, 1880-08-13
Horrors OF q Chinese Prison.

~1an.la.. saws \ correspondent, looks
7 very pretty from tic water, h'rt the Wis
,H. Is ii7f~' .i on lsadinc Tue streets
. are On some aces no, more than six or
seven fri vide. eaI tae houses over
hang, t1 ;aat they nearly touch over
head utterly h1,:.ns out the sun,ight,
lrt, Oh ali.t;Ca Co. hoirg narrow, are
rt'r- w:th ll,t The sedan chaira
sr. 'aa 0-iv Ie7hs -i conveyance use
leF Thv ars -assied hy Two mcu,
49,, v-a.rses f-cY grt q custcmez,
ssar. sF lE rlu, chanting In a sort cs
stne s1r. tom, 4" Heavy llger Heavy
lager Ua n Hravv luser In
one Il ,hc principal tsoroughfares / saw
r. constant -trrAm of sedan chairs, the
tearg-s chanting al. 30 umc and keep
iag military s.e,, A;j picturesque prc.
crssi0a j. s8A
Shanghai I'd towE Is completely
WAllnd n and the gates arc just As
have seen thea in pictures Over one
gaze was the heads Of six criminals with
the pigtaih swinging 70 aud FRO With
tie bFeeze. After passing through the
gate made ap my mind 20 avoid the
disgusting sight, ard enter the city by
another road, bat The gate through
which passed this time had four heads
over il, and ] am tcld that al the gates
are decorated in the same manner.
] went 20 see six Chinese pirates he
headed yesterday. The open square
where all the executions take place was
tiled with Chinese Of all ages and con
ditions, and few Europeans among
them The prisoners were the moef
forlorn starvclings ever saw, and be-
trayed no more fear st their approach
ing fate than If they were to be specta-
tors Of an execution. A huge Tartar
ofiiciated as executioner He was armed
with native sword and stood on q
small platform In the center Of the
square. After the criminals with their
hands tied behind them, had been taken
upon the stage, the exeoutioner took one
Of the pirates by the arm, brought him
to the edge Of the platform, hit him
sharp rap with his hand ON the head,
which caused the poor fellow to bow bis
head, and then the executioner's sword
went up, wss poised in che air full
minute, and with sweep the glittering
blade descended, and the criminals
head wene flying of in one direction,
and the body in anather. One by one
the others met their fate in the same
way, the Tartar making very short
business-lke job Of it, merely tlrning to
receive the plsudits Of the crowd after
each head rolled of, and respondingby
a grin which showed every one of his
teeth. But che stolidity of the pbor
wretches was beyond description. Not
q muscle quiVefed, and even when wait
ing for the blade Of the executioner to
fall / could not detect sign Of emo
tion. The crowd seemed to enjoy the
sight immensely, and set up yell Of de-
Light at each cut Of the Tsrtar's sword
/ am told that executions are common
hers. 20
Sickened with the sight, L went down
one Of the roads, and coming tna prison,
went in. OF all places Sinlthis world, l.
believe there there is not one where SO
much 'abject wretchedness can be seen as
in Chinese prison. The prisoners
serving out sentences get but one meal
week from the authorities; the rest Of
the time they are fed by their friends, if
they have any, or by the contributions
of visitors or they starve. L had not
much money with me on going in, but
came out pehniless, The poor creatures
SO worked on my feelings Some of the
prisoners had lost q hand, others were
heavily ironsd, and all wore the same
plnched, starved look. 1 saw. three
women in process of execution for mur
dering a man. They were hanged by
the neck in sort of wooden stocks, so
arranged that their feet just touched
the ground, and were left in this condi-
ton till dead. Sometimes death ensues
very soon, but oftener a day or two
passes before the poor wretch dies, as
there is no pressure on the neck. / was
glad to get away from this place, Zoo.
But the piteous tones of the poor prison
ers begging for " cumshaw," 10 apresent).
ring in NV para VET