Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-11-28
A JAPANESE ExEcUr1oN.-On Fri

~ JAPANESE EXECUTION.-On FIJI
day evening notice was given to the
consuls that at 9 o'clock A. NJ, of the
day following, Taxak Hidechika would
be sentenced for the murder of the late
Mr. Haber acting German Consul at
this port, and that he would be execu-
ted at 10 o'clock, in the Jail Enclosure.
The sentence was read at the Saiban
sho, IN the presence Of the Foreign Con
suls, Chief of Foreign Affairs, and
Chief of Police. The prisoner was
made TO kneel with his head about four
inches from the floor, so that he could
not see the Judge 1t was agreed by
Minister Won Brandt and the japanese
authorities at Yeddo that Tazaki Hid
echika should be executed privately
within the prison walls, believing that
tie ends Of justice would best be pro-
noted by this course, as the prisoner
might, If any opportunity was offered,
exhibit unseemiy bravado. In bowling
to signify that he understood, he struck
his head against the floor, and as soon
as his sentence was pronounced he was
rudely showed out of the door, which
was banged after him with great vio-
ience, the officer seeming to think that
the noise served to make the scene i'm
pressive. The prisoner was carried to
the place of execution in kago, guar
ded by twelve policemen. Inside, and
in one corner of the prison Enclosure,
was kind Of small court, surrounded
by high wall and fence At one side
sat the witnesses, consisting only of the
three foreign consuls and several native
officers. In the middle was trench,
about six feet deep, and three feet in
length. The murderer was soon brought
in blindfnlhcc,3,. and
MADE TO KNEEL on A MAT
by the side of the trench; an officer
then loosed his cords and tucked the
/ clothes down about the neck, laid bare
one knee, and arranged the hair, during
which time the prisoner occasionally
mum5led something, apparently adj
dressed to the eXecutioner, giving dl-
rectons about his clothes. lie looked
pale, but did not seem much concerned.
/ Two executioners stood by with their
swords, which were dipped in water
, First eXecutioner advanced and stuck,
missing his aim, and
HITTING UNDER TIE NECK,
( close to the shoulders; the body fell
/ forward, with the head in the trench,
seeming to suffer much. A second blow
was struck, and then the assistant exc
cutioncr advanced and delivered a
heavy blow, which, being unsuccessful,
a fourth attempt to sever the head from
the body was made but failed. One eX
ecutioner then took the head by the
hair, and began to saw the head off
with his sword III most horrible man
ner, but was stopped by the chief Off
Ger. Water was thrown on the face,
and in order to show the face to the
witnesses. the head not being entirely
served it was necessary to partially
! lift the body up with it. The body was
covered with a mat, and Tazaki Hide
chika had met his due reward. The
time occupied by the dccapitation was
two minutes As the head was not sew
cred from the body as per sentence and
according to japanese custom, the
question may be raised rs to whether
the failure was intentional or not, as
IIidechika may have preferred to suffer
more TO having his head cut entirely
off; as to the japanese idea of disgrace
| am entirely ignorant. Notice OF the
execution was posted i'll one place, writ
ten in ,Japanesc.-Jcpan Gazette.