Exemplary Punishments in the Meiji Era#4

(The word rinchi’ [torture] was not used in the Meiji era.)
  This shown method of torture or exemplary punishment was said to be used at the pit in Takashima Island in Hizen (Nagasaki Prefecture) until the Taisho era (1912-1926). There was reportedly a villain and boss of a miner group (nayagashira) called Chohan at the pit and he cruelly punished his subordinates. It was said that this punishment was applied to adulterers (maotoko) and rapists or those who were captured on the run after trying to escape from the island and cross the sea (runaways escaped from the pit [ketsuwari], swimming across the sea each with their head covered with a straw bag for salt). It was said that a fire was burnt about 30 centimeters below the head of a man hung upside down and that unmarried male miners (hamba) had to eat breakfast beside the victim before entering the pit. (This method of punishment was reportedly not used in the Chikuho region.)
 
Miners’ Boss’s Words Written in Blue Ink at the Top Right
  “Omeetachi mo namaiki suru to kono tori da zo!”
 
“You shall be also punished like this if you have your own way!”