, 1864-08-09
FROM CUBA.
GaFrottnE OF Four Chfnancu'
Correspondence N. 7. Herald.1
r. JaA4 I

MArASzAs, July 18th, 1861.
witnessed to-day most melancholy spec
tacle-the garrotiBg OF four Chiuamen fol
| ne murder Of their master, under c!rcum
| stances go brutal that shudder to think o
It, The Chinese here have an idea th 1t /
more than one ia implicated in murder al
/ VIII escape punishment, and, acting undel
this d. luston, these uretches not only killed
but also partially ute their victim.
For 50 dong, az matter Of course, thaJ
| should die; and learning that they were t1
sutfer at seven O'Clock, I, In company Will
some other l.rd cases, proceeded to the
| place Of execution, Immediately In front o
the campo :dnto, or bafyiug ground.
| ThFre we're not mary on the ground when
/ re arrived, which gave US o good opportuni-
truc.ion. Very BOON, however, the crowd
can1e t1amping along, pouring In from every
{ part Of the cIty' and surrounding country
and such a crowd it was never my province
| to see before. Every color in the rainbo r,
save green from the paled faced American to
eheres Of Africa, the bright mulatto and also
the Celestial, proud of bis pigtaH, Was there,
to starc, with stoical Indifference; on the
GniTerlDg limbs of his dying ccuntrymen,
and nutter strange things about barbariaa
toriure.
We had waited some time, and took:sever.
a "cocktatl8 - to keep up our. nerve, when
the low sound Of mu1fied drums fell On our
ears. and tue soldiers stationed about the
foot Of the guillotine made extra efforts to
" Keep the crowd at 6 respectful distance,
When, amid the coarse jests OF the negroes
ard the howl Of outsiders trying to ret
place tn front, the four culprita, 1roned and
pinloned, ana dressed In white frocks, de-
t:ending to the ground, With white caps, on
which were painted black CROSSES, attended
by SIX or eight priests, ard guarded By
company Of soldiers, made their appearance
and we're Immediately placed with their
backs to the scafold and directly under it,
They were also attended By the ssverdu-
CO." or exec1tioner, negro convict, who
Eaved'1is neck by turning jack Ketch; and
certainly none better could be found-he
cally.
The priests wero Indefatlgable- in their at
tendanee on the prisoners, e1hortiny them
to use the few moments they still p0sse5sed
Of life In prayers Which they. seemed ver7
willing to DO; but the negro wanted busi~
ness and immediately hurried. up. on the
eeatlold oas OF the unfortunates, whomount-
"a with a arm step and q seemingly total in
difference to the fate suhieb awnited them.
The platform Is about eight ftet srv.. tAA
ground. in the centre Of which is the appara-
tus Of destrucstoa-a simple upright post,
with a chair and screw attached. The oul.
prtt is placed in the chair, his ankles iroued
to the lower ring, his head resting ia. the
hollow iron band, while similar QUE ia
brought around the neck aud fastened bg q
pin ut the ear. This done, the exceu:ioaer
steps back and seizes the crank; the priests,
who never for moment toraake the dying
men, still continue to pray, the culorit: re- !
spending In audible tone; the crauk is turn
ed, and in i've seconds al is over-nob
muscle moving.
The e1ecutioner, with smile upon his
ugly face, Immediately leaves the crank, md
stepping round to the chair, places bis hand
over the still beating heart Of the culprit; it
ceases i'll few moments; he then unfastens
the irona, and. taking the corpse with mo-
therly care in bis arms, lifts 1t into another
chair placed on The platform for the occasion,.
and Immediately de8cende Tor another, who
is despatched in like manner.
The whole affair passed of quietly, and
will, I trust, have lasting impression on
those who witnessed 1t. The bodies were
lett sitting In their chairs for ten hours-a
ghastly exhibition. The executioaer was
lnurched of in the centre Of the troops to
his old quarters, to await his next job; the
crowd dispersed, and with them your hum
bic servant, who feels satisfied that for quick
dispatch, whether byyellow fever, the knife
Or garrotiDg, no other country can come near
Cubs.