The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-13


from the prisoners themselves, and in his
said literally to lie. The knout consists of
a thick wooden stick. to which is fastened
a strongly plated lash, about thirty inches
long and two inches wide, and this thong
is cut as to form three lashes at its end.
A convict who retains the smallest degree
of human feeling can never be induced TO
undertake this Office, and thus only the
most reprobate and hardened criminals are
chosen for the dread work. To these IN
human creatures the courts of Russia IN
trust human life 1t is in their power to IN
fiict only light punishment upon the con-
demned, to make him a cripple Tor the rest
of his days, or to send him to his grave on
the spot; and yet the officials never ceem
it necessary to put any restraint on these
f1oggers. The experienced foggers are
really skilled at their work. If they wish
to show any mercy to the delinquent they
rain blows on his body with the middle part
of the whip, while the cruel tips of 1t ran
beyond the prisoner and on the bench; tut
if no mercy is to be given, then the knout
is made to do its fell purpose. In the hands
of a skilled fogger the motions OF the knout
are so quick that they can scarcely be
rightly followed by an inexperienced OBJ
server In either case the prisoner natu-
TaiIv howIs. but the differences in the result
is very marked. The lightened form OF
punishment can be bought, and woe to him
who is not able to propitiate the hogger.
Permanent injury and death as the re-
suits of the knouts were formerly by no
means rare, but now they are exceptions
Very much depends also upon the person
ality of the chief of the prison. IL he is
man of the least kindly feeling he will not
allow the fiogging to be carried out TO grew
some lengths but are there many such men
to be found on the outermost fringe Oh the
Russian empire?
The courts generally condemn to iogging
confirmed criminals. fugitives from Siberia
and Vagabonds, MANY of whom have re-
ceived altogether from five hundred to six
hundred blows. An old Siberian tramp TN
ished his curriculum vitae with the following
words: II have received, all tod, 4UJ
stripes of the birch rod. 600 blows from the
or1d 1lNfoTip 81
As is to be expected, the statistics OF the
Siberian prisons show the futility of these
portion as the punishments increase IN num-
Der and cruelty so the relapses ana back
sidipgs into crime increase. Nostalgia, or
intensified inconsistencies, Is curlously sIfong
in the inmates of the Siberian prisons, and
will not be repressed by the most cruei sys-
tenn Of whipping.
knout which is the rarer form of punish
ment and must be ordered by a court or
law. The usual corporal punishment by
means Of rods and sticks is somewhat dill
erent for they form the alpha and omega
of the corrective measures In use IN 81
berian prisons. This form of punishment
is regarded rather as a bagatelle, and yet
it's effects are much worse than those Of the
knout for it is melted out TO all in the same
measure. 1t needs not 10 be ordained by
court of law and the victim undergoes no
previous medical examination as to his mt
ness to bear the punishment Every gov
ernor Of prisons can give thirty ana every
district governor one hundred of these
blows at their sole discretion. 1t IS the
naked truth that even criminals when
grievously i'll do not escape the punishment.
A female prisoner in the district of kor-
sakov was whipped TO such an extent that
she fell down dead That the governors or
Siberian prisons are not all monsters. but
that there are in exceptional cases kindly
hearted men is seen in the case OF Sip1agin,
the former director of the prison at irkutsk.
He went so far in his damtless reforms as
to entirely abolish punishment by whipping
And what was the result2 The prison disci-
plne improved astonishingly, transgrsssions
and crimes almost ceased to be the order OF
the day and attempts to escape became
thing of the past.