The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-06
BURIED ALIVE IN PLASTER.
The Hideous Form of Execution Re-
Gently Revived in Persia.
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times
A hideous form of execution which had
not been practced before in twenty years
was revived in Persia not long since to
strike terror to the hearts of the people.
The murder of the Shah was followed by
succession of highway robberies and
murders by nomad tribes, which made
travel exceedingly, dangerous.
To set an example and frighten the out
laws into good behavior Ruhkn-ed- Dow-
leh, governor of Shirez, marched out of
prison 1--WE men who had nothing what
ever to do with the outrages and had
them buried alive in plaster of paris. This
form of execution is called catching" A
hollow pillar is erected over hole about
two feet deep SO as to form a kind of well
Into this the prisoner is put with his head
sticking out over the top. Plaster of paris
is then empted in and, between each
basketful, water is poured into the well.
The plaster hardens, soon stopping the
circulation and causing the most excru-
ciating agony.
About 3 a. M, on Sunday, May 10, the
five prisoners, chained neck to neck
were marched out of prison, and, slowly
escorted by a large mob. who were kept
from pressing too close by soldiers with
fixed bayonets and others with long sticks
they were taken to the Koran gate, near
the Bagh-i-No, on the town side of which,
alongside the road, their wells had been
prepared. 1t took one hour to reach the
Bagh-i-No, but the torture of this form
OF execution being unknown to the pris-
oners, they walked along without sign
of fear.
They were taken into a .high-walled
garden, a guard being placed at the en-
trance, and in short time the first to
be executed was brought out. Round his
neck was steel collar with a chain,
which his guard held tightly in his hand.
Some one offered him a pitcher of water
from which he eagerly drank, and then,
not knowing to what awful death he was
doomed, he walked calmly and without
word to his well. Il took nearly half
an hour to fiji the well with Catch, during
all which time the sticks of the soldiers
were In use to keep the crowd from press
ing too close and hampering the move
ments of those employed with the Catch.
After this the second was brought out
When the Catch became solid and tight
ened on the poor prisoner his yells were
frightful 10 listen to, and as they were
carried over the walled garden those watt
ing their turn realized that the death to
which they were doomed, so far from be-
ing the painless one they had hoped for.
was OF terrible nature.
And the fourth man was led from the
garden he begged the executioner TO take
him to the bazaar, where he would find
some one to give him ten humans ($1O),
after which he could cut his head OFF.
The fifth man became even more frantic
as the yells issued from the mouths OF
his companions. Spare mel Spare met
he cried "and will show you where 1000
humans lie hid" but his offer came too
late. Three days later capitals were added
TO the pillars, covering the heads of the
men.
The cries of the poor victims are fright
full Their faces turn red, then purple,
then almost black and often their eyes
literally pop out of their heads. Death us
ually comes in an hour. leaving the face
discolored and often distorted from all
No one who knows ever questions the
humility OF a ,,innn of cuf glass II the trnde