The Express.
London, England, 1863-09-23 00:00:00

[Stamped, ld. Additional.]

(Enclosure.)

Shanghai, Julie 11, 1863.
Sir,—ln reply to the inquiry of the .ajar-general com-
modity I have the honour to inform you that at the 3rd
May, 1t63 I was premett at Waikonpom as acting field
eAlutant to a force under command of Captain A. Murray,
)loyal Artillery. In the aftersoou of that day I was
taking a walk for exercise with several other officers sing
the main road towards Ko-lung.sung, sad in pasmog
between two imperialists' stockades our attention was
attracted by a number of men, I think seven or eight,
naked and tied to poets. On approaching 1 found they
were Changman prisoner, all with very loos hair (showing
that they were rebels of key standing), and with
the very peculiar complexion and physiognomy which have
base frequently noticed as acquired men who have
spent much time among the Tunings. These men bad evi-
-1 dutly been sentenced to the punishment of the "Liegybe,"
use " slow and ignominious death," what we call " outing
into a thousand pieces," and it wee also evident that they
bad bean spared as much as possible, stud little mon than
the form of this horrible puoialiment carried out. Each
otan bad a piece of skin, not flesh, about four inches by
two, partly stripped from one arta and hawing down, sad
one or two arrows had hem pushed (apparently not
shot) through the air in different places. There was
very little blood *boat the ground, and the men
did not appear to be in pain • one was crying out
very loudly that be was a Shanghai coolie and ought not to
be put to death as a rebel—be bad, however, very long hair.
I asked, a low Chinese officer present what they were ; be
told me they were old sod well known rebels, two of them
officers, and that they were about to be beheaded ; be said
that thee had been exposed from midday (it war about
half.past four or five o'clock. p.m , wheel I saw them). At
the name time I sew an official approaching to superintend
the execution, and not being anxious to witness the
spectacle, which I howl often seen before, I withdrew.
From what other officers who remained informed me,
I gathered that decapitation was performed at once,
in the usual manner. except that the sword em-
ployed was blunt, end the executioner inexpert. I
saw no other signs of torture whatever, and considered that
these men were, taking ion account Chinese law and cus-
toms, rather mercifully dealt with. A dead Churl= lay
some distance off, who had been treated in a similar man-
ner to the other; in addition, a slight iocknon had been made
from his breast to his groin. but, from the absence of blood,
I think this was done after death. 01% my return to Wei.
kong I reported what I had seen to Captain Murray, coo-
melding, who desired me to visit the camp next morning,
and to take notice of the ocrurreoce. which I did by n
en-
tioning it to a fonrth rank militery field officer, the senior
in the camp. I told him we English did not like such
punishments ; that if a man deserved death we executed
him at mice, and did not expose or mutilate him. I
expressed general disapproval of what bad been
does, and said the English commanding officer WAS much
displeased at it, end if anything of the sort was attempted
spin would march up and put a stop to it ; and that I
hoped it would not again occur during our stay. He replied
that he did not himself approve of it, but that I must re-
collect that a large number of the rebel primers taken at
Taitaan had been pardoeed by the high imperial officers,
permitted to shave their beads, and employed as soldiers or
labourers ; and that it was not possible to restrain the im-
perial soldiers from taking some vengeance for the treat-
meet which the rebels bad inflicted on 300 or more of their
comrades, who had been entrapped Into Talton on a false
promise of the surrender of the place. These
men, he said, were almost all put to death, and
very many of them had their bodies wounded.
sod cotton put over their wounds and set on fire,"
and were otherwise badly tortured. (This I un-
derstood was really the case.) He added that the Chimes
general officer then in command at Waikongaom-Kwoh Ts
jin was mercifully inclined, and anxious not to be severe
with the rebel soldiers, many of whom bad been carried
away forcibly. and compelled to serve in the ranks of the
Taiipiogs.—l have. &c.,
(Signed) ROUE, ENE= CANE,
Lieutenant, Royal Artillery.
The Deguity-Assidant•Adjutant-General, Shanghai.
N. 8.-1,100 men were sent up to tithe possession of ,
Taitaaa by the Foutai. They were entrapped, and out of
the above number only some 300 were rescued by 3lajor
Gordon on the fall of Tailsan. 350 are known to have
been beheaded a few days before the upttne, and the re-
mainder are still unaccounted for.

THE FWSERAL OP THE LATE PROPMOZ
COCKERS...M.—There will be a full choral service at Mr.
CockersWs funeral to-morrow. Mr. C.ickerall wee for some
years architect at St. Paul's, and with the consent of the
dean and chapter, Mr. Halyard, of Old Quebecetreet, has
mails arrangements for a full sad impressive ceremoniaL
The hour appointed is twelve.
WORKING MEN'S CLVDS.—The Working Men's
Club and Institute Union hes just resumed active opera-
tions, meetings having beet held last week in Lambeth and
Walworth, and larrangementa are being made foe revered
meetings to start a club in Christchurch, Southwark. Pro-
ems is making in Bishopegate. The Kentish-town Club
was inaugurated on Monday. Meetings were held at
Peneriett and Stone, Staffordshire, on Friday and Saturday,
with encouraging results ; and the °peeing of clubs at
Forget-hill and Holloway will shortly be announced. A
public meeting in connexion with the St. Martin's (West-
minster) Working Men's Club and Institute (which, it will
be remembered, sprang from a meeting held by the union
in July last, at St. Martin's-ball, under the presidency of
Sir Frederick Orey) was held last evening, at the National
Schools. Adelaide-place. Henry Moore, Esq.. prasidieg, sup-
ported by the Rev. H. Swabs), a large number of the clew
and gentry of the parish, and the leading members ofthe
St. Martin's and Soho Clubs. The proceedings commenced
with at address by the chairman, who read a letter of
pympathy, and regretting inability to attend, received from
George Cruikshank, Esq.. and introduced the names of the
Rev. C. M. Robins, M.A., sod other leaders of the move.
meet, as moss those present. Hearty and practical speeches
were made, and resolutions proposed by Mr. Churchwarden
Manhall. Mr. Noel, Mr. Turley,Mr. Phillips (Common Coun-
cillor). the Rev. H. Swabey, Mr. W. H. Batts, and the Rev.
H. Solly (secretary of the Working Mee 's Club and Insti-
tute Union). The principal feature' of the club were de-
scribed by the Rev. Mr. Swabey mid Mr. Batts (hoe. see. of
the provisional committee), sad a number of names of mem-
hers were obtained during the evening. Mr. Churchwarden
Hogarth presented two large and handsome pictures to the
club, and a considerable number of books were given by
wealthy avnitathisers.
THE MYSTERIOUS DEATHS AT WOLVERHAMPTON
AND DUDLEY.—Yeaterday the adjourned inquest was held
in Wolverhampton on the body of the man William Chet-
wry, who was found dead in a house in Wolverhampton,
his bead having beat frightfully injured, appereetly with a
hatchet, and with the eogoisanee, there is oo doubt, of the
young woman Romanah Steadman, who bad lived with him
as his wife, who locked up the house in which Cbeenery
was found, and who, the day before that house was forced
open by the neigbboers, Mil discovered dead in an empty
hones iu Dudley, her body, like that of her murdered
paramour Cheenery, far ailvaoced io decompopitios. A
great deal of evidence wee given to connect Steadman with
• mateheeller with whom she was living after her quarrel
with Cheenery ; and ultimately the inquiry was adjourned
for • mouth.