Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-09-19
E,ecus.on of Rebel. at canton.

In our remarks on the retirement of the rebels
from Suuchow, it is stated that the thousands OF
men brought to Canton as prisoners are now being
decapita,ed at the rate OF a hundred and fifty a
day. That was the number, we are told, exe:u-
lied on Saturday las,a spectacle to which we were
witness. The Canton execution ground has be-
fore been described in the Journal and for all our
readers it is not necessary to repeat that it is sltua
ted about one hundred yards from the river, at the
distance of two miles or so below the factories.-
The ground is oblong about one hundred and fifty
fee, in Ienqth, the entrance on the side nearest
the river being about six ieet- This is closed
with bars during practical operations. At the
grand entrance the ground is about twenty feet
wide. On the right hand, doorways open ON to
several oven and tile manufactures.
As we approached the execution ground many
were met with hands to their nostrils or with their
tails tied around their faces, for the purpose of
yodnr the horrid stencil, which could literally
be "felt'' at considerable distance. The ground
was covered with partially dried gore, the result
of the past davis work. Thele are no drains to
take the blood away, nor IS any substance used
to slake it. One man was found digging holes
for two crosses, on which, he said, tour were 10
be tied and cut in pieces.
The execution had been fixed for noon. At
half past eleven halfa dozen men arrived with
the knives, preceded by bearers of rough deal
wood boxes decorated with bloody Sides These
were the collins. Unconcern was the general ap-
pearance ofihs soldiers and spectators, of whom
altogether there may have been one hundred and
fifty. The day was dull a fresh breeze from the
eastward carrying the stencil away from iorelgn
ers, who, TO the number Of a dozen, had obtalned
admiitance to the top ofone of the houses on the
far side Of the street passing the entrance to this
"field of blood" at quarter to twelve the first
batch of Ten prisoners arrived, speedily followed
by the rest in similar quantities. Each prisoner
(having his hands tied behind his back land label
led on the tal) appeared to have been thrust down
in wicker basket over which his chained legs
dangled loosely, the body riding uncomfortably,
and marked with long paper tally, pasted on a
slip of bamboo thrust between The prisoners jacket
and his back. These .'man Baskets" slung with
small cords, were carried on bamboos on the shoul
ders of two men. As the prisoners arrived, each
was made to kneel with his face to The SOUTH
In space of about 90 feet by IL we counted as
many as 70, ranged in half Off dozen rows. At
five minutes to twelve white button mandarin
arrived and the two to he first cut in pieces were
tied to the crosses Whilst looking at this frigh-
tening process the execution commenced. and ~
or so must have been headless before we were a
ware of it. The only sound to he heard was a
horrid ep-cheep-cheep, as the knives iell-
One blow was sufficient for each, the head tumb-
ling between the legs of the victim before It, AS
the sword falls the blood gushing trunk springs
forward falls on the breast, and IS still Tor ever
In four minutes the deca patlon was complete; !;
and then on the other victims commenced the bar
barity which to think Of only is sufficiently bar
barrie With short sharp knife slice was cut
out from under each arm. low suppressed
fearful groan from each followed the operation OF
the weapon. DexteTous as butchers, slice was
taken successively by the operators from the
calves. the thighs and then from each breast
We may suppose, we hope, that by this time the
sufferers were nsensible to pain; but they were
not dead. The knife was then stuck into the abdo-
men, was ripped up to the breast bone, and the
blade twisted round and round as the heart was
separated from its holding. Up to this moment
having once set eycs on the victim under torture,
they had become fixed as by fascination; but they
could be rivited no longer whirng sensation
ran through the brain, and it was with difficulty
we kept ourselves from falling But this was
not ali the lashings were then cut and the head
being lied by the tail to limb of the cross. was
severed from the body which was then dsmem-
oered of hands and arms, feet and legs separately.
After this the madarins left the ground, to return,
however, with man and woman; the latter, 1t
was said; the wife of one of the rebel cheis-the
man leader Of some rank. The woman was
cut up in the way we have described; for the
man more horrible punishment was decreed.-
He was Aayed alive. We did not see this, but
it was witnessed by the SERGEANT of the Marines
of the U. S. S. j. p Kednedy-the cry at the
first insertion of the knife across the forehead, and
the pulling of the flesh over the eyes being most hor-
rible.-Fiiend Of China, .Nrch IA.