The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1854-04-04
RuTcHERIEs AT Annoy.

The litors oftho Journal Of Commerce have
been favored with tho following letter from
Charles w Bradley, Jr. Esq, 10 Hon. c. w.
Bradley, of New Haven.
Annoy, December 9TH. 1853
Ever since the rc-c1ptnrc of tho city by the
Imperial forces, on the llth Nov, the policy
of tho mandarins towards tho unfortunate in
surgents has beon marked by such an extra.
ordinary barbarity as trust is without par
ale even among savages The scenos to
which have been an eye witness oflate, have
certainly surpassed ia cruelty anything that
could have imagined; and it is only because
you have asked mo to keep You advised OF
passing events with more minutcncss than L
have done hitherto, that do not leave the
proposition in these general terms, and without
illustration.
When tho Empcror's troops effected their
entrance the town was Immediately evacuated
by the rebels, who fled in the wharves, for
sampans, or any other means Of escape which
might offer Multitudes of them in attempting
to cross the Rutland -su went down in their
over r-crowded boats. Those who reached that
island or who were taken on this, lived but for
a sadder fate. Many were put on board tho
Government war-junks, of which some sixty
were anchored i'm the stream, abreast our hong
and after being bound hand and foot, were
thrown into tho sea, and Their pierced with
spikes as often as they roso to tho surface OF
the water. Hundreds were taken to tho jccties
and beheadod by clumsy executioners; and
their knives growing dull under so much butch
cry, they were often obliged to striko tbrico or
more before the head could be severed from its
| body.
| Moro horrible still were othcr scenes in this
awful tragedy. Some wero put to death by tho
| slower process of dismembcrment. First,
single log was hewn off, thon the other; after
| that tho arms wore taken, in the Same way;
then came the tearing of great strips of flesh
| from the body--the cropping of noses and
s-disemboweling, and last, decapitation..
During all this torture il is said that no word
of complaint, no look or expression of agony
they were suffering, escaped from any OF these
poor wrctchcs-a trait of character which
strikingly ossimilatcd these poor Mongols with
tho American Indians.
| As soon as these outragcs wcro discovered
BY tbcm, tho humane interference of the Bri-
| tish naval commanders ut this station, put
check OH such murdcrous proceedings He
catombs had already been slaughtered: but OF
the largo numbers thus rescued, the few who
werc unnjured were safely conveyed to tho
main land for escape. The wounded, in every
stage Of mutilation, wcro carried on board
junk which was temporarily fitted up as hos
pital, where they wero kindly cared for by tho
surgeons of Her Majcsiy's vessels Bittcrn and
Hermcs. Scores of them, however,, died that
night and on the following day. The restored
local magisiracy looks with dispeasuro on this
ntorpositon of tho English flag: and so voci-
ferrous wero the West Coast junkmen IN part
Of tho Imperial fcct against it, that their armed
opposition was for somo time apprchcnded.-
Il Is well for them ,ha, they did not attempt
such thtng-for tho steamer and orig had
oil their guns double-sho,tcd in anticipation OF
an affray. and would havc sunk tho junks on
tho first appearance Of resistance.
For tho past ten days the number OF cxc-
cutions has averaged about thirty daily. Tho
total loss Of life here. dnrng these evil times.
varies not far from three thousand, mostly by
, butchery.