Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-07-07
ABOLISH CARR0TE
Cuban Government Proposed
to Do Away With Capital
Punishment.
WILL REFORM CRIMINALS
Manner of Imposing Death in Island
Republic Most CrueI-Why
Gomez Is Opposed.

Cuba is to abolish capital punish
ment. DR.. Manuel Secades. consulting
attorney of the interior department of
Cuba, is studying the modern prisons
in this country. Cuba is to have up
TO date prisons too.
There are fourteen murderers in
Principe penitentiary now, but they
probably never will be executed. So
far President Gomez has followed the
plan used by Kansas governors for
years when lodging the carrying out
of the death penalty-he simply refuses
to set the date on which a condemned
man shall die. Governor Magoon die
the same thing when he was in charge
OF the island, arguing that if Cuban1
were to be executed it was up to tha
Cubans to do it.
With the adjustment of capital pun
ishment in Cuba the western hemi-
sphere will be rid Of one of the most
cruel death dealing devices ever made
by mantle garrote, introduced into
Cuba by the Spaniards. In demand
ing a penalty the SpaniaTds asked more
than the life of a man, and the gar
rote. with its slow torture preceding
death. answered their purpose.
THE GARRoTE DESCRIBED.
The mechanism is simple There is
an upright post. IL front of which is
stool. on which the man about TO be
executed sits. Attached to the upright
is a wooden collar REINFORCED by iron
strips made to adjust around a per
sons neck. After the collar is put on
the executioner. or verdugo, twists a
long wooden bar. The effect is n tight
ening Of the collar on the victim
neck. The pressure is continued until
the neck is broken. This plan OF bring
ing death sometimes takes fifteen min
utes.
President Palma didn't entertain the
same scruples about capital punish
ment that his successor has. and thirty
men were put to death during his four
year reign.
The verdugO always is a murderer
who has been sentenced to death. For
his work in killing others he receives
time off, the same as for good be-
havior, and also ST for every Job. The
verdugo is a privileged character too.
He has an apartment in the prison for
himself alone. enjoys better food and
on the whole is al important function
airy OF the government.
One Spanish execurioner named Jose
was kept so busy that he obtained his
release within seven years. He had
put seventy persons to death. With
the SIT he received for each execution
Jose left the prison with enough money
to get a start in the world. He spent
his money freely and boosted of his
record as an executloner. His good
time was not TO last long. however, for
on the third day of his liberty he was
stabbed 10 death.
There is q little inside story regard. /
ing the opposition of President Gomez .
10 capital punishment. During the in /
terror disturbance in Cuba in 1905 Co /
meZ was a political prisoner 1t so
happened that his cot in Principe
prison was within few feet Of the
room in which the garrote is kept /
Over the black curtains that hid from
view the death device was a sign in
big lettering, "Garrote." Gomez saw il
and chills went up his back. He tossed
on his cot. for he couldn't sleep. and
every time he opened his eyes his gaze
seemed to rest on the sign. He told
his friends that he had experienced
terrible dreams and he was much i'm
pressed Friends say that his expert
ence that night is what figures now in
the presidents objection TO the death
penalty