The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-12-27
.HE late DIR. Benjamin How
/ ard, an Englishman by birth.
/ an American by adoption, q

an American by adoption, a
veteran of the Civil War, and
a physician of international standing.
says, in his writings that in 1859 he be-
came interested in the different convict
systems of the world, the study of
criminology and prison reform. And
so, beginning with 1885, he began to
travel considerably for the purpose Of
making thorough Investigations Of
these subjects. He went through the
principal prisons of England, Germany
and the United States, and through
every convict prison between st. Pc
tersburg and Siberia; at Vladivostock
he met the governor OF the mysterious
island of Sakhalin-still regarded as in
evitably the grave of every Russian
murderer sent there-who invited him
to make visit 10 his prison home. DR..
Howard joyfully grasped this opportu-
nifty, and during his residence in the
penal settlement accompanied the gov
ernor on all his tours Of inspection, be-
came familiar with the innermost
working Of every department, and at
each of the f1oggings which occurred
the culprits were examined by him Per-
sonally before, during and after the ex-
ecution of the sentence. Inasmuch as
DIR. Howard enjoys the distinction of
being the only foreigner who has ever
remained overnight on the island, his
account of the life of the convicts and
his unique experiences, embodied in
his posthumous work, Prisoners Of
Russia" will be read with unusual in
terest.
1t was by the merest accident that
DR.. Howard was permitted to see a
prisoner punished with the terrible
knout. One day in the Korsakoffsk
settlement the report Of drowning &C.
cident made him hurry off to the beach,
where he found the newly appointed
medical inspector. DR.. A, endeav-
oring to resuscitate the patient. Asked
where he had learned the method of ar
tificial respiration he was employing he
answered that it was the American
method, known as the "direct method y
of Professor Howard, and that he had
learned 1t In St. Petersburg. DR.. How
ard says:
HE was immensely astonished at
finding that the person who was show
ing his pleasure in the returning life
of the patient was himself the author
of the method, and from that day on
ward, both in the hospital and out of 1t
DR.. A treated me with as much
consideration and respect as If l were
the senior physician Of the post, and
he merely an assistant"
It was, therefore, only natural that
the Russian should ask the American
to help him in making a report upon
the condition of prisoner condemned
to receive the maximum legal sentence
of 100 lashes. DR.. A. said to the
writer:
'He is a weakly sort Of creature, and
I feel very anxious about taking the
responsibility of it. At the same time,
as you know, I am a new man here,
and it might be unpleasant for me to
venture to obstruct the execution OF a
sentence passed by the court, except
for reasons which would be manifestly
unuuestionable. The fact is. was
Just thinking if 1 couldn't manage to
get you to lelp me through the matter.
You see, as you have been university
professor, and are n guest OF the gov
ernor, a professional concurrence on
your part would fortify my position,
whatever it might be, and make 1t I'M
pregnable."
The governor though obviously an
noyed, made no open protest. Both
surgeons agreed that the man would
survive the flogging. The sentence
was executed in the quadrangle of the
prison. The prisoner was strapped
face downward upon a large low, rath'
er narrow and very solid looking bench
or table about fourteen inches high
having in it's top pairs of slit-shaped
perforations. This was the kabyla, OF
fogging table. DR.. Howard writes:
"From the same kamera from which
the culprit had come, tall. stalwart
man stepped forth. His face was stern
but without malice. He had In his
hand what appeared at first sight to be
short handled, long bullock whip. AS
he came forward he drew the multiple
thongs through his fingers in an expert
fashion, as if to straighten them
stalked three or four PAGES in a
straight line from the kabyla on its
right, and marked the distance with
his heel. This man was the execu'
toner. With military precision he
planted his right foot firmly on the
marked spot, and, raising his hand as
high as he was able, with a clever
wrist movement he sent the thongs
swishing backward and forward, the
hiss ending with ping like that of
minnie bullet. Slightly changing the
position of his foot he repeated this
proceeding two or three times. He