Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-12-16
CUBAN EXECUTIONS.
Spanish Method Of Inflcting the Death
Penalty.


The most interesting object at the
Carcel is the garrote, the Spanish in
strument for infiicting the death penal
ty. 1t is kept in separate room in
special box, in which it is packed
away as a piece of machinery A
seventeen-year convict who has killed
fourteen different men with this in
strument set the machinery together
and explained the manner of perform.
Ing an execution. The garrote con-
sists of a heavy wooden post standing
up back OF chair, both of which are
nrmly fastened in heavy platform.
In the front and at the top of the post
is strong steel bar about twelve
inches long and shaped exactly like an
Indians bow, except that in the CEN
ter OF this steel bow is small knob
about quarter of an inch high and
haif an inch in diameter. This knob
IS made to fit into the hollow in the
back of the head at the base of the
BRAIN Two iron bars connected with
a continuance running through the
strong upright post run out past the
ends OF this bow. and at the end Of
one of the bars is a kind of throat
latch, resembling a slightly bent
bridle-bit The criminal to be exc
cuted is seated on the chair and his
mead placed between the iron bars
back against the steel bow, with the
KNOB hitting into the hollow of his
neck. The bit-shaped bar is brought
across the throat and fastened to the
END OF the opposite bar with a KEY.
Nhicn prevents any possibility of its
silpplns loose. The mans head is
mus virtually places in a steel collar.
Ills hands are tied in front of him
ana iron anklets at the end of chains
are slipped upon him, so that he is
hrmly bound to the chair Nothing is
put over his eyes, and he is left to
see and hear all that goes on around
hlm. The contrivance at the back Of
the post connecting with the iron bars
passing each side of the neck and
drawing the bit-shaped instrument IN
against the throat, looks like a great
auger, except that the handles are
slightly bent backward to give the
operator greater leverage. The threads
on his auger-like continuance are of
brass and strong and run through the
spiral grooves OF heavy, brass-lined
collar at the back of the post so that
when the handles are turned it draws
the throat-latch tight up against the
steel bow, If nothing is placed be-
tween them, in. the same way that
turning the lever of a letter press
brings the upper and lower parts to-
gether This part of the mechanism
is Kept highly oiled and its parts work
with perfect freedom. One-half revo-
luton or the handles does the deadly
work A tin can was placed in the
collar and the lever given one quick
turn to Illustrate the working of the
garrote. The can was smashed in an
instant. In the same manner a mans
neck is instantly broken, one or more
OF the vertebrate being forced out OF
position and the spinal cord fhus
crushed or severed The platform on
which the garrote is placed has seven
steps, and the black coat of the exc
cutloner has seven white stripes rep
resenting them.
When an execution is to take place
the garrote is sometimes erected in
the plaza at the side of the prison and
sometimes at Santa Clara Battery. A
priest is in attendance and gives the
signal to the executioner. AS soon as
the mar IS Killed black mantle is
thrown over him to shut off the gaze
of the public.
There is nothing particularly cruel
in the look of this convict executioner
When asked how the men seated IN
the chair with the steel collar about
their necks acted and whether he felt
sorry for them or not, he said they
often trembled till they shook the gar.
rote and that sometimes he was sorry
and sometimes he wasnt-Times OF
Cuba.