The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-08-16
A Chapter Of Horrors.
Should Eaghshmsn Reproach americans for
Barbariaes Of Harf"

Should Engkshmsn Reproach americans to
Barta-i,es Of Warf'
/ Prom a London Paper.
The following account of the brutalities
committed on the Taepings in China bv
the lmperialists, is from the pen Of an
Englishman who was present, in companv
with both English ana French officers and
| soldiers, at the execution by disembow ell
| ment OF the Taeping prisoners:
81 went with the crowd to see the exc
cution OF the Taeping prisoners that had
been given up for execution into the
hands of the mandarins by the English
and French authorities; or, what is the
same thing they took no means to pre-.
vent the ruthless tutchery of those they
lent their aid to capture, when-horror Of
horrors! how am to describe the dread.
ful scene, or will 1t ever leave my memory +?
Amongst those wretches were Young and
old, of both sexes, and of all ages and
sizes, from the infant recently born to
the man of eighty, tottering on his staff :;
from the encicate woman to the young
maiden from ten to eighteen. The latter
were pushed out by the guards among the
crowds OF ruffians assembled, and were
taken into sheds and by places and de-
bauched, and again dragged back by the
HAIR of the head to the Chinese guards, to
await their turn for execution Some Of
them had tainted and were pulled along
the ground to the executioners, who
threw them on their backs. tore off their
clothes, and ripped them from the lower
part Of the abdomen to their breasts,
which were cut off and dashed with "a
curse in their faces The bowels, as a
matter OF course, gushed out; but the GU.
was made in such way, and 50 skiifu!y
and with such expeartness, that the intes-
tines was seldom, Injured After little
tim in this state Of excessive torture, the
executioner thrust his hand into the chest
and tore out the rocking heart, his victim
looking him in the face all the while
young female, apparently about egh.
months pregnant who reyer uttered
groan or sigh a, all the previous cruelties
she had endured from the surroundiu.
mob, had her infant cut out of her womb,
and held up 10 her sight by one of its
little hand, bleeding and quiver;ng; when
at the sight she gave one heart rending
piercing screech that would have awaken
ed pity in a tiger. and after it had been
IN that state dashed on her breast. she.
with a las: superhumen efforts. released
her arms from those holding her down,
and clasped her infant 10 her bleeding
heart and died, holding it there with such
force that they could not be separated,
and were thus thrown together on the
pile of other carcases. Another Young
" oman among the prisoners awaiting her
turn to be diSrnl bowelied, with fine bov
Of 10 months old ,rowiua and Jumping
in her arnls. had him suatchei aud sud-
denly away from her, ard flung 70 the
who plunged the rnthlass
K nife into his tender b. east before his
mother eyes. Infants but recently born
were torn from their mothers breast and
d Isemboys elI-d before their faces Young
strong men were dis- bowelied rnutilated !
and the parts cut off and thrust into their {
1wn mouths, or fang among the admriny I,
md laughing crowd Of Cinnamon But !
no mere; ! can write 10 more Of these /
scenes; can only regret forever that / |
looked on the dreadful sight. | am no !
longer fit to tc a soldier | have been in
many battles during the last twenty wears.
and III the ;hckest OF the fight in most OF
them. where the rage and ,hurst for car
mage is dreadful to reflect On afterwards.
but nothing heretofore that | have seen +,
heard Of, or even read Of. coCid he com |
pared to the dreadfI. crn-lty Of the dis |
England Cor the part she is taking in this 7
var. and may The siu Of taeenornljties she
has assisted In perpetTatlng on the de
'orcc!e>s woman, and. innocent and help. I
less child. be removed from her door
and sfttT the treatment En.ii h women !
and children met will. from the hands nf
the blacks IN the Sepny mutiny it is truly
wonderful! that Englishmen should ioin
N. or coun'euance similar atrocities here
Il is now ascertained for a certainty that
3 and his companions, after having
been tortured in every way that Chinese |
and cruelty could devise, were |
afterwards mutilaied and then dIsem bow. !
elled by the Impcria.ists; and for that |
reason the Chinese authorities would not |
produce their dead bodies Poor F.. /
who came with me TO see the execution, +;
fell down in 4 fainiing lit, and was in that
state carried away, and is now raving
maniac from the effects the dreadful sight
had on him