Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1870-01-27

the y apanase witnesses, and the two bowed
before them, then drawing near to the
foreigners they saluted us in the same way,
perhaps even with more Difference, in each
case the salutation was tremendously. re-
turned, Slowly. and With great dignity.
the condemned man mounted on the rails
ed floor, prostrating himself before the
high altar twice, and seated himself on
the felt carpet with his back to the high
altar, the kaishahu crouching on his left
hand side. One Of the three attendant
officers then came fort ard bearing a stand
Of tie kind used in temples for offerings,
Eono which, wrapped in paper lay the
| rokiMshis the short sword or dirk vi tho
japanese nine inches and a half iii length,
with point and an edge as sharp as a
| razor's. This he handed, prostraling
himself, to the condemned man. who re-
ccived it reyerently, raising it to bis head
with both hands, and placed tin front Of
| himself i5;s- ~, ss.s.'. 49,
After another profound obeiaance, Tkat
Zfuzaburo, IN a voice which betrayed just
SO much emotion and alesitation as: might
be 'expected from a,niau who is making a
| painful confession, but with no signs OF
| fear either in his face or manner. spoke
as follows
Il, J aud / alone, unwarrantably gave
the order to fire on the foreigners at Kobe tl!}l
| and again as they tried to-. escape, Fol
this criine!Ia diseabowel myself, and |
| beg you who are present to do nae the
| honor Of witnessing the act. ...-
Bowing o,ce more, the speak er,, allowed
his upper garments to. slip down to bis
yirdle, and remained naked to the waist.
Carefully, according to custom, he tucked
his sleeves under his knees to prevent
himself from falling backwards, for IA no
pIe Japanese gentleman should die falling
forwards. Deliberately, with steady
hand, he took the dirk that lay before
.im he looked at it wistfully, almost
Unfortunately for anmiaent he. seened.to
calect his thoughts for the last t1ne, and
then, stabbiing himself below the waist Oh
the lief, haul side. he drew it slowly
across to the rlght side, AID turning the
irk ii, h. ,uul. gave a. slight cut up
war Is Daring this sickenlngly painful
operation be never moved muscle of hiS
face Wien be drew out tho dirk he
leaned forwafI ami stretched out his neck :
an expression Of pain for the first time
crssea his face, Gdt he uttered 40 SOUND.
AZ that moment the Aaishdhu, Who. still
crouvbing BY his side, had been kssesnly
watching his every movement, spfang to
bis feet. poised his sword. for a second in
the air there was fash, a heavy. ugly
thud, a crashing fall with one blow the
head had been seyered from the body.
A dead silence followed broken only by
the hileous noise of the blood gushing
out the inert head before us, which but
u lnomaut before hal been a brave and
ehiyah6us inau. It was horrible.
The k,tjsa4tls.e made i low bow, wiped
his sword, aId retired from the raised
floor and the staiued dirk was solenluly
borne away, a bloody proof Of the ex,
ecutlon. ;t-s
,1]he, two representatives, Of the Mlkado.
them left theft places, AMI cfossel over
to where the foreign witnesscsEsat, called
| us to witness that the. sentance Of death
upon Taxi Zeuzaburo had been feithful!g
carsied out. The acermony being, at an
end, we }eft the temple.