The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-10
Extraordinary Self-SacriGce by a Chinese
Widow.


A Hong Kong paper contains the following
account, by an eyewitness of voluntary
sacrifice of life by a disconsolate widow
A few days since met n Chinese procession
passing through the foreign settlement es.
corting a young female in scarlet aid gold in
richly decorated chair, the object of which l
found was to in vite the public TO come and soc
her hang herself--a step she had resolved to
take, in conseq uence of the dea ath of her hus-
band, by which she had been left a childless
widow. Both being orphans, this event had
severed her dearest earthly ties. and she hoped
by this sacrifice to secure to herself ETERNAL
happiness, and meet with her husband in the
next world. l repaired on the day appoin ted
TO the indicated spot. We had scarcely ar
rived, when the same procession was seen nd :
vancing from the loss-house of the widows
native village, towards scaffold and gallows
erected in an adjacent field, and surround ed
by hundreds OF natives of both sexes The
female portion, attred in their gayest holiday
costume, We're very numerous.
The procession having reached the foot of
the scaffold the lady was assisted to ascend
by her male attendant. and, after having well
coined the crowd, partook with some female
relations of repast prepared for her at a ta-
BILE on the scaffold, which she appeared to ap-
preciate extremely. A child in arms was then
placed upon the table which she caressed and
adorned with Il necklace she had worn her
SELF; she then took an Ornamented ba sket con-
tanning rice, herbs and flowers, and, whilst
scattering them amongst the crowd, delivered
snort dudreSS, Thanking them for their at
tendance, and upholding the motives which
urged her to the step she WAS about to take
This done. a salute of three bOmbards an
nounced the arrival of the time for the per-
formance of the last act of her existence
when q delay was Occasioned by the discov-
cry of the Gbsence of a reluctant brother,
pending whose arrival let me describe the
means of determination. The gallows was
formed by an upright timber on each side of
the scaffold supporting stout bamboo, from
the centre of which was suspended a loop of
red cord, with a small wooden ring embracing
both parts OF it, which was covered hy a red
silk handkerchief the whole lining being sur
mounted by IN awning.
The missing brother having been induced
to appear, the widow now proceeded to mount
on a chair placed under the moose and to as
certain its fitness for her reception, delibe-
rately placed her head in it, then withdra wing
her head, she waved final adieu to the ad :
miring spectators and committed herself to its
embraces for the last time, throwing the red
handkerchief over her head. Her sup
ports We're now about 10 be withdrawn when
she was reminded by several voices from the
crowd that she had omitted to draw down the
ring which should tighten the cord around
her neck. Smiling an acknowl dgment OF The
reminder, she adjusted the ring, and motion
ing away her supports, was left hanging in
mid-air-a suicide. With extraordinary self
possession, she now placed her hands toge ther
before her, and continued to perform the
manual chin -chins until the commissions OF
strangulat1pn separated them, and she was
dead. The body was left hanging about half
an hour and then taken down by her male
attendants, one of whom Immediately took
possession of the halter, and was about to
sever it, for the purpose Of appropriating ii
portion, when struggle ensued. This is the
third instance of suicide OF this sort within
as many weeks. The authorities are quite
unable to prevent it, and a monument is in
yariably erected to the memory of the de-
voted widow.