The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-09-09
BRANDED CRIMINALS.
The Spanish Mode of Punishment Ii
in Use in south
America.

The arrest in this city few days ago
of young woman whose back bore the
marks of the three-lashed Spanish
whip, and whose left ear had been
Shortened" by the executioner's knife,
bears evidence to the fact that barbar-
Gus treatment of criminals is still prac-
ticed in the South American as well as
in some European countries.
Louise johnson, alias Little LOU"
whom the police call the cleverest con-
fidence woman in the country, was ar
rested recently on the charge of shop
lifting. The police seldom have diff
Guilty in apprehending her, for the miss
ing ear is a tell-tale mark.
In this respect the woman's case is
similar to those of a score of other
crooks who have felt foreign prison tor
lures and have been released, marked
for life.
The case of the johnson woman is re-
garded by Capt. McClusky, chief of de-
tectiyes, as probably one of the most
remarkable in its extreme cruelty that
has ever come under his observation.
The wife of big Tom" Bigelow, the
English bank robber, young, educated
and beautiful, she was arrested in Bra
iii less than five years ago, charged
with robbing q Spanish countess of
several thousand dollars worth of dia-
monds. She had a typical South Amer.
lean trial, was sentenced to receive 40
lashes on the bare back and to have her
left ear cut off. Forty lashes usually
means death to woman, but this did
| not alone satisfy Brazilian justice.
That the woman survived her punish.
| ment is remarkable, but as criminal
she is no longer success, for though
she wears her hair plastered down over
the spot where the knife passed, she
cannot hide the Disagreement.
Some months ago well-dressed
italian was arrested by detectives who
regarded his actions in the banking
| district as suspicious. He was ques.
toned at police headquarters, but pro-
| tested his innocence of criminal intent.
| He was about to be released when one
of the detectives observed an ugly scar
on the mans forehead. On examina-
ton it proved to be a brand, the letter
CT" Questioned, the man confessed
that he had been released from Ser
Wan prison, where he had been brand
ed as a thief. Several instances are on
record at headquarters where prisoners
have been proved international crimi-
nails by the marks of the knout and
whip upon their bodies.
| A remarkable case was that of Aban
Sassen, Bulgarian, recently captured
in Boston. Sassen had committed some
political offense in his own country
and the law demanded that his nose be
split. Sassen was wanted in several
cities, among them Chicago, on charges
of swindling, and, though'a skilled sur
geon had long before sewn up the dis
figured nose, the scar from the tip to
the forehead was too plainly visible to
be overlooked.
At the barge Office are stationed gov.
eminent detectives whose duty it is to
pr event foreign criminals from enter
ing the country. Here the indelible
marks of the iron and whip often make
detection certain.
Frequently these poor unfortunates
beg for admission, saying that, marked
forever, they cannot live longer among
their own people, and they have come
to America to hide among strangers
Many were convicted of political of.
lenses, and these are generally admit
ted.
ayes, we frequently come across a
poor fellow who has been compelled
to carry the marks of cruel punishment
to his grave" said Capt. McClusky. "a
marked criminal, like dead Indian, is
almost certain to be good crook, for
he has but small chance of getting
away."-N. Y. World.
| Whv