Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 10.pdf/508

 A Philippine Execution. sion came into view after its long journey from the central jail, over a mile away: — First came the cavalry, then a group of priests, among whom marched a man wear ing an apron, carrying the sacred banner of the church, embroidered in black and gold. Next marched the prison officials, and be hind them came two small, open tip-carts, drawn by ponies, in which traveled the con demned men, each supported by a couple of priests, who held crucifixes before their eyes, exhorting them to confess and believe. Followingthe carts, which were surrounded by a square of soldiers, walked the execu tioner, himself a condemned criminal, but spared from being executed by his choosing to accept the office of public executioner. Last of all came a small company of sol diers, with bayoneted guns, and the whole procession advanced to the foot of the steps leading to the platform. The garroting instrument seems to con sist of a collar of brass, whose front piece opens on a hinge, and part of whose rear portion is susceptible to being suddenly pushed forward by the impulse of a big, fourth-rate screw working through the post, something after the system of a letter-press. The criminal sentenced to death is seated on a small board attached to the upright, his neck is placed in the brass collar, the front piece is snapped to, and when all is ready, the executioner merely gives the handle of the screw a complete turn. The small, moving back piece in the collar is by this means suddenly pushed forward against the top of the spine of the unfortunate, and death comes instantaneously from the snap ping of the spinal cord. The executioner, in a derby hat, black coat, white breeches, and no shoes, took his

471

position behind the post at one side of the scaffold, and the first victim was carried up out of the cart and seated on the narrow bench. He was too weak to help himself or make resistance; the black cloak was thrown over his shoulders, a rope tied around his waist, the hood drawn down over his face, and the collar sprung around his neck. Then while two priests, with un covered heads, held their crucifixes up be fore him, and sprinkled holy water over the hood and long, black death robes, the chief prison official waved his sword, the execu tioner gave the big screw-handle a sudden twist till his arms crossed, and without a motion of any sort, except a slight forward movement of the naked feet, the first of the condemned men had solved the great prob lem. The second poor wretch all the while cowered in the little cart; but when his turn came he ascended the steps with more forti tude. After he had put on the long, black gown and hood, he seated himself on the bench at the second post, and the same process was repeated. But the screw-thread seemed to be rusty, and one of the native officials helped the executioner give the handle an additional turn, for which he was promptly fined twenty dollars. The doctor tarried a few moments on the scaffold, the priests read several prayers and shook the holy water over the immovable black robed figures wedded to the posts, and then, after one of the acolytes had nearly set fire to the flowing gown of the head padre with his long candle, every one descended. The crowds began to disperse, the young girls chatted and joked with each other, the curious were satisfied, and the bamboo-trees were left to lift their heads at leisure.