The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-12-25
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The Exec sion 81 iiars-Kiri.sza ne
masksbis scene II Japan.
- Algernon ipertrsm Milford, secretary to
the British isgasiouiipIyspau, contrihntes ~
the CornhiiI the following account Of ri
- execution byAari-kiriiII
= "I was bsht oficlafly TO witness.the ere
cutiou by hdrd- kiri (self-immolatlou By dis
cmboweling) ofTaki Zenzaburo, tn officE
-;-sof the Prince Of plzen. He Il was wso gayS
- the order to nru on the foreign settlement at
- nese customA which has excited the greatest
curiosity In Europe, although, owing to tho
= fact that II had nesef been hitherto Witnessed
by foreigners, 1t has seemed little better than
! q fable, WI relate what occurred.
aThe ceremony, which was ordered By tie
- Mikado hlmsclG took place at 1880 at night
- In the temple Of ssigukujl, the headquarters
mess was sent from eash Of the breigu iega-
tlons. We were soyep foreigners In alt -
eve were conducted u the temple BY on
cers Of the Princes OF eAsuma aad Choahip.
Although the ceremony was 20 bs.,coh-
,s-ducted In the mest Priyetc manner. the cas-
,s rsI aad ss ,sa s,SsS. .ne
trsnce to the temple, showed tkat l.as a
mstter OF no little Interest ID. the public.
THE courtyard Of the temple presented q
= most picturesque sight, II was crowded with
lsoidiers standing about In knots around
large fires, which threw q dim, 1Iofering
light over the heavy caves and Quaint gable.
ends of the sacred buildings Wswero
shown Into an Inner room, where We were
= TO walt until the preparation for the csre-
mony was completely 10 the neft room 70 US
wste the high JapancSe Officers. rAAer q
long Interval, which Seemed doubiy long
-. from tho silence which prevailed, Ito
Shunske, the provislonal governor Of Hiogo,
came aud took down our names, and In.
.-nesses would attend on tic part Of the Japa-
ncse. He and another ofncerrepreseuted
the Mikado; two captaius Of Satsuma's In
-r-fantry, and two Of Choshiu's, wtth q repre-.
sentative Of the Prince Of Blsen, thu clan Of
the condemned man, completed TIN num-
TO tally with that Of, the forelgnors. Ito
b. shunske further inquired whether wo-wishod
to put any questions 70 the prisoner We
replied In tho negative. " =,
- IA further delay then ensued, after which
We were invited TO follow the Japanese wit
nesses into hondo or main hall Of the temple,
- where the ceremony was to be performed.
=. II was an imposipg acene-a large hall, with
. high roof, supported by dark pillars of
wood. From the ceiling hung q profuaion Of
those huge git lamps and ornamenta pscu-
liar to Buddhist temples. In front of the
high altar, where tho door, covered With
beautiful white mats, 10 raised some three or
four inches from tho ground, was laid q. rug
Of scarlet felt. Tall candles, placed at regu-
lar intervals, gave out dim, mysterious
light, Just sufficient 70 let all the proceedings
DO seen. Tho seven Japanese took their
places on the len OF the raised floor, the
seven foreigner on the right. No o(her
person was present.
"After an interval OF a few minutes OF
T.tf ~ - - al.
~art man thity.two years Of age, with a
noble air, walked into the hall alfred In his
dress Of cersmony, With the peculiar hempen
cloth wings which arc worn on great occa'
sions. He was accompanied BY kdishak,
and three officers, who wore the fimbdori OF
war surcoat, with gold.tissuo facings. The
word haishaku, II should DO observed, IL one
to which our word e1,euiioner is no equiva.
lent term. Tho oficc 10 that ofa gentleman
In many cases ills performed by kinsman
or friend OF tho condemned, aud the rotation
between them 10 rather thai Of principal and
second than that Of victim and erocutioner,
Ia mi. inssenec the kas,Aasv was a pnpil Of
frlends OF the latter from among their owr
number for his skill In swordsmanship.
"Wlth the kaisAakG on his left hand, Takl
Zenxaburo advanced slowly towards the Jap
anese witnesses, and the two bowed before
them, then drawing near TO the foreigners
they taluted us In the same way, perhaps
even With more difference; In each case the
Slowly, and with great dignity. the con
domned man mounted on to the raised floor
Frustrated himself before the high altai
twice, and seated himself on, the left car.
pet With his back TO the high altar, tho kdi
sAaku crouching on his left hand side. One
Of the three. attendant officers then came
forward bearing stand OF the Kind used In
temples for ofleriugs, On which, wrapped In
paper, lay theAspkinAt, tho shost sword OF
dirk Of the japanese, nine inches and hall
In length, wifi point aud an edge as sharl
as rnkor's. This he handed, prostratine
himself, to the condemned man, who re
ceived Il revercntly, raising II to his head
with both hands, and placed II In front oil
himself. D SOL. Id g IN,
"After another profound obeisance, TAX
Zenzaburo, In voice which betrayed JUS
so much emotion and hesitation rs might be
expected from . man who 10 making . pain
full confession, but with no sign Of fesl
either In his face or manner, spoke ~ fol-
lows; Wv ~ ~ .ttfTr-rg
f"sI, and alone, fundamentally gave the
order 70 nre on the foreigner at Kohs, al nd
again a. they tried to escape. Eorthls cri mt
Idisembowol myself, aud beg you who are
present to do me the honor Of witnessing the
act.' e.. Xxx
Glowing once more, tho speaker allowed
aud remained naked to the waist. Care.
fully, according to custom, he tucked hi
sleeves under bis knees to prevent himself
from failing backwards, for q noble ia
pansse gentleman should die falling for
wards. Deliberately, with 2 steady hand,
he took the dirk that lay before him; he
looked at II wistfuily, almost atfectiouately;
for moment he seemed to collect hli
thoughts for the last time, and then, stab.
bling himself deeply below the waist on the
left.hand side, he drew It slowly across to
the right aide, and turning tha dirk In the
wound, gave slight cot upwards. During
this sicfsnlngly painful operation he never
moved muscle Of his face. When he drew
out the dirk he leaned forward and stretched
out his neck; an expression OF pain for tn,
nrst time crossed his face, but he uttered no
sound. At that moment the kaishdku, who
sill crouching by his side, had been ksonly
watching his every movement, sprang to hill
feet, poised his sword for second In the air
there was q fash, q heavy, ugly thud, a
crashing fall; with one blow the head hat
been severed from the body. b. j..
"a dead silence followed, broken only BY
the hdeous noise OF the blood gushing ou'
OF the inert heap before us, which but a mo
ment before had been brave and chival
rous man. Il was horrible.
"The kalshuku made low bow, wipet
the sword, aud retired from the raised floor
and the stained dirk was solemnly born,
away, bloody proof Of the executouI 4 L.
"The two representatives, Of the Mlkadt
then left their places, and crossing over Il
where tho witnesses sat, called us to witnes
that the sentence OF death upon Taxi Zenza
buro had been faithfully carried out. Tit