Lehre und Wehre St. Louis, Missouri — April 1908, Seite 179

German transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

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Literatur. 179

potro — a kind of trestle, with sharp-edged rungs aeross it like à ladder.
It slanted so that the head was lower than the keet, and at the lower end
Was a depression in which the head sank, Khile an iron band around the
forehead or throat kept it immovable. Sharp cords, callled cordeles, wlich
out into the slesh, attäched the arms and legs to the side of the trestle, and
others, known as Saνντοτια, krom sticks thrust in them and twisted around
like a tourniquet till the cords eut more or less deeply into the flesh, were
twined around the upper and lover arms, the thiglis and the calves; a
bosteso, or iron prong. distended the mouth, a 400%, or strip of linen, was
thrust down thenathroat to0 conduet water trickling slowly from a 3arra or
jar, holding usually a little more than a quart. The patient strangled
and gasped and suffocated, and, at intervals, the toca was withdrawn and
he was adjured to tell the truth. The severity of the infliction was meas⸗
ured by tie number of jars consumed. sometimes reaching to six or eight.
In 1400, in the case of the priest Diego Garcia, a single quart satisged
the inquisitors, and he was acquitted. In the Mexican case of Manuel Diaz,
in 1596, the cordeles were applied; then seven garrotes were twisted around
arms and legs, the toca was thrust down his throat and twelve jarras of
à pint each were allowed to drip through it, the toca being drawn up four
times during the operation.“ The process and its effects on the patient
can best be understood from the passionless, business-like reports of the
secretary, in which the incidents are recordeéd to enable the consulta de fé
to vote intelligently. They are of various degrees of horror, and I select
one which omits the sereams and eries of the vietim that are usually set
forth. It is a very moderate case of water-torture, carried only to àa single
jarra. administeéred in 1568 by the tribunal of Toledo to Elvira del Campo,
accused of not enting pork and of putting on elean linen on Saturdays. She
admitted the acts. but denied heretical intent and was tortured on in-
tention. On April é6th she was brought before the inquisitors and epis-
cOpal vicar and, after some preliminaries, was told that it was determined
10 torture her, and in view of this peril she should tell the truth, to which
she replied that she had done so. The sentence of torture was then read,
when she fell on her knees and begged to know what they wanted her to
say. The report proceeds: She was carried to the torture-chamber and
told to tell the truth. when she said that she had nothing to say. She was
ordered to be stripped and again admonished, but was silent. When
stripped. she said, Senores, I have done all that is said of me, and Ibear
false witness against myself, for I do not want to see myself in such
trouble; please God, I have done nothing.“ She was told not 10 bring
false testimony against herself, but to tell the truth. The tying of the
arms was commenced; shie said, I have told the truth; what have I to tell?“
She was told to tell the truth and replied, I have told the truth and have
nothing to tell One cord was applied to the arms and twisted and she
was admonished to tell the truth, but said she had nothing to tell. Then
she screamed and said. I have done all they say.“ Told to tell in detail
what she had dene, she replied, I have already told the truth.“ Then she
Screamed and said. Tell me what you want, for I don't Enow what to say.“
She was told to tell what she had done, for she was tortured because She
had not done so, and another turn of the cord was ordered. She ericd,
Loosen me, Senores, and tell me what I have to say: I důe not know what.
I have done. O Lord, have merey on me, a sinner!“ Another turn was
given. and she said, Loosen mea little that I may remember Wwhat I have
to tell; I don't know what I have done; Idid not. eat pork, for it made
me sick; I have done everything; loosen me and I will tell the truth.“
Another turn of the cord was ordered. when she said, Loosen me, and I
Will tell the truth; I don't know what I have 10 tell — loosen me for the
sake 0f God — tell me what I have to say — I did it, I did it — they hurt
me, Senor — loosen me, loosen me, and I will tell it.“ She was told 10 tell
it and said, I don't Know what I have to tell — Senor, 1 did —1 ha ve
nothing to tell — O my arms! Release me and I will tell it.“ She was
asked to tell what she did and said, I don't Knom; 1 did not eat because
Idid not wish to. She was asked Fhy she did not wish to, and replied,
Ay! loosen me, loosen me — take me from here and I will tell it when I

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