American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-01-08
Chinese Justice.


of the Troy Times, the mixed court" at
Canton, so-called, which is held in To-
cality outside the walls and within the ter
ritory of the foreign settlement We were
introduced to the Chinese magistrate
while the court was in session; he invited
us to places of honor on his left, and
tea and cigars were offered us. Pris-
oners who were arraigned Frustrated
themselves upon their knees before him,
and were allowed to make their statement
in self-dcfense; lawyers and court retain
ers were busy comforting with prisoners,
and often communicating in whisper tones
to the court. The magistrate only exam
incd prisoners and witnesses no form of
oath was employed. The cases were rap
idly disposed of; some were discharged,
others were sentenced to imprisonment for
specified terms. One fellow, who stole
200 cash, equal to twenty four cents, was
bamboo at five O'Clock in the afternoon,
and to be manacled and kangued in pub
lie street for four weeks. On inquiry
through our interpreter whether the whip
ping would be public, so that we might
have a view of this administration of
Chinese justice, the magistrate replied by
inviting us to remain awhile, and proba-
bly, an opportunity would soon be offered
to witness a case of &c bamboOing." Very
stealing some clothing; the garments were
found in his possession, together with
some cash and lot of pawn
brokers' tickets. "a professional
and confirmed thief" said the mag
istrate. The man made his statement upon
his knees and begged for mercy. The
magistrate sentenced him to be bamboOed
at once in the courtroom before US with
300 blows we'll laid on, and to be mana
cled and kangued for six weeks. The
court crier made proclamation in loud,
forward bearing a bamboo stick that had
been cut into half from the original
growth; the instrument was about six feet
long, three quarters of an inch thick, and
two inches and half wide, weighing per-
haps six or eight pounds. The man was
taken by the lictors, placed upon the floor
face downward, stripped of his panta-
looms, his blouse not being removed. One
held him by the neck, another placed a
bamboo stick, bringing it down upon the
upper part of the prisoners thighs, each
time striking vigorously in one place
across both legs, and counting each blow.
The HctOrS took turns in their work, each
one striking twenty blows, when there
was rest of a few seconds to change off.
The prisoners countenance writhed with
the torture, but it was not until after 200
blows had been delivered and swellings
had punched up more than third of an
inch on the legs that he began to cry out
with pain. The magistrate frequently
commanded the lictors to strike harder
land harder, and at the last the man was
nearly exhausted with suffering. The
work finished, he was brought up bleed
ing and with distorted countenance, the
kangue with felon's label pasted on the
board was placed upon his neck, and
he was hurried off to endure his six
weeks additional torture. The court
then adjourned; we were invited to
the inner temple of justice, asked
to take seats in the finely cushioned
places of honor in the Mandarin's sanctum
sanctOrum, and there entertained with re-
freshments. This official, a fine-loOking
man, with an intellectual cast of counte-
nance, made many inquiries about our
journeying, and when DIR. Yates explained
to him that we were going around the
earth he said he could not understand
how that was possible, for no one could
climb the sky. He had not the least con-
ception of the shape of the world, and be-
lieved it to be flat, only as hills and
mountains gave it other forms. This man
was probably we'll up in Confucius, and
possessed more than an ordinary share of
Chinese learning. He occupies response
BILE position, and property and life are
largely at his disposal. 1t is only with
the Chinese in the foreign settlements that
he has to deal, but his Is called a mixed
court, for the reason that in cases wherein
Europeans or Americans are aggrieved
parties, for the protection of their country
men in prosecution against Chinese SUBJ
jects, consular representatives may sit
with the Chinese magistrate in such adj
Indications: STILL thew have no voice in
decisions rendered, but may examine wit
nesses and solicit evidence, and appeal
cases, so as to place matters in dispute, if
justice is done, in shape for the action
of Consuls in semi-diplomatic way. The
Consuls Try all cases of crime and civil
suits against their respective countrymen.
Treaties with Eastern and semi-barbaric
nations require this, and it is vital for the
protection of foreigners. residing in these
benighted lands.