The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-23
plain Dut, rorture I'm Ponce.

Detailed accounts and photographs of the
plain duty" garroting in Ponce. Porto
Rico, on April 5, have reached the main
land. The whole truth concerning the af
fair serves to show that the crime against
civilization was much more disgraceful
than it appeared from the brief reports
cabled at the time. The people of Porto
Rico regarded the event with unspeakable
horror and loathing. Executions by the
garrote torture had been abandoned in
the island since 1898 and the inhabitants
were shocked to learn that it was to be
revived under the auspices of our Federal
authorities.
They fully understood. however, that an
object lesson was intended TO convince
them that their status is one of subject
colonists without American constitutional
rights. No Porto Rican could be found TO
act the part Of chief torturer. That pleas
ant duty was undertaken by an enlisted
man of the Fifth Cavalry. named Schwei-
ger. under a penitentiary sentence for
murder. on condition of pardon.
AS our readers will remember. there
were five victims. They were driven to
the scaffold on the plaza in open carts, ac-
companied by priests. Every arrangement
had been made to render the spectacle as
public and impressive as possible. The
American police took charge of the work
A company Of American troops was drawn
up in sight to prevent disorder. The an
cient and long -disused implements of hor-
ror were in evidence. The paraphernalia
had been tinkered as well as might be. but
was in poor condition. We quote from the
narrative of New York World" corre-
spondent who attended the function:
Near the scafrold. raised wooden affair twelve
by twenty-four feet, reached by a staircase zen
feet high. waited another crowd with hushed
voices and white frightened faces. Up the stairs
the shackled men were led by the police and each
seated in the chair which was a part Of the
garroting machine and of the details Of which no
student of American government can longer al
ford to be ignorant
The back of the chair is toward the post
which holds in place the iron collar regulated By
the great strangling screw. Two heavy rings OF
lion, jointed together. attach the criminals feet
to the floor. While this Is being arranged his
neck is forced into the pitiless iron embrace of
the garrote and the screw frightened little. les.
he escape and the State be cheated Of its victim
Then his trembling hands are bound together and
left resting in his lap. Finally the black cap ID
drawn his face and he sits powcrlcss TO
move a hairs breadth, only the outlines of his
form visible, like sable spectre. This work was
done by Garcias and his two asSistants-rathcr
bUnglingfy, for they unused to it, and the
rusty from long lack Of usage. At
last all five Of the condemned sat there sable.
shrouded, waiting for their lives to be officially
crushed out"
The ensuing ceremonies must have been
eminently interesting to the spectators.
AS an illustration OF the Administration
crown colonial policy what could have been
more thrilling or representative. Again
we quote the World correspondent
zone Of the priests stepped to the front O,
the scsffold and began to pray. He was agitated,
and bis words were indistnguishable. But when
be came to the Amen he spoke it cleary-It
was the signal The executiOner. who stood be-
hind Eugenio Rodriguez. threw all his strength
on the cruel screw. 1t turned sowly-onc reyo-
luton. sound of undesirable agony came
from Rodriguez's throat. That meant that he
not dead. Awkwardly the eXecutioncr CON
tinues the strangling. Slowly hr effects another
revolution Of the screw.
The crowd waits and watches The priests bend
in prayer. All seem 10 share the horror OF those
four shroudcd things whose turn Is yet to come.
At last the victim is dead His neck is crushed
by the frightened collar. his spine broken by the
iron spike which the screw has driven into the
back Of his neck. His body witches still, but
that is because his death has been violent The
executioner concludes that his job Is done and
passes on 10 the next screw.
-Four times this horrible performance was re-
peated The first victim did at $50, the second
Rosalio Santiago at 9:O3. His only request was
that his face might be completely covered before
he was subjected TO the torture. Hermogcnes
Pacheco was the third. He died at 9:25. lie is
followed by his brother Carlos. who tried TO speak
TO the public before sitting in the death chair.
and who himself carefully tested the garrote TO
see il il was strong. Carlos died al 9:3i. Tie
last man, Simeon Rodriguez. was almost uncon-
seious before his time fer strangling came. lie
made a faint sign, however, as II 70 salute the
crowd, before they seated him in the chair. lie
died at 9;i2
IAN through this long scene of torture there
was perfect quiet in the crowd. The first dem
onstration WAS caused by attempt the part Of
the executoner 70 address the people after his
work done But cries OF NO! NOi' showed
that this was not 10 be tolerated. 1t was plain
that the people Of Ponce wished Il to be under
stood that they had hand in the official gar
roting."
And the Star Spangled Banner in tri-
umph shall wave DER the Land of the
Free and the Home of the Brave!"