New-York tribune., 1870-04-23
JAPAN.

PENAL LAwS-PRISOS FARE-THE TORTURE sYs-
TEM-PUBLIC EXECUTIONs-A DEATH BY FIRE.
YOKOHAMA, March 28.-Tbe penal laws of
Japan are remarkably severe and the list Of crimes
which are punished by death ia very large. compli
Gated system OF espowage exists for every branch Of
government, and everyagrade OF society," rendering IL
extremely difficult for criminal TO escape detection
Once the hands Of the police there Ia little chance of
his escape by means Of bribery because Of the many
checks brought to bear upon those having the in
charge sentencelind its execution not pomp,
as has been generally supposed. primary examination
is made by police;court, and II the is demand
ing further action, the offender Is placed In confinement
there being provision for a release bail Many Of
the lower classes who reach the jail obtain trial
the tardy action OF the authorities and cruelty Of the
ailOrs deciding their cases by causing their deaths.
The forms and obligations Of an oath are not pcsg-
nized here as in Christian communities. OF the node.
OF arriving at truthful testimony there are two quite Pc
culiar and worthy OF note: 1st by making the withe
seal his written testimony with drop Of blood taken
from under the finger nail; ID, by subeCing the giyr
OF false testimony to the punishment which his ey
dence brought upon another. The testimony most relied
upon however Il that obtained from the criminal him.
self for his own conviction acquta. This OF cour@
il rarely voluntary, and tortures Of different kinds a
resorted to- most common il that Of placing the az
cused on his knees sharp-edged sticks Heavy
stones are then piled upon the thighs so AS 10 t9
sticks TO press into the esh producing the most e1c
cating pain. The bamboo is also freely used.
Under this system there is little doubt that many an
innocent man has confessed 10 the commission crm
fer further torture Petty oenses punished by beat
mo yith the bamboo by Imprisonment, and TRANSPORTS.
tion TO work in mines. On being discharged ringA
printed around the arms IN India INK II, on being
rested at any time o Or nv death no matter how sn
nfcant the offense. The most common form Of exoeu
tion is by decaptatlon ana teI 9r a, AMOUNT an eI
der of "a master and crimes OF an aggravated character
the culprt il cruced and tIsnsnXed by spears one On
each side Arson is punished by burning at the stake
or rather cross. The ground OF execution Is usually
near some thoroughfare OF ON an elevated piece Of
70, alra "a 81
nent criminal, on being taken from prison on the
day of execution Is placed bound on horse ana made
him march procession some wretehed coolies bearing
Of board, which Is written the oense Of the crm
ina his sentence, and the time and place Of execution
By his side stride along the officers OF the prison police
while the is brought up by nc y crowd 9i men
and balfgrown boys. Even little children may be seen
trudgng along in the train to the place OF death Where
they gaze terrible scene with few signs oil com
Passing near the execution ground one day on return
ing from ride in the country your correspohdent VIZ
who had been making the usual tour or the toWn wa
Just approaching the foot OF the HILL surrounded the
usual crowd. more distressedlooking OBJECT nave
never seen. He was unwashed, unshaven ana scAy
from long confinement and the many hardshlps Ia Tho
prison. .zoo,st,, ,ba Mn ,.
observed him swayng TO and fro on his seat ana ready
IN fall to the ground but for the support aHOrded MIN on
either side by the guard. We at first Thought tins u
steadiness of the poor fellow was due TO weakness ana
xhauston proved TO be partial stupefact0n caused
by some drugged liquor which was placed 10 h; i,ps
every few moments by one OF the attendants i Little
another attendant which he ate with apparent RELISH
while the intervals of this last repast be gazed about
on the iostling crowd with stupid indifference, clearly
showing that he had but faint realization Of his sp
nroacbing doom. The crime for which he con
demned was arson, and consequently his execution ws
TO be. by burning, On being nfted or rather
| the appointed spot, he had to BIZ carried
the foot of the to which he was to be nsed ne
fastening effected by straw ropes instead OF nails
dampened clay being plastered around them to prevent
their being turned off before life was extinct TINS e
ing accomplished the set upright, and the fne
consisting bundles Of straw piled up about hun t he
was longer visible. Torches were now quickly sp
piled at several points at once and the nanes eaped In
an instant the top enyeopng the confused form IN
fierce flame. An instant more and the cloud OF smoke
which hanging like pail over the scene was lifted
by the breeze and the backened and charred remains
OF the culprit became visible. Not groan or cry was
heard but his feeble life must have passed away almost
nstananeousy in the midst Of the fierce fame and SUI
locating smoke that had anvel0ped it, though only for
moment. The body left for three days exposed D
the passer SHY, as Is the custom.