Bisbee daily review., 1912-09-08
TORTURE PRISON ECHOES WA|L|nGS
 OF HANGING MEN
Suspects in Korea Reported Strung Up by Thumbs
 and Toes; Beaten
 While Hanging

mountain on whose sides the head quarters of the governor general of Korea is situated. there are two small buildings, one frame and the other brick. near the headquarters Of the gendarmerie.
 A prisoner under suspicion Is first put into a solitary cell in the frame building on scant rations. There in winter the cold is severe, for the building in unheated Most of the prisoners accused of conspiring against the governor general were ar rested last fall and winter Tn the brick building Is what Is described as the torture chamber, There the examinations" are conduct ed, usually at night.
 Hung Up By Thumbs
 The most common torture is that of hanging up by the thumbs, ac- cording to those said to be conyer- sant with the facts. The prisoner, on being brought into the torture chamb CT, is stripped naked His left arm is passed behind his back. palm and fingers upward, resting on his right shoulder blade. His right arm is put up. his hand extended, palm outward, and fingers down over his right shoulderblade. A strong string Is fastened around the left thumb, over which there is a case of some kind 10 keep the strings from cutting the flesh. In the same manner the right thumb is tied to the same string, after which the two thumbs are drawn to- gether.
 To this string holding the thumbs there is fastened rope that extends through a pulley in the ceiling, through another pulley in a side wall and then down to a hook on the side wall.
 The examiner" thus ties up pris- oner who has refused to give such testimony as is desired. goes to the rope and jerks 1t though the pulleys, and up the victim goes.
 Says Hanging Men are Lashed
 This leaves the prisoner suspended, his tip-toes barely above the floor, ey- cry muscle of his body in racking strain. He is then beaten on the back, stomach and on his sides. the instru. ment being a sort of frayed rattan switch. The switching does not al ways bring the blood upon a tough skin. but. as 1t is described. every blow seems to cut deep into the flesh
 Some who have experienced this method of judicial suasion have said that they have seen by the clock on the wall that they were kept hanging more than an hour before they be- came unconscious under the agony.
 At times the examiners would ask them to confess. If there was Re answer a lighted cigarette was touch ed to the flesh to see if the prisoner was conscious. If unconscious the prisoner was dropped and cold water thrown on him until he was brought to.
 This portion e the exercises" was conducted by a Japanese physician.
 Reports Being Thrice Killed"
 q was killed and brought back to life three times declared one Of the prisoners in open court, describ- ing the impressions made on him by this method of procedure
 While the prisoner is in the midst of this torture a long statement ia written out. which is said to be the mans confession" The next day the statement is read to him and his as sent demanded.
 You said yesterday" the examiner declares. The prisoner pronounced the written statements false-thinss he never could have dreamed Of He gives testimony to prove his oral state such as he had been iu at the time or away from the place. No alihis are permitted
 The examiner hits him on the ears Men have said they had been unable to hear for weeks. Maybe the prison CT is kicked in the stomach and car ried out unconscious. Perhaps he is in the physicians hands for week He is taken back and told that. sev- eral others have been killed and that the same fate will be his if he5 aoes not confess to the lies set down in the confession" prepared for him. Burned and Then "Iced."
 With some this threat is sufficient. If one replies that he cannot lie, the captors tie his thumbs behind his back as before, stand him crouched under a shelf about four and half iFC1 AAobl tue llOpis oh us AiBAOSSs his heels touching the wall behind him. the cord from his thumbs being fastened to the wall to hold him in position. He cannot move. Hot irons are held in front of him till he feels as if his flesh is being burned to a crisp; he is told that he is to be burned if he does not say yes" to what has been written for him. He denies. Then suddenly they apply ice to his limbs and he thinks he is burned
 T was fried with hot irons" testi- | fed one of the men on the stand. Not many of the prisoners had op- portunity to wedge in much descrip- ton of their experiences. The court wanted to hear nothing on this sub ject.
 This frying" usually does the work. Under conviction that his body | ia baino conSuned bv fra fha rriuone