Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-10-03
From the Friend Of China, Murch 18th.
Execution of Rebels at Canton.

canton as prisoners are now being
decapitated at the rate of one hun,
dred and fifty day. That was the num-
ber, we are told, executed on Saturday
last, spectacle to which we were witness.
The Canton execution ground has been
before described in this journal, and for
all our readers it is not necessary to re-
peat that it is situated about 100 yards
from the river, at a distance of two miles
or so below the factories. The ground is
oblong. about $50 feet in length, the en-
trance of the side nearest the river being
about six feet. This is closed with bars
during practical operations. At the
grand entrance the ground is about 90
feet wide. On the right hand, doorways
open to several oven and lyle manufacto-
ries.
As we approached the execution
grounds many were met with hands to
their nostrils, or with their tails tied
around their faces for the purpose Of
avoiding the horrid stencil, which could
literally be felt Gt considerable dis
tance. The ground was covered with parti-
ally dried gore, the result Of the past
days work. There are no drains 10 take
the blood away, nor is any substance
used TO spke it. One man was found
digging holes tor Two crosses, on which
he said four were 10 be tied and cut to
pieces.
The execution had been fixed for noon
At l J, half dozen men arrived with
knives, preceded bv bearers Of rough
deal wood boxes, decorated with bloody
sides. These were the cotfins Uncon-
cerned was the general appearance Of
the soldiers and spectators, Of whom alto
gether there may have been one hundred
and fifty. The day was DUH, IL fresh
breeze from the eastward carried the
stencil away from foreigners, who, to the
number Of dozen, had obtained admit
tauce to the top of one Of the houses on
the lar side OF the street passing the en-
trance 10 the field of Blood Al lI4, the
first batch Of ten prisoners arrived speedily
followed by the rest in similar quantities.
Each prisoner having his hands lied be-
hind his back, and labeled on the tail. ap-
peared to have been thrust down in IL
wicker basket, over which his chained
legs Inng.ed loosely. The body riding un>
comfortably, and marked with Il lOng pa
per tally pasted TO L slip UE bamboo
thrust between the prisoners back aud
his jacket. These manba>ketS." slung
wIh small cords. were carried on BAN
buOs, siung on the shoulders of two men.
AS the prisoners arrived each WAS made
to kneeI with his face 70 the South. In
the space OF about 20 feet by l2 We count
cd as many as 70, ranged in Il half dozen
rows.
A five minutes to l2. white button
cd manuarlAu arrived, and the Two Lo be
first cut to pieces, were tied to the cross
les. White looking at Ihi irtyh'enng
process, the eXecutIOncr com Ienc ID, and
p or 80 must have been hea,. uss before
we were aware OF it. The only sound 10
be heard was the horriu cherp-chcep-
che"p as the knives fell. One blow was
sufficient for each--the head tumblcd be-
tween the legs Uf the victim before it,
As the sword falls the bIood~gushins
trunk springs forward, falls on the breast,
and IS still forever.
In four minutes the decapitation was
complete and then cn the other victims
commenced The bubAriuy which TO think
Of only is sufficiently barbnric. With a
short sharp knife slice was cut out from
under each arm. a low, suppressed,
fearful groan from each followed the op-
eratiOn of the weapon. DcXtcrOus as
butchers, a slice was taken succcsaiyelJ
by the operators from the calves and
thighs, anI then from each breast. We
may suppose, we may hope that bT this
time the sufferers were insensible to pain
but they were not dead.
! G,,;c Il, IL,
domeu, which was Wiped up to the breast
bone, and the blade was twisted round
and round as the heart was separated
from its holding. Up TO this moment,
having set eyes upon the victim under
torture, they had become fixed as by
fascination; but they could be rivited
there no longer. A whirljng sensation
ran through the brain, aud it was
with difficulty, we could keep ourselves
! from falling. But this WAS not all the
IasI iugS were then cut and the head, be-
ing tied by the tail to Il limb of the cross,
was severed from the body, which was
di>membercd Of hands and arms, fee; and
legs separately. Alter this the manda-
rims left the ground, to return however,
with Il man and woman the latter, it is
said, the wife Of one OF the rebel chiefs
the man leader OF some ra1k. The wo-
man was cut up in the way we have de-
scribed for the man q more horrible
punishment was decreed. He was Alyed
alive. We did not see this, bu: it was
witnessed by the Sergeant of Marines sot
the United States, j. P. Keunedey-the
cry after the FIRST insertion of the knife
across the forehead and the pulling of the
flesh over the eyes being most horrible.
GT The last case of Incidence is re-
lated in one Of our exchanges. It is that
of man named John HUle, who was SO
lazy that in writing his name, he simply
used the letter j., and punched hole