The age-herald., 1902-05-03
The 'sWater Cure. ''
 From the Springfield Republican.

From the Springfield Republican.
 If there be misapprehension anywhere as to the real character of the water cure" if there be anyone who honestly considers it form of college hazing, he can easily be set right by a little study of the high place of the "cure" among the tortures employed in Europe | during the Middle Ages to extract con- fessions from persons accused of crime, or from heretics, or from prisoners of war. For purposes of public enlighten- ment, the case of the Marquise de Brin- villiers in France, over two centuries ago, may be related That noble woman pois- oned her father, NJ dAubrey, and her brother, in order to inherit their money She had been instructed in the use of the poison by the .seigneur de Sainte Croix, and when afterwards he was found dead in his laboratory, killed by poisonous fumes, the recepies for the poison were discovered. An accomplice named La- ehaussee was put to torture by the au- thorittes, and he implicated in his con fession the Marquise de Brinviliers, who was immediately arrested for the murder of her father and brother. Our present interest in that celebrated criminal case Hes entirely in the kind of torture to which the Marchoness was subjected, in
 
 trial began after Lachaussee had been broken on the wheel
 In July, 1676, at Paris, the Marchioness was put to the test. It is related that the judges retired the terrible appara- tus" was revealed The woman surveyed 1t with the utmost frmness; then, per ceiving three buckets of water, she turn ed to the registrar, not wishing to speak to the executioner and said: Tt is to drown me, doubtless, that so much water has been brought here; for surely, Mon sieur, considering my size, you have not, l trust, the desire to make me swallow it. The account says that the water was thus handled and administered to the tor tured prisoner: The executioner had near him four jars full of water, each contain Ing about 21R pints, and for the eXtraor- dinary torture eight of the same size, making for the ordinary 10 and for the extraordinary 20 pints of water which the victim was forced to swallow The exc 1 cutioner held a vessel like a wine strain CT in his hand; he placed this against the mouth. pouring 21s pints down it, leav- ing an interval for the prisoner to con- fess, or reply to the questions put. An extract from the records of the trial goes on to say:
 The torture by the injection of water was renewed, whereupon she cried sew eral times in great agony, beseeching the mercy of heaven. Again admonished to confess, she said they might kill her, but she would not lay the guilt of perjury upon her soul The torture was repeated, she was again convulsed but was silent. The torture was thrice repeated but she spoke not; upon the third time she answered only with deep groan and an ejaculation to Heaven. Upon which she was unbound removed from the rack and placed before the fire in the custom ary manner"
 The sickening details of the Chamber of Torture in Paris 2A centuries ago need not be related beyond that point The story proves-what it seems necessary to prove-that the water cure" which has been in use in the Philippines to force confessions from natives. far from being form of college hazing," was a recog- nized mode of torture in Europe in the Middle Ages, and was employed along with the thumb screw, the wheel and the red-hot iron to eXtort confessions from persons charged with offenses against State and Church. Doubtless, it was in- troduced into the Philippines by the early Spaniards. As taught to soldiers by the native Macabebe scouts, the torture now seems to be even more cruel than it was when practiced upon the Marquise de Brlnvilliers; for in the Philippines 1 after the internal organs have been dis | tended with quarts gallons of water | agony to tho victim has often been caused | by violent.y striking the stomach or | kneading the abdomen in order to cause | a sudden election of water from the mouth.