Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-03-19
criminal r,unlshments in China.

Penal code and their modes of punishment. T. T.
Meadows, Esq, translator to her b. Ms Consulate
lin China. recently read paper before the Arctic
Society of London describing the execution OF thirty
four rebels or banditt they termed in Chinese
rhraseology The scene of the execution is thus
narrated by Mr.. Meadows. We think 1t can scarce
" be matched in the annals of civilized people
The scene occurred at the ordinary place of exc
cution at Canton where it is stated that than
five hundred human beings have been put to death
within the past eight months that Mr.. Meadows
was accompanied by two English residents at Can
ton: and that he found in the place, which he en-
tered by strongly guarded door. few of the lower
officials but no visible preparation of any kind
cept cross al which the thirty-fourth criminal was
to be cut up and fire of fragrant sandal-wood burn
ing before the shed where the Mandarins sat to
perntend the executions in order to conceal what is
described as the 'horrid eluvia arising from the
decomposed heads remaining there.
| 'Afler waiting (says the account) considerable
time all the criminals introduced most of them
walking to their places. but carried in baskets
and tumbled out on the spot appointed for them.
where they lay powerless either from excess of fear
from treatment inflicted, during trial and impris
onment A man stood behind each criminal, and
placed him in kneeling position, With his face to-
wards the ground, holding him in this position by
grasping his hands, which were bound behind his
back In case of resistance. which happens very
rarely the criminals queue is held by second
sistant and dragged forward by force, to keep
the neck extended. When all the criminals were
placed in the required positions. the executioner
seized sabre with both hands, and proceeded to his
work. In the present instance, the man was mild
looking soldier selected from the ranks of the army
The sword common sabre of three feet in
length and of those employed on the occasion
laid the Society table. 1t appears that there
is official weapon required for the officers of the
army anxious to - flesh their swords, send them for
the purpose to the executioner who has thus suf-
cient supply for his most extensive operations The
number decapitated the occasion described was
thirty three; and the executoner took up fresh
sword soon as he felt the edge of the employ
ed becoming dull, which was usually the after
cutting off two or three heads.
When all was ready the stood firm, with his
legs somewhat apart. On hearing the word pan }
pronounced by the officer experimenting. and after
sharp order to the criminal, Don't move! he rails
ed his sword straight up and brought it rapidly
down with the full strength of both arms, giving ad-
dtional force to the blow by dropping his body per-
pendiculary to a sitting posture. The horrid task
was DONE after cutting off the head of one VIC
tim, the man threw himself, by bound, into posi-
tion by the side of the next and in somewhat less
than three minutes the whole thirty. three were head
less,-the head, in every case but the first being
completely severed at one blow. In three four
where the criminals retained their full strength
the bodies after decapitation, quite upright
and Mr.. Meadows is satisfied that unless restrained
by the behind they would have sprung into the
air. When this part of the tragedy was over the
more horrible work of slow death carried into
effect upon the remaining criminal who was bound
to the cross mentioned above. He was a strongly
built man, apparently forty years old, who had es
capped in the first instance, but who had voluntarily
surrendered himself to certain death in order to save
from torture his wife and family, who had been seiz
ed by the Chinese government with the cruel policy
usual such occasions. In this instance, the flesh
cut from the forehead breast and extremities Of
the sufferer with short knife which was on the ia
bic before the meeting the body was Immediately
taken from the cross, and the head cut off The du-
ration of the punishment about four or FIVE min
utes. The bodies then packed up in collins and
| carried away.
An English Mummy.
| A few weeks since some workmen engaged on the
old Parliament House, London, discovered in a sort
of cell or vault human body supposed to be that
of ecclesiastic, embalmed after the manner of
Egyptian mummy. We find the following account
of the unrOlling:
The process was performed under the superintend-
ence of DR.. Pettigrew. After layer of five thick
canvass cloths had been removed from off the face
second series, bound round by strings presented
themselves These being loosened, the face dis
closed in most remarkable state of preservation
The cartilage of the not at all decayed,
and: with the lips and other portions of the face,
manned perfectly flexible to the touch. Even the
expression of the countenance was in great degree
retained, and it remarked that the identity of
the individual would not have been impossible had
any compeer of his venerable age been present. The
abdomen was found to be folded in ten layers of
vass CLOTH each appearing to have been soaked in
and ntre, salts of some such description
On the wrappers being removed the stomach was
found to have retreated from the cloth, and to have
become mass of adipose matter in which state the
legs and arms were also found No writing of any
description discovered in the folds nor was any
mark leading to identity of the individual found
The body measured five feet eleven inches in length,
and Judging from the front teeth remaining. three
or four of which in the lower jaw were much worn,
was filled with tow, which had evidently been steep
the chin and upper lip. The body was enclosed in
ten layers of very thick canvass, and bound round
by strings. The crozier entirely of oak with an
deliberately carved crook the whole measuring six
feet two inches in length The body is supposed to
be that of Lydwofe, Bishop of st. Davd's who died
about the middle of the fifteenth century.
| New ORLEANS MINT Statement of the deposits
and coinage at the Branch Mint of the United States
New Orleans, during the month of February, 1852:
|
Gold, $4s2576 SO, of which s474,O94 rs Calfor- -
Silver $i60s4 81. of which, s2.72S Of parted
from California gold. 1904 50
Total amount of deposits w ~ s4ss, e61 81
/ COINAGE.
Gold, $500 Double Eagles $4,000 OF
sc 1900 Quarter Eagles. 10000 90
64500 pieces. Total ..... $500, 900 90
| No delivery of silver coin.
New Orleans, March ], 1852.
The Japan Expedition.