The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-03-18
From the Canton PreSsl
TERRIBLE SCENES IN CHINA-2OO BANDITS
BEHEADED.

| TERRIBLE SCENES IN CHINA-2O0 BANDITS
BEHEADED.
FooCHow, Nov. %, 1860.
The entire community here, native and foreign
| has been thrown into state of great excitement
during the last few days, the cause and progress OF
which shall try to give you as briefly as can
You are always aware that for some years mast q
| feud has existed between Cantonese and Chinchc-
'otte sailors and lorchamen. This broke out afresh
during June of this current year, and in more
formidable form than it had previously assumed.
BY willy policy the warlike lorchas, numbering
some 49, were enticed to leave this river. As
as this was managed, the local authorities deter
mined hereafter to contne all Canton lorchas and
West Coast boats to the anchorage at Quantow,
about l0 or II miles below the Pagoda station.
10 carry out this resolution, a large body of ma
tive militia and marines were collected, chiefly
from Quemoy and Annoy, several war junks and
armed puaway boats were fitted up, and the en-
tire force was put under the command of Commo-
dore Woo, brave and fierce fellow, dreaded by
MS own clan as man of war, and hated by Can
tonese as savage villain.
Commodore Woo has been on the watch, fully
anticipating the move that this outside foe would
make TO bolt past his station and ascend the river
IN IN collected body. They attempted this on last
monday, the 18th, but found their match in the
Commodore. There sailed past his guard post 3,
some say 10, Canton lorchas and tyn,oons: others
hanging on outside in case this detachment sue
ceeded They were attacked by the mandarin
force: three were burnt, two up to take refuge
at the Pagoda anchorage, and the rest made out
TO sea as last as they could The remainder of that
Gay was occupied in pursuing and capturing the
fugitive pirates who had escaped on shore. Next
morning the Goth, the Mandarin armed boa Is were
~ pursuit of the two boats that had escaped up the
river They came up with them about noon lying
IN shore at the Pagoda. There they were attacked,
ther crews dashed into the stream to swim ashore,
and while floating on the water some 40 or so were
speared and shot; fine sight to be seen for foreign
seamen and residents Early in the morning of
the 2lst it was evident, from the packed thrones
md fha hphh ht,h -
something strange and novel and exciting had oc-
Cured
About nine O'Clock, some of the Mandarin war
9oats mad come up with two prizes and two hun
dred captured pirates. The latter. they commence
TO land, each man under the guard of at least four
marines, bearing drawn swords, spears, matchlocks
or sporting gay flags. The captives were in ter
rloie plght stripped and naked, hands tied with
awfu hghtness behind their backs and feet scarce
y able to walk, while they were driven along with
the most barbarous savageness. Eight or ten had
peen beheaded on their way up the river, and two
OF three just as they were showed on shore, for
showing night and their reluctance to move on
Inc heads OF these unfortunates were slung on
poles, and swung before the eyes of the remainder
as a token of what awaited them very shortIv.-
" hen all had been landed, they were marched
across the bridge to the Northern end, and on the
way as If to crafty the public gaze the heads of
four were deliberately chopped Off and their corpses
flung into the river below.
But we were surprised in seeing, when it was
u,
OF captiVes returning post-haste. They were slowed
away again on board these war iunks, bound and
tied with double fury, several hands tied together.
NO mercy was shown to any. boy of 10 was
pushed In with a naked sword over his head An
aged wretch failed to creep back to his boat, and
was hung on board to expire as best he could AL
most all had their wrists so tightly tied that the
nesh was eaten into, and the spectacle brought
VlVldiy TO mind the tortures inflicted our coun-
trymen IN the North, over whose cruel fate there is
no one that does not mourn. These armed boats
with cargo of ITO Canton pirates, showed off to 90
back to Quantow, to have them decapitated there;
the remaining 30 having been carried on to the
North Gate execution grounds.
Upon this announcement the thick crowds moved
away, aud the thronged streets and bridges were
cleared But that mandarin move was found, after
all, to be dodge. At O'clock the crowds had
been thickening, and it began to be apprehended
that the large Canton population here might rise
and attempt the rescue of their countrymen who
were treated, before their very eyes so merciesslv
ana Drutally. The man9uvre succeeded in thin
nlng the streets, and at a signal the boats were
moved back To their position as the morning
the unfortunate victims were at once landed and
with the same guard, they were fastened along
street OF two miles in length at double quick time
to the parade ground outside the South pate
Here some of the principal officials were seated
at O'Clock, at tribunal, which, without trial or
mercy, was to hurry more than $50 of their fellows
into eternity. The work was short; one after the
other the whole lot were beheaded and in half an
hour the Judges, troops, and staring mob were
dispersed. Among the captives there were two
youths of 10 and II; for of them seven mer-
chants advanced their guarantee, and he was saved
The other died UNDECIDED and uncaring under the
executioner's knife. The executaners, of whom
there were several, wed to see who could do the
largest amount of work; one succeeded in cutting
Oft 63 heads, for which he would receive what he
would consider handsome douceur as 500
cash is given for each cGput. Commodore Woo
the hero of the day, went to the tribunal with
blue button, but returned to his feet with a red
one, honored and applauded by all his CONAN
darins.
1t is worthy Of note that those brigands that
made the desperate effort to break the blockade
against Canton lorchas did so just after the John