Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 March 1893 — A FIENDISHLY CRUEL RACE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A FIENDISHLY CRUEL RACE.

Fright ul Practices of tbe Dahomeyans, Whom France Subdued. Shortly after the battle in which the French soldiers in Africa finally put the Dahomeyans to rout a couple of reconnoitering Frenchmen, turn-

ing down a by-path leading to the high road, suddenly saw the gleam of the barrel of a rifle. One of them hastily put up his carbine and was about to Are when his comrade’s exclamation caused him to take a second glance at the object. What they saw was enough to make a toughened savage shudder. It was the sentry of death! A ghastly grinning skeleton, impaled on a sharpened pole, with its feet skewered, and with its gun fastened in hideous mockery to give the effect of a challenging outpost, greeted the sight of the horrified soldiers. From the make of the rifle it was easily surmised that this victim was one of the French pris- 1 oners that had fallen into King Behanzin’s clutches. A photograph taken in Dahomey and sent to the London Graphic illustrates a method of torture and execution of war prisoners that equals the Spanish Inquisition in cruelty.

The prisoners are hung head downward on a frame and left there to> die, while vultures and buzzards are encouraged to hover around them and attack them.

THE SENTRY OF DEATH.

EXECUTION OF DAHOMEYAN WAR IFISONERS.