that not killing
him, was finally bound to stake and
burned to death. Appropriately enough,
the instruments are PLACED in series of
dungeon corridors and cells tbs ia,
sms,s. ,~ T"ssaud have erected in the
basement of their establishment. inc
dungeon cell is n small room about
eight feet by five, SO constructed that
the air in it could be pumped out, so
that the inmates died Y slow, suffo-
eating death; perhaps the refinement
of cruelty was reached in the plausible
escape cell. 1t was false beacon to
an escaping prisoner, q bait to poor.
wretch, who Tic doubt thought he was
aboat to regain his freedom, rnnvhc
eonnivancc bought; he would h,,r,-I,
down the dark stone corrid~.--. 70 vncre
the rusty gnte - Knocked or carclcssly
Jlr would welcome him, to where
the bit of shining sky seen through the
barred window would gladden. his
heart, and pushing open the gate With
eager hands would at once step into Il
deep well of water with perpendicular
sides.