The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-11-25
HA ARA-KIRA.
Tn. Ceremony of self-ImmOintioH in
Japan.

After an interval ofa few minutes OF anxious
suspense Taxi ZenZaburo, stawart man oi
thirty-two years of age, with noble AIR, walked
into the hall attired IN Ills dress Oh ceremony, I,
with the pecc lar hcmpen cloth wings which are
worn on gre.t occasions. lie was accompanied
by q kuiShQEu and three officers, VINO wore tue
zinbaOri Of war surcoat with g0ld-tSsue laciiies'
With the EdfShaEu on Ills left hand. Taxi Zenza-
buro advanced slowly toward the Japanese VIII
nesses, and the two bowed before them, thcn
drawing near the foreigners they salutcu us
in the same way, PERHAPS even ir,si;n WIN ino,s ,s
Difference; in each case the saintt!l1h ',;s Was
tremendously returned. Slowly, anu VITA
great dignity, the condemned man mount
ed on to the raised hoor, Frustrated NM
self before the high altar twice, ana seated nm
self on the felt carpet wiii tiS D2cN 10 tEc :h'"n
altar, the aaiShGka crouc,ilng on his lclt hahd
side one Of the three attendant officers then came
forward hearing stand OF the KIND uscu Ill tcih-
pes for OFFERINGS, Oh which, wrapped III paper,
law the 1rQnziShi, the short sword or d!rA o! lic
Jnpaucsc ninc inches and Il half III lengtii, WIN
n point and an edge as sharp as Il raZor.s. rus
he handed, prOSirIt!nG himself 10 thc conachiicu
man, who PecciN Ii rcvcrenily, r;isiilS II ~ ms
head with bOth hands, and placed /. III iron. Oi
himself After another profound ohelSancc, lahi
IenzabIlro in voice which betrayed just 50
much emotion and hcsltaliun as mlgalbc expect
ed from Il man who Is making q paihinl coAieS-
SION bat with no sign U! fear either III his lace Ut
manner, spoke rs follows:
81 and alone, unwarrantably gave thc orutr
To fire on the foreigners ut Kobe, ana &Gala as
they tried 70 escape. For tins CRIME uSe"l-
howell myself. and beg you who are present 10
do me tic honor Of witnessing the act :"
Bowine once more, the speaker allowed MS
upper garments TO slip down TO his girdle, ana rc-
maincd naked TO the waist. Carefully, according
TO custom he tucked his sleeves unIcr HIS Knees
to prevent himself from .rlling backward, Tor |!
noble Japanese gentleman s?Ould die laihG loi-
ward Deliberately. wiki =. steady hand, lie took
the dirk that ay before aim; lie looked al IL Wlst-
fully, almost al'ectd hately; for u moment nc
seemed to collect his thoughts for the last Time
and then, siabbng himself deeply below
the waist on tie lelt-hand slde, ne drew
IL slowly across to The right side. and turning The
dirk in the woun gave slight cut upwards.
During this sicL eningly painful operation nc
never moved a muscle Of his lacc. Whcil ne
drew out the dirl nc leaned forward ana stretched
out his neck; an expression OF pam ior Tue nrSl
time crossed his face but he uttered no Soulu'
At that moment The kdtShdE~, Wno sun crouIi'-
lag by his side had been kceniy Walcn!ii;' nv II
every movement, spranG TO his feet, polSed us
sword for second in the air; there was ll;Is',
heavy. umy thud n crashing fail: with one bloW
the head had been severed from the body.
dead silence followed. broken 0nly Dy the
hidcous noise OF he blood gushing out OF tiie III
ort heap before L., which but moment before
had been Il brave and chvalrous man. III "as
horrible The kGiShGku made low bow, Wipeu
his sword. and retired from the raised lloor; aho
the stained dirk was s0lemnly borne away, 4
bloody proof Of the execution. liie TWO reprcsch,
tatves Of the Mikado then leit lheir pllccs. 'a'i
crossing over to where the foreign Witnesses SAT
c,Ilni ,,s to witness that the sentence OF deiil
upvn Taxi ZcnZQburo had been faithfully carried
Ont. The ceremony being at an end. we lelt tIl'
temn,e-THe Execution, 6V lara kH0, ~ Utt
CtD.nliH