Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-28
ROBINSON CRUSOE'S CHEST
The Maiden" That Cut Her Best
Friend Dead.
TOYS THAT TORTURED SINNERS
Mr.. Curtis Tells of the University,
the Portrait Gallery, the Scots
man and Other Things.
RY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star ana Inc
Chicago Record Herald.

Special Correspondence Of The Star and Inc
Chicago Record Herald.
EDINBURGH. September 90 1908.
The University of Edinburgh was FOUND
ed by a boy of seventeen-king James VI
of Scotland. who as you know. was after
ward James l of England and the long
missing link that united England and
Scotland into a single nation 1T was
about the best thing he ever did. and MS
reign was one of the longest on record 1t
began when he was an infant. January
% 1867, and ended with his death In 100,
at the age of fifty-nine years.
In 1851, when he was fourteen years
old, he took the government into his own
hands, and the Earl of Morton. who had
been a very cruel and dictatorial regent.
was publicly executed by the maiden,
a simple sort of guillotine which he had
invented to cut other peoples heads off
without ever imagining that 1t would
some time be used to cut off his own. The
original is in the museum that occupies
a part of the National Portrait Gallery-a
frame work of wood overhang1ng block
on which the head that needed ampu-
tation was laid. and then a heavy steel
blade about sixteen inches long and eight
inches wide, was dropped about five feet
from the top through grooves to the prop
er place. The knife was heavily weighted
and fell like pile driver. SO that the
operation need not be repeated.
1t is a smple-lOoking affair and rather
rudely made, but for hundred years or
more it did great deal of business. The
man who has charge of the museum will
give you list of those eminent citizens
whose heads were cut off by 1t, including
two of the Dukes of Argyle. father and
son. in 1861 and 1855. and the Regent
Morton whom l have already mentioned.
in a n
strument was used was in 40. 1t was
then placed on the retired list and has
been only an object of curiosity since.
The guillotine. like that of Paris. was
of the city, between the Cathedral of St.
Giles and the old parliament house on
High street. the principal thoroughfare in
olden times. which was constantly
thronged with lords and ladies. soldiers
and statesmen. clergymen and adven-
turers. A tail cross stands there now.
where royal edicts were proclaimed and
proclamations from the king. and after
ward from the common council, were read
to the public.
Robinson Crusoe's Chest.
Beside The Maiden is another even
more interesting object, particularly to
boyS-the actual sea chest of Alexander
Selkirk, the hero of Robinson Crusoe,
which was put ashore with him on the
island Of Juan Fernandez, when he was
marooned there by the captain of the
bark cling Ports" and contained his
seaman's outfit. 1t was brought away on
the ship that rescued him, and, when he
returned to Scotland, he left it at his
fathers home. where 1t remained among
his descendants until it was transferred
to the museum. 1t Is heavy, ungainly
wooden chest, entirely empty, and the
name Alex. Selkirk'' is painted on one
&rI1 <t,.< no, al TNafr
saw this chest, or, If he did. he neglected
to give it an advertisement in his fasci
mating book. He read an account OF Sell
kinks adventures In a Scottish newspaper
and became so interested that he got into
with him and afterward
met him in London, where, In three or
four interviews at coffee house, he OBJ
tanned materials for the story that has
been read by more boys. and with greater
interest, than any that was ever written
outside of the Bible.
Christian Torture Tools.
Near Selkirk's chest is the "Stool Of
upon which offenders. who
were not bad enough to be sent to Jail or
put In the stocks, and were sorry for
their sins, were sentenced to sit In sack
cloth and ashes all day. or for a part
Of day in a public place. while their
neighaors jeered at them. St is a broad
bottomed stool about four feet high, SO
that everybody who was going along could
have a good look at the occupant.
In tits little corner are several other in
of touture that were actually
used here in Edinburgh They illustrate
the progress of civilization. The 'branks"
is an arrangement intended to stretch the
body at the risk of pulling the bones
apart and severing the muscles and ten
dons. which it often did.
The "thumbikinS' was an arrangement
to crush the thumbs and its last victim
was Principal CarstairS of the university,
who afterWard recovered 1t and kept 1t as
a souvenir. Several other pretty things
like that were adopted by Christian people
for centuries here in this city to persuade
human beings to change their opinions
on theological and other subjects, or to
disclose secrets which they were sup
posed to be hiding.
John Knox must have preached from a
good many pulpits. for we find them
most every place we go. There is one
here which he is said to have occupied
longer than those we have seen at other
places. 1t formerly stood in st. Giles Ca
thedral.
In one of the cases is a blue ribbon worn
by Bonnie Prince Charlie" as Knight
of the Garter when he was in Scotland In
1745. and a ring given by him to Flora
the handsome and nervy young
woman who rescued him and took him out
of the country disguised as her serving
maid.
John Paul Jones a Flirt.
Suspended from the walls of the mu-
scum are several of the banners carried
by the Covenanters in battle, and In re-
frame are several autographs. one
of which appeals particularly to us. 1t is
a letter written by John Paul Jones to a
lady in Edinburgh. 1t does not sound
much like the composition of a sailor, but
we know that Capt. Jones was quite as
handy in Irritation as he was in a fight.
1t is written in a plain, round hand, and
reads as follows:
paris, August 20, 1886
Madame:
1T Is with great pleasure that I
now execute the flattering commission
you gave me before you left this city.
Sir James Stuart. who returns imme
diately to Scotland. does me the honor
to take charge of the medallion you de-
sired 1 might send you. l am unable
to say whether 1t is we'll or i'll executed
but 1 feel that 1t acquires great value