Execution and torture was common throughout Europe in the 1700’s. However, with no fixed rate for their services, the executioners of the time were free to choose their own price. In 1757, with execution and torture fees rising to outrageous prices, several countries decided to put their foot down and provided a list with certain fixed rates for their services. Here is one such document translated to English (the fees were measured in local currency using reichsthalers, German empire coins containing an ounce of pure silver, and albus, which were worth one seventy-eighth of a reichsthaler):
Tariff of Torture 1757
Approved by the Archbishopric of Cologne
Even though the Archbishopric of Cologne has previously endowed the high excutioner with a permanent yearly income of eighty reichsthaler, twenty albus twelve malder of grain, and four cords of wood, never the less it has turned out that during and after performing executions and other matters connected with them, so many unsubstantiated and exaggerated claims for extra expenses have been made that it has become very costly for the chief court of the Elector Archbishop. Therefore, the archbishopric is compelled, in order to contain these demands, to set up the following rules in which every single operation has been given its due charge, which is forthwith promulgated.
- For pulling apart and quartering by four horses. 5r 26a
- For quartering. 4r 0a
- For the necessary rope for that purpose. 1r 0a
- For hanging the four quarters in four corner, the nesessary rope, nails, chains, and the transport included. 5r 26a
- For beheading and burying, everything included. 5r 26a
- For the necessary rope for this procedure, and for preparing and igniting the stake. 2r 0a
- For strangling and burning. 4r 0a
- For rope and for preparing and igniting the stake. 2r 0a
- For burning alive. 4r 0a
- For rope and for preparing and igniting the stake. 2r 0a
- For breaking alive on the wheel. 4r 0a
- For rope and chains for this procedure. 2r 0a
- For setting up the body which is tied to the wheel. 2r 52a
- For beheading only. 2r 52a
- For the necessary rope for this purpose, and for cloth to cover the face. 1r 0a
- For making a hole and disposing of the corpse. 1r 26a
- For beheading and tying the body on the wheel. 4r 0a
- For the necessary rope and chains, together with the cloth. 2r 0a
- For the cutting off of a hand or several fingers, and for beheading altogether. 3r 26a
- The same: in addition, for burning with a hot iron. 1r 26a
- For the necessary rope and cloth. 1r 26a
- For beheading and sticking head on a pole. 3r 26a
- For the necessary rope and cloth. 1r 26a
- For beheading and tying the body on the wheel and for sticking the head on a pole, all together. 5r 0a
- For the necessary rope, chains, and cloth. 1r 26a
- For hanging. 2r 52a
- For the necessary rope, nails, and chains necessary for that purpose. 1r 26a
- Before the actual execution starts for squeezing the delinquent with red hot tongs, apart from the above-mentioned fee for hanging , for every application. 0r 26a
- For cutting off the tongue entirely, or part of it, and afterwards for burning the mouth with a red-hot iron. 5r 0a
- For this procedure the usual ropes, tongs, and knife. 2r 0a
- For nailing to the gallows a cut-off tongue or chopped-off hand. 1r 26a
- For one who has hanged himself, or drowned him-self, or otherwise taken his own life: to take down , remove, and dig a hole to dispose of the corpse. 2r 0a
- For exiling a person from the city or country. 0r 52a
- For flogging in jail including the rods. 1r 0a
- For thrashing. 0r 52a
- For putting in the pillory. 0r 52a
- For putting in the pillory and for whipping, including the rope and rods. 1r 26a
- For putting in the pillory, branding, and whipping including coals, rope, and rods, also the branding ointment. 2r 0a
- For inspecting a prisoner after he has been branded. 0r 20a
- For putting the ladder to the gallows regardless of whether one or several are hanged the same day. 2r 0a
Concerning torture
- For the first degree of torture. 1r 0a
- For terrorizing by showing the instruments of torture. 1r 26a
- For arranging and crushing the thumb for his degree. 0r 26a
- For the second degree of torture, including setting the limbs afterwards, and for salve which is used. 2r 26a
- Should, however, a person be tortured in both degrees of torture, the executioner is to get for both degrees performed at the same time, set the limbs afterward and for the use of the
salve, for all this he should be paid. 6r 0a
- For the travel and daily expenses for everyday exclusive, however, of the days of execution or torture, regardless whether on these days one or several criminals are punished. 0r 48a
- For daily food. 1r 26a
- For each helper. 0r 39a
- For hiring a horse for fodder, and stabling, the daily fee. 1r 16a
If a torture of execution takes place in Cologne, the executioner shall receive for this procedure the execution fees, without any addition of other extra such as travel daily expenses , food, horse hay and fodder; and he has to be satisfied with the above-mentioned execution fee.
When he performs executions in Melaten
and Deutz, he receives extra expenses for
hay for his horse, and nothing else
Since items 15, 32, and 40 of the present
rules fall within the province of the
weapons maser, there for the weapons
maser should receive the respective fees
Should the executioner perform functions
for those who are vassals or sub-vassals of the
archbishopric, he should receive on third
more then before specified, the reason being
that he enjoys his yearly investiture without
any emolument from aforesaid vassals.
Only the executioner and no stranger shall be
employed by the vassals or sub-vassals for
whatever executions have to be done.
Because there have been many complaints that at
an execution where an official of the archbishopric
presides, the executioner, either in addition to
accepting the fees or instead of accepting them
dared to demand a certain sum of money, and since
this demand is regarded as an abuse, it is once and
for all forbidden, therefore, herewith we order that every
official of the archbishopric keep strictly to the above-
mentioned rules and pay the executioners only the
stipulated fees and nothing else, any time there is
an execution; and they are asked to submit afterward
their accounts with their vouchers to the treasury
of the archbishop.
Given at Bonn, January 15, 1757. L.S.