The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-08-04

on-s soiy with a cloth; tne SKIN red
dened, and clear traces OF former
punishmeDts became visible.
/ stood near the doctor, whose face
was flushed with shame.
Ivan Wassiutin." Ivan neared the
horse"
"On with all clothes" said the exc
cutioner. II was long while before
ne grasped the meaning OF the words.
lie down" Wassjutin mounted
the horse" astride.
Take your hands on lie down:
put your arms around the horse"
Wassjutin embraced the horse" Il
was humiliating. horribly humiliating.
TO see a naked man stretched on that
horse" and awaiting the cruel LASH
Chruspel. the executioner, looked like
a dog into the inspectors face.
Thirty rods" Chruspel picked up
a bundle Of rods, drew one out OF
the bundle with astonishing agility.
retired a step. and waited.
Go ahead" The rod whistled
through the air once or twice before
the inspector counted one. Then an
other whistling sound. and a red stripe
was seen on the quaking body. Two.
three. four. i've"
Chruspel threw the rod away and
took up another. He walked over to
the other side OF the horse. Five
more blows fell on the other side OF
the body.
Every five blows required anfther
rod, and Chruspel changed his position
for eacn rod. The sound OF the rod
whistling through the air almost broke
ones heart, and the interval between
two blows seemed lie an eternity.
The inspector counted Twenty
nine. thirty"
Wassjutin rose on the horse and sat
astride. His eyes were filed with
tears. Get on"
Two and half minutes" said the
doctor.
| thought it had lasted an hour
Then came the Caucasians' turn.
Chruspel laid them down on the horse
one after another. He used the knout
on them in accordance with the YER
dict" A look az the inspector ex-
planned to Chruspel what he was to
do. He grasped the knout in the
middle, which is the punishment OF
the half knout."
Bardunoff trembled and shivered.
He looked helpless like a hunted rab-
bit, and attempted to smile Chruspel
poked him in the ribs. Lie down.
Bardunoff convulsively clasped the
Chruspel swung the knout with an
ominous movement. This was not a
punishment in accordance with the
verdict OF the court" this was a
private transaction. according to
the customs Of the Sakhalin prison in
spectors.
The room was perfectly still; not q
breath was heard.
Chruspel gazed lnquirlngly at the
Inspector. The latter looked about
for a moment in confusion. glanced at
the doctor and me. and finally made
a sign to the executioner Chruspel
grasped the half knout" A sigh OF
relief was heard from everyone in the
room. Bardunoffs body trembled con-
vulsively. Heaven knows what ter
rible blows the man had expected. For
the comparatively weak. yet cruel. lash
seemed 10 him child's play
Former Methods.
when l used 10 come to roll call"
. boosted X. II was in the habit OF say
ing: Good morning. dogs Good morn
ing. jailbirds.' And they always re-
piled, joyfully: Good morning. your
honor For they knew that was in
good humor. II | came and did not
call them dogs they knew that some
thing was brewing. When | ordered
, knouting they tainted with fear. fused To
say. ~Knouts and spades TO dig a grave
I wanted TO make them believe that
some one would be knouted 10 death.
My assistants pretended that they were
calming me. The convicts were wal
/. lowing In the dust before me. and
/ wept for mercy. But corporal pun
!shment is no good In my opinion
: nothing beats solitary confinement
: Worse than knouting Two weeks OF
: solitary brings them all to their
senses. Come. and will show you"
1 We entered a gangway which was
) narrow and dark. On both sides we're
D narrow cages. with tiny windows in
e each door The air in the gangway
] made breathing impossible. II smelled
; like a dog kennel. The moment we
J. entered the gangway blood-curdling
a oaths and cries were heard on all
s sides. The convicts howled in frenzy
and attempted TO burst their doors. I
8 was reminded OF a madhouse and OF
a Dante's Inferno
|. Let Gussoff out" commanded the
II Inspector.
/. The guard approached his cage.
From the cell arose a madlened roar:
n Don't come near. don't come near;
A I will murder you
Il We'll. perhaps you'd better leavs
:. him" calmly remarked X.
Don't you see now that this is more