Demoine courier., 1854-11-16
CHINESE EXECUTIONS.

.American Consul fired at and t0oun
ded-Continued Success Of The In.
SaygentS.
Correspondence of the N. Y. Observer
"".N CANTON, July rs.
Last evening The Rev. Mr.. Boaney
aud | passed by he execution ground, a
narrow lane 100 Zee, long. occupied OF
one side with pottery shops, on the oihc
a blank wall. Ii was quite accilen,nI
the, We stepped aside a few yards tc
see it, tor | had passed over il yes,erda,
when i, wps cleared Of dead bodies, and
was onl, revolving by the sight of a bin
of d~ecaying human heads. which would
measure as much as a cord Of wood,
and the black, blood. soaked ground emit,
ting a sickening e~iilu,ia.
But this afternoon We happened 10
pass BY there not long after 5 o'clock,
tie execution hour, before the headless
bcdies were removed from the ground. OF
the heads thrown into the heap. There
lay SO or 60 victims, which is not great
iy above the average Of daily executions
nor a week or tYo pret--;he head near
the body from which il was just severed,
the hands lied behind the back. the legs
sprswled, the victim fallen forward ou
Jhe belly. The poor creatures are plac.
ed 10 a line, one before the other, in q
kaeeliug posture, the head ben, forward;
one OF the two executioucrs holds him,
while the other strikes off the head, at a
single stroke, usually. OF his sword.
Mr.. Bnnney could understand The talk
Of the bys,anders. and i, revealed indig.
nans feelings as this slaughter: for the
victims ere often poor ard innocent; seiz-
ed while al their lawful avoca,ions, "on
groundless suspicious and executed with.
gu, trial" speak advisedly. Leang.
Afa used those words. One was iuken
while being shaved at barber shop
When one OF the bys,andeIs expressed
himself freely 10 Nh. Bonney against
the government, his comrado hushed him
les, his words should be heard and re-
ported to the mandarins.
The AMERICAN Consul FIRED AT
Yesterday the American Consul. Mr..
Spooner. wished to ascertain the true
state of affairs at Fu.hau. a town up the
river. fifteen miles southwest, from here,
of 900. 600 inhabitants, the possession OF
Nkhich is disputed with the rebels by the
imperialis's. causing a serious interrup-
lion Of irade-wen, up with Capt. Rog-
ers. Of the United States st,amer John
Hancock, Two or .hree other American
officers. Mr.. Bonnsy as interpreter. a
crew of more than 2s--in all 80 souls.
in two boa,s. They let, at 7 O'clock, A.
M and returned u, 3 P. N.
Mr.. Bonney tells me that the bosta
proceeded unmoles,rt and passed o, 10
O'Clock by the imperialis, ,ranspor. bouts.
and q little above through The flee, of 81
imperiaIis' junks, containing the heavy
guns and soldiers returning from a fgh,
With the rebels at Fushau. The Ameri-
cans communicated slightly and in n
friendly way with the junks. and passed
on. When within hall a mile ui the
burning buildings on the opposite side OF
the river from the to wn. they were chai-
lenged by struggling rebels, abou, 60 in
number, who brantished their swords.
looking fiend-l,ke and defy ing them
Mr.. Bouney called loudly. and mace
very distinctly the Chinese signs Of their
friendly Intentions, but in vain.
One Of the rebels, several rods in ad-
vance Of The rest, stopped, and resting
h,s matchbox upon an e~nbankmsnt,
within fifty feet Of the boat, aimed de-
lib"ra,sly at the stern of the gig. where
sai Mr.. Bonney. MIR. Spooner and Capt.
Rogers-she boats had been previously
pu, about end w,re going down the river.
Capt. Rogers noticed the rebels move
:nent. and remarked i, aloud, so that Mr..
Bonney had time 10 s,oop bslow the
gunwsle. when the ma,ohlock wac fired
and a bucksho, grezed MIR. ~Spooner's
cheek and whisker. Instantly two guns
were lsvelled and fred by the 1--we mar
ines 10 the other two boais-,ho launch
and also Capt. Rogers fired both bar.
rels Of his gun. and the assai!sns fell.
doubtless dead. -.
IL is q time OF constant, excitement and
alarm here among the Chinese, hundreds
and thousands of whom are moving with
their families 10 Macao, Houg-Kong,
&c.. and paying roundly for steamer
conveyance. Nothing is done promptly
here as with US. end the disturbances
may continue for weeks or months be-
fore a decisive result, is ob,ained; bu, il
seems increasingly probable that ul.i-
mssely The rebels will succeed. and the
Chinese Imperial dynasty be changed.