The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-09-11
From the Friend of China, March Ii
EXECUTION OF REBELS AT CANTON.

In our remarks on the retirement of the rebels
from Suuchow, 1t Ia stated ihst the thousands of
men brought TO Csaton as prisoners are now be-
ing decapitated at the rate Of one hundred and
fifty day. That was the number, we are told, ex.
ecuted on Saturday lsst, spectacle 10 which we
were witness The Canton execution ground has
before been described In this journal, and for all
our readers 1t 10 not necessary to repeat that II Is
situated about 100 yards from the river at dis
taDce OF two miles or 20 below the factories. The
ground Ia obopg, about 100 feet 10 length, the en-.
trance on the side nearest the river being about
ak feet This IL closed with bars during practical
operations. At the grand entrance the ground is
about gu feet wide. On the right hand, door.
ways open on 10 several oven and tile manuac-
tories.
as We approached the execution ground many
we're net with hands to their nostriis or W ih their
tails tied round their faces, for the purpose OF
avoiding the horr ii stencil, which could literally be
"felth ct q considerable distance The ground Yves
covered with partially dried gore the result of the
past dsy's work. There are no drains to take the
blood away, nor Is any substance used to slake IL.
One man was found digging holes for two crosses,
on which he said four were to be tied and cut in
pisoss.
The execution had been fixed for noon. At
II l-2 half a dozen men arrived with the knives,
preceded by bearers of rough deal wood boxes,
decorated with bloody sides. These'were the cof-
inns. Uuconcern was the general appearance of
the soldiers and spectators, of whom, altogether
there may have been one hundred and fifty. The
day was dull fresk breeze from the eastward car
ryiug the stencil away from foreigners, who, to the
number OF dozen, had obtained admittance 10
the top of of the houses tbs far side of the
street passing the entrance of this field of blood
At IL 3.4 the first batch of ten prisoners arrived,
speedily followed by the rest in similar quantities
Each prisoner (having his hands tied behind his
ba ck, and labeled tn the tsiD appeared to have
been thrust down In a wicker basket, over which
bis chained legs dapgled loosely, the body ridiog
uucomfortably, and marked with a long paper tai.
ly, pasted on a slip of bamboo thrust between the
prisoners jacket and his back. These "mahs
baskets" slurg with small cords were carried Oh
baDboos on the shoulders of two men. As ths
prisoners arrived, each was made to kneel with
his lace 10 the South In space OF about 20 feet
by 10 we counted as many as 20, ranged 10 half q
dozen rOwa
AT 5 minutes to twelve, a white-buttoned man
DARN arrived, and the two to be first cut in piece
ware tied to the crosses While looking at this
frightening process the executioner commenced,
and 20 or 80 must have been headless before we
aware of II. The only sound to be heard
horrid cheep -cheep-cheep, as the knives
fell. One blow sufficient for each-the head
tumbling between the legs Of the victim before II.
AS the sword falls, tho blood gushing trunk springs
forward, falls on the breast, and Is still forever.
In four minutes the decapitetlon was complete;
aud then on the other victims commenced the bar
barity which TO ihlnk of only Is sufficiently bar
barrie. With short sharp knife slice was cut cut
from under each arm low suppressed fearful
grosn from each followed the operation of the
weapon. Dsxterous as butchers, slice was taken
successfully by the operators from the calves,
the thighs and then from each breast We may
suppose, we may hope, that by this time the sut~
ferers were insensibe to pain; but they were not
dead.
The knife was then stuck into the abdomen, which
was ripped up TO the breast-bone, and the blade
twisted round and round ss the heart separated
from its holding Up to this moment having once set
eyes OF the victim upder torture, they had become
fixed as by fascination but they could be riveted
there no longer. whirling sensaton ran through
the brein and it was with difficulty we could keep
ourselves from falling But this was not all; the
lashings then cut, and the head, being tied by
the tail limb of the cross, severed from the
body, which was then dsmembered of hands and
arms feet and legs parately. After this the msu-
darins left the ground, to return, however, with
and woman the latter, it was said the wife of
one of the rebel chiefs-the msn leader of som
rank. The woman cut up In the way we have
described for the man more horrible punishment
was decreed. He was hayed alive We did not see
this, but it witnessed by the Sergeant of Ma.
rn 90 of the United States, j. P. Kennedy the CRY
at the first insertion of the knife the forehead,
and the pulling Of the flesh the eyes being most
h Trible.