The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1917-08-16
"Not whisky; water. I'm going to
give you Il drink Of water"

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"When you've drunk enough you'l
tell me why you killed your employc,
and where General Longorlo has tuker
his wife. Yes. and everything else
want to know" Selling the amazed
Mexican. Dave flung him upon Mo
ralcs' hard board bench, and In spite O,
the fellows struggles deftly made hin,
fnst. When he had finlshcd-and II
was no ensy job-Jose luy "sprend.
caglcd' upon his bacls, his wrists and
ankles firmly bound to the corners and
foot posts, his body secured by n tight
loop over his waist. The rope cut
painfully and brought n curse from the
prisoner when he strained ut it. LAW
surveyed him with fncc of stone.
Il don't want to do this" he de-
clared, 'but know your kind, give
you one more chance. Will you tell
me?"
Jose drew his lips back in a snarl Of
rage and pain, and Dave realized that
further words were useless. He felt a
certain pity for his victim and no little
admiration for his courage, but such
feelings were Of small conscuuc1icc
as against his agOnizing fears for
Alairc's safety. Had he in the least
doubted Jose's guilty knowledge of
Longorlo's intentions, Dave would have
hesltated before employing the bar
barous measures he had in mind, but
mere was nothing else for it. lie pulled
me canteen cork and jammcd the
mouthpicce firmly to Jose's lips. Clos
ing the fellow's nostrlls with his free
hand' he forced him to drink.
Jose clenched his teeth, he tried to
ron MS head, he held his breath until
MS race grew purple and his eyes
oulged. He strained like q man upon
'he rack. The bench crcukcd to his
muscular contortions; the rope tight
ened. 1t was terribly cruel, this crush
ing OF strong will bent on resistance
TO the uttermost; but never was an
eHecutioner more pitilcss, never did
prisoners agony receive less conSd-
Grafton. The warm water spilled over
Jose's face, 1t drenchcd his neck and
cheSt his joints crcnkcd as he strOve
for freedom and tried to twist his head
OUT or Laws iron grasp. The seconds
dragged, until finally nature asserted
herSclf. The imprisoned breath burst
forth; there sounded n loud curgling
cry and a choking inhalation. Josc's
body writhed with the commissions of
drowning as the water and air were
sucked into his lungs. Law was kncel-
ing over his victim now, his weight and
strength so applied that Jose had no
liberty of action and could only drink,
coughing and fighting for air. Some
now he managed to revive himself
briefly and again shut his teeth; but
moment more and he was again
rctchcd with the furious battle for mir
more desperate now than before. After
while Law freed his victims nostrils
and allowed him partial breath, then
once more crushed the mouthpiecc
against his lips. BY and by, to relieve
his torture. Jose began to drink in
great noisy gulps, striving to empty
the vessel.
But the stomach's capacity is linn
itcd. In time Jose felt himself burst
ing; the liquid began to regurgitate.
Ihis was not mere pain that he suf-
fercd, but the ultimate nightmare hor-
ror Of death more awful than ANYTHING
he had ever imagined. Jose would
have met a bullet, q knife, a lash, with
out tlinching: flames would not have
served to weaken his resolve; but this
SLOW drowning was infinitely worse
than the worst he had thought pos
siDle; he was suffocating by long,
black, agonizing minutes Every nerve
and muscle Of his body, every cell in
his bursting lungs, fought against the
outrage in purely physical frenzy
over which his will power had no con-
troll. Nor would insensibility come to
his relief--Law watched him too care
fully for that. He could not even voice
his sufferings by shrieks he could only
writhe and reich and gurgle while the
ropes bit into his flesh and his captor
knelt upon him like q monstrous stone
weight.
But Jose had made better fight
than he knew. The canteen ran dry ut
last, and Law was forced to release his
hold.
"Will you speak?" he demanded.
Thinking that he had come safely
through the ordeal, Jose shook his
head; he rolled his bulging bloodshot
eyes and vomited, then managed to call
God to witness his innocence.
Dave went into the next room and
rciilled the cantcen. When he re-
appeared with the dripping vessel In
his hand, Jose tried to scream. But
his throat was torn and strained; the
sound Of his own voice frightened him
Once more the torment began. The
tortured man was weaker now, and In
consequence he resisted more feebly
but not until he was less than half con
scious did Law spare him to recover.