Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1896-10-15
"G.ATCHlNG."
Nest Agonizing Torture Ever Con-
ceived by Man.
Innocent Persons Buried Alive In
Fresh Plaster.


chef executives might learn many
things by studying the methods IN
vogue In Persia. For instance, they
might learn how not to execute Grim
inals. and they might study the ad-
va.tage, or lack of it, of executing :,
an innocent man as q warning to the /
guilty.
Five men were recently buried alive
IN plaster Of Paris in the province Of
Shiraz, Persia. as warning to high
way robbers who had been committing
depredatlons on the road between Bn
shire aud Isfahan. Shortly after the
murder Of the Shah succession of
robberies occurred, and it was esti-
mated that property worth half mil
lion changed hands within week.
Almost every day travellers were
stopped, robbed even of their clothes
and then beaten with sticks.
ii. r. H. Ruhk a. ed Dowleh, Gov
ernor of Shiraz, concluded that steps
He could not catch them, but he al
ready had five men in prison for re-
fusing to pay taxes. He concluded to
execute the five innocent tax-dodgers
IN order to frighten the guilty high
waymen.
One of the most horrible modes Of
execution IN vogue in Persia is known
as Catching. \ hole is dug in the
ground to depth of three or four
feet. A hollow pillar is erected above
this. The victim is then placed in the
hole and plaster OF Paris poured In
around him and water added.
This mortar, known as Catch, soon
hardens, swells and obstructs the cir
culation Of the blood The suffering
Of the victim is awful-words cannot
picture it.. Death does not afford a
welcome relief for hours and each
minute the agony grows more in
tense.
4 correspondent Of the London
Graphic witnessed the execution. Not
| knowing the fate in store for them the
men walked to the place of execution
without fear, surrounded by a howl
ing mob. The mob was kept back
from the torture place by Gordon OF
soldiers.
"They were taken into high-walled
garden, q guard being placed at the
entrance, writes the correspondent,
''and in n short time the first to be exc
! cuted was brought out. Round his neck
was steel collar with chain, which
some one offered him pitcher Of
water, from which he eagerly drank,
and then, not knowing to what awful
death he was doomed, he walked calm
lv and without a word to his well. /
took nearly an hour TO fill the vel
with Catch, during all which time
the sticks Of the soldiers we're in us,
to keep the crowd from pressing to-
close and hampering the movement
Of those employed with the Catch.
4 ''When the Catch became solid an,
tightened on the poor prisoner, hi
wells were frightful TO listen to, and q
they were carried over the walled gar
den, those waiting their turn realized
that the death to which they wer
doomed, SO far from being the pain
less one they had hoped for. was In
stead Of a terrible nature. When
three days later. l passed along th
road, l found capitals had been adde
TO the pillars, covering the heads O
the poor mer. who had thus horrlbl
been done to death.
Tie corresp spondent saws that th
Governorshlp Of state IS held by III
man VINO makes the largest present I
the Shah As the Governor collect
the taxes aud must force the amour
Of this present from the people q
we'll as substantial sum for hlm.eIl
the condition Of tue people IS pitlabis
Unless they struggle to raise IA
amounts demanded they are liable {
be thrown into prison or thevv may h
executed a, tue pleasure Of tue Go'
ernor uho nas bou-n, this Office