The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-01-01
TORTURE IN JAPAN.
Choice Extracts From thu Penal Code
Of the Mike los Empire. .
Delicate Mef.ootls OF Punishment That
are U-AkAown Even in Ameri-
can Penftentiarfes.

are Unknown Even In Ameri-
can Penf<entiaries.
IJapLn Gazette.l
Mr.. ]. II. Longford, an attache of her Bri-
tanuic malesty's legation in Japan, contrib
uted to the Asiatic Society most valuable
Summary of the Japanese Penal Codes"
from which we take the liberty of extracting
passages that will form fitting introduction
to this article. Mr.. Longford states:
Where the evidence is only sufficient to
raise very strong suspicion against the &C
cused, an attempt is made to elicit the truth
by subjecting HIM to further examination,
and Though it is now generally admitted that
the use of torture has been practically abol-
ished IN Japanese courts, SO far from there
being any law absolutely forbidding its u.s.
duriag this examination, the right of resort
ing to it would seem to be still recognized
by the retention in the codes of a section in
the preliminary matter infinitely describing
the implement that is to be used in the ex-
animation by torture, and of sections in the
present chapter which provide punlshments
for an officer who causes the torture of a per
son whom he knows TO be innocent, or of
persons of advanced or tender years, or OF
pregnant women.
MIR. Longford's opinion that power has
been reserved to the courts to resort to tor
ture when that course shall seem expedient
is corroborated by the belief of japanese at
the present moment, who assert that, al
though torture IS not now practicsd, the
courts may infiiet il whenever they deem it
necessary to do SO. The Japan Mail of June
"a. 1876, considered a notification issued by
his excellency, Sanjo, prime minister, as
conclusive evidence of the abolition OF tor
ture; but we regret to find this surmise has
not been verified by subsequent events
The japanese press, notably the Hochi Shin
bun and the Nichi Nichi Sninbun, the latter
supposed to possess the confidence of the
government, have declared that torture was
applied to some of the mutineers Of the
Takebashi barracks, and, Notwithstanding
the subsequent contradiction published by
those lournals-declaratIons that the re-
ports were unfounded-there was so much
circumstantiality in the statements of the
Nichi Nichi Shinbun as to names and the
nature of the torture spilled that the con-
tradiction is not sufficient to destroy the
impresson that torture was really resorted
to. though it was desirable to conceal it
from the people OF Japan and the world at
large.
Upon the assumption that torture may be
used we shall proceed TO give some details
which may be worthy OF perusal:
KEIBoTssU ZAssHI.
Examination preliminary or in prison.
The accused secured by handouts and occa-
sionaIIv bound, is conducted 10 the place of
examination and there seated on straw
mat spread on the ground. A constable is
in charge OF the accused, and the officer to
infiict punishment is in attendance. Toe
magistrate, accompanied by spies (mettsuke),
then proceeds 10 question the prisoner. and
If it appears that he is unwilling to give such
replies as shall prove his guilt. other mess
ures are adopted. at signal from the mag
lstrate the torturer strikes the accused per
son with q whip, described by Mr.. Longford
as an implement three feet in length, one and
half inches in circumference and hall an
inch in diameter. 1t is made of three strips
of bamboo the knots of which have been
planed off, bound tightly together with
hempen rope and is called with grim humor
the Investigation whip" II these blows
are insufficient for the purpose, heavier
whip is usad-One inch in dIameter-and the
blows are continued until the prisoner yields,
fsints or becomes utterly Frustrated aud I'M
conscious Care Is taken not to strike any
part of the body where bones may be brok-
en- or fatal injuries inflicted. When the &C.
cused makes confession of the crime charged
against him he is unbound, permitted to
drink water-the deprivation OF which is
often employed as an sggravation OF his suf-
ferings-and after having ratified his con-
fession by affixing a mark with the thumb
nail to the record, ne is returned to prison
to await sentence or the further action CT
the authorities. This system of subjecting
persons under examination to severe COR
poral punishment was inaugurated by Toda
Yamashiro No Kami on the 18th day of the
fourth month Of the fifth year of Kioho "a.
ID. 1720}
CRIMINALS.
Persons accused of murder, incendiarism,
robbery and other serious and capital crimes;
those who are morally proved TO be guilty
or whose accomplIces have confessed, but
who themselves remain mute; and ali those
charged with offences against the govern
ment, are liable TO be subjected to all or any
of the following modes of torture, not as in
the preliminary examinations, in the pres
ence of the magistrate or judge, but in a
place set apart for the purpose presided over
by the official torturer. When a person
charged with any of these crimes refuses to
plead or enter plea of not guilty be is in
formed that torture will be employed in his
examination and that when he desires 10 ex-
plain the full extent of his misdoiDg the
proper officer will attend to record his con
fession. Arrived at the prison the accused
is securely bandcuffed and may first be sub
jected to the
ISM zEME 1.-THE STONE ToRrUxE].
This method of torture is identical with
the Sorobanzeme mentioned in the Eichi
Eichi Shinbun as applied to some Of the
Takebashi mutineers. Five large pieces oil
cedar or pine wood, triangular in Shape and
about three feet long. are placed upon 9
platform, side by side, the apeKes upper
most and upon them the accused is made &c
kneei in q position which exposes the front
of the lower legs to the edges of the wood
This position, painful as it must be, is hui
preliminary, for upon the sufferers thighs
are placed, one at q time, pieces of the Idsr
stone, each weighing 80 pounds Stones ars
slowly added until the accused yields auG
makes confession or becomes lnsensible.
: HAxo-zEME (Box roKruRE).
The accused, bound hand and feot, il
placed in q crouchiDg posture in strongly
made box having a movable lid arranged Il
Fit inside the box and to be raised or de
pressed at pleasure. Upon the Idiot thi
machine weights are slowly added until I
crushing power is acquired, under which ma
tEre must succumb.
1KMBlk zEME SCALE ToRTgRE9.
An upright triangle Is prepared, from
which depend two ropas attached to pole
forming an inner triangle suspended iron
the apex of the other. The accused is fast
ened to the ropes by his feet and ankles
While each arm, stretched to its fullest ex
tent Ia hound e the loie below. While th.