The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1878-02-15
srrcrrsov ~ surAEEwrsr


tice is administered in Japan; Zone
morning while I was Yokohama, ]
was informed thu, = criminal was
about to he publicly put to death, and
the morbid curiosity which has more
or less a stronghold upon most Of us,
induced me to sally forth and witness
the execution. This is what saw.
When reached the place appointed
fr carrying into effect the capital sen.
tcnce, the unfortunate convict, a fine
looking japanese, in the prime Of
youth and strength, was standing UNI
der q huge post in the middle Of lit
lie posse Of guards. The post had a
cross-piece. Nearly nude, he was
standing erect, hut as motionless as a
statue, while his fearless but dreamy
eyes gazed straight into the distance
before him, as IL he was looking at
some fsr-on object looming upon a
horizon visible only 10 ms sp'.fac'eu
vision. There was no token Of terror
~ his deferm'nt' ace' D" sign o'
shrinking IN his qu'escent D"t 'ense'y
strung body. Presently there was a
movement among the l''tle Sno. OF
4 .sI
those surrounding him' MS Ja'er'
moved ASIDE ana there s'rooe 'n'o '"e
circle a gaunt' repnls've-'ock'ng ma
i've, clad from heao 70 1901 m y "'es'
OF d'ngy yei'ow' Inc execu''one
Tor u was news "cco"I"".e' :" ="
couple OF ass'stan''' VINO carI'e'' some
haf dozen long, ro"nd oamooo 'ous'
an""1 COUPE on n"se's '"'c. AZ 'ne"
largest eh"' an" 'aPerins W "",' '"a'
SHe al Inc other' "h'eh was SHARPLY
pointed Inc roos were '""' upon
Tue grouhu, anu the 'f'"''y " "es'"
capped mol" OF the 'V'ng s'a'"e oe'
lore 'hem' IN u 'r'ce '"e """''" CT
hgy, "ho maze no sttempt al resist
snee' ana who' Is iar as l ooser'e"'
never even opener ms ups was GRIM
~ dangling on '"e posi-, MS arm'
stretched ou' r,s"' anu 'e'' a'o"s 'ne
eross-P'ece. There was now = s"sn'
pause ihe eSecu''ohers "'''eu WIN
the bamboos, ana the poor creature
'pread'eas'ed on Inc post SIM iookeu
into the sha'lowy distance sun was
dumb; WI, ! Thought ! co"'a de'ec'
yellow pal''r stealing up ms "ce'
Perhaps he was collecting all MS reso'
luton 10 meet the 'err'o'e oruea' nc
knew was close upon INN. Inc pr'n.
eipai execn''oner' VINO meanwhile hao
selected couple OF oamooos TO MS
m'nd' now stepl'e1 to the lett SIDE oil
his expeciant v'c''m' spat upon tne
point OF one OF ms weapons ami win
twisting pushing motion thrust u
easily INTO the ne'n' ABOUT halfway
between Tue mp an, 'ne arm'p'' ne
poor wre'c" "p"" 'he cross '"r"e" nus
gaze slowly npo" MS 'ormen'"r' anu
ms ups s',sh'iy opene'' nut ne maze
no s'rngg'e-he ui'ered no cry MS
resolution MS courage were superhu'
man looked al the exeeotloner.
lie was calmly continuing 10 push ana
wrlggle the bamboo inr'her ana fur.
iher INTO the Dolly. In a couple oil
minutes, though 1t seemed much long
er, the bloody point OF the instrument
emerged from the top OF the sufferers
shoulder. There was a slight exeia'
NATION "' Satisfaction from the crowd.
just the sort OF hum that escapes iron
those watching daring swimmer
when his head appears above the sur
face after long dive; AMI the lend at
the other end OF the bamboo stopped
wrisg'iog' let 90 his hold and stepped
hack. Now thought, he is going to
give the poor tortured creature his
coup de grace. Not q bit OF 1t. tie
crossed to the opposite side OF the post
calmly inserted the second weapon IN
the same spot on The sufferers other
Hank. and worked away I'LL 1t. too
came out above the armPh. All tar
lime not a single groan' not one lies
pairing cry Tor mercy escaped thu
man thus dohb'y 'mpa'ed' MS head
dropped a little upon his chest AM