East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1859-09-15
scenes al a chinese Execution.


gives the following account OF the exc
cution OF $50 Cinnamon ut that place,
with the butchery particulars more minu.
tely told thar has been done by any pre-.
vious historian of these atrocities. 1t is
sufficient indeed to shock the nerves Of
an army surgeon, or post norton prac.
titioner Of the most extended practice:
The execution had been fixed at noon
at half-past eleven half n dozen men ar,
rived at the execution ground, each armed
with what resembled cleaver rather than
sword, and preceded by bearers Of rough
pine boxes, decorated with sides painted
as if with Wood. These were collins foi
the gspg to be executed, which that day
numbered one hundred and fifty. General
anceRcern, and even stocial indifference,
marked the countenances Of both soldiers
aud spectators, who together amounted
20 about one hundred and fifty. A breeze
sprang mp, which carried the intolerable
stencil from the quarter occupied by the
foreigners, who to the number of a dozen,
had obtained admittance to the top ei
one Of the houses on the side Of the
street at the entrance Of this "feld OF
blood" Soon after the arrival of the
executioners and the collins, division OF
the condemned appeared on the ground,
consisting of ten individuals, speedily fol
lowed by the rest Of the unhappy
wre.ehes ip companies Of the same mum,
Der.
Each prisoner had his hands tied be.
bind his back, and label stuch in his tail
or long queue, while he was thrust down
ante wicker basket, over which his chain.
ed legs danced loosely, the body riding
uncomfortably, and marked by long
paper tally pasted on a strip of bamboo
shrust between the jacket of each con-
demned individual and his back. These
"man baskets" as they are called, slung
with small cords, were carried by bamboo
poles upon the souldcrs' of two porters.
As the prisoners arrived they were taken
from the basket and made to kncel facing
the south. In space Of twenty feet by
twelve were counted "a many as seventy
prisoners, ranged in half-a dozen rows.
At five MINUTES TO twelve, a Mandarin
wearing o white button arrived, and the
two individuals who were first to be cut
in pieces were tied to the crosses which
had been planted. This was probably
designed to increase the terror of death
those who were aboat To experience it,
just as though the natural bitterness was
not sufficient In the meanwhile that
this frightening process was going on,
the execution commenced, and 20 or 80
were headless before our friend was aware
of it. The only sound to be heard was
q horrid cheep, ekesp, ehcep, as the exccu-
TONERS knife or cleaver fell upon the
neck Of the victim. No signs of fear
were seen in the faces Of the prisoners,
as they kpclt and awaited the fatal mo.
ment No entreaties were made; nc
shrieks were heard One blow was suf.
ficient for each, the head tumbled be-
tween the legs of the victim before the
body fell. AS the sword fell, the trunk,
spouting with blood, sprang forward, fall
ing on the breast and was still forever.
In four minutes the execution was
completed, and $50 human beings of al
ages had passed into eternity. There
upon, the other sections commenced Q
work still more barbarious and horrify
ing; it might be said to be even devilisf
for what could be more so?
The victims of torture were tied tc
the crosses which had been planted at one
end of the area, when an cxecutioneei
approached, cut a slice from under eacl
arm, with a short, sharp knife, which he
carried, A low, suppressed, fearful groar
from each victim, followed the gashing
but nothing like scream or cutlery
Dexterous as butchers, slice was taken
successfully by the operators from tn,
calves, the thighs, and then the breast o.
each. Itmay be supposed, or at any rate
it may be hoped that by this time tho
sufferers had become insensiblc to pain
though they were not dead. The knit,
was then thrust into the abdomen, which
was ripped up to the uIcast bone, and
then twirled round and round, as tn,
heart was separated from its holdings
Up to this moment, our informant saiC
that, having once set his eyes upon tn,
victim under torture, they became fixed
ms if by strange spell, but now, neithe
he could stand it nor they be rivetcd an,
aonger. A whirlng sensation ran through
ills brain, and it was with difficulty h,
could keep from falling. But this wa
not all the lashings were then cut, anc
his head being tied by the tail to liml
of the cross, was severed from the body
which was then dismcmbered of hand
and arms, feet and legs, separately,
After this the MANDARIN left tn
ground, to return, however, with maj
and woman, the latter, as it was said, tn,
wife of rebel chief, and the man lead
,cr Of some rank among the rebels. Tn,
woman was cut up in the way already re
lated, but for the man n moro horrible
torturing still was decreed. He was lit
orally fayed alive. Our informant di,
not see the operation; his overpowerS,
sensibilities did not permit it; but a
American sergeant of marines did, VIII
described the horrors Of the scene. Tn
knife was first drawn across the forehead
ut which piercing scream was set fort
ny the sufferer, and then the flesh wa
pulled over the eyes, and so on till tn
horrible butchery was ended. There
Atempieis Canton which / visited, Gale
the 'eremple of Horrors" because i
several appointments are the most horribl
yerte septStisEe az the tortures of III