The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-08-09
JAPANESE EXECUTIONS.
The Difference Between Onr Noda -,
That of the Japanese.

me Difference Between Our Mode and
mat OF the Japanese.
From the Pittsburg LeaderJ
speaking about executions" said 4
stranger at the court house YESTERDAY,
as lar as L can see, the mere TACT of
hanging, the way it is done here. does
not require great amount of courage.
Indeed, L think man has very little
courage who could not go through with
the short ceremony necessary. After
the trap falls the victim, as we have
every reason to believe, becomes I'M
conscious Immediately, and does not
suffer even as much as the strain upon
the system of the persons looking on.
The only agony is that borne in getting
ready, and ceases when the real work
commences. When it was the custom
to Tx the rope in such manner that
the neck of the criminal was broken.
there was more of contortion of the
muscles OF the body, but the present
system even lessons that. / happened
to get admitted to the recent execution
OF George Jones, aud must say | was
impressed with the extreme sickness
of the work. Everything was done
contortions We're slight at first and only
lasted a short time. l can't help but
contrast the system here and the one
used In Japan, where l visited some
time ago. If the people who were op-
posed to capital punishment on account
of cruelty and suffering would witness
an execution there and compare the
two they would get an idea of what a
'barbarous' execution is. While / was
| IN Yokohama | witnessed the public
| execution of criminal. He was fine
looking japanese in the prime of youth
| and strength, and was standing under a
huge post, in the middle OF a posse of
guard. The post had a cross piece.
Nearly nude he was standing erect, but
as motlonless as statue, and gaZed
straight before him. Presently his
jailers moved aside, and gaunt, repul-
slve-looking native, the executioner.
made his appearance, clad from head
to foot III a dress of dingy yellow.
Two assistants accompanied him, carry
ing half dozen round bamboo rods.
The assistants dropped the rods and
stretched the criminals hands over the
crosspiece of the post. The execution
er now dallied with the bamboos, and
the poor creature still looked into the
shadowy distance as though he was
dumb. | watched him closely and
thought [ detected pallor spread over
his countenance. The executioner now
spat on the pointed end Of one of the
bamboos, and with twisting, pushing
motion thrust it easily into the flesh
about halfway 'c-ween the hip and the
arm pit. The poor wretch turned and
looked at his tormenter, and his bps
slightly opened, but he did not struggle
In couple of minutes, though it
seemed longer, the bloody point of the
instrument emerged from the sufferers
shoulders, and slight exclamation of
satisfaction escaped the crowd. Then
the executiOner went to the other side
with another bamboo and did the same
thing. During all this there was not a
single groan or cry for mercy
from the man. At this juncture,
to my surprise, the executioner and his
assistants, picked up the remaining
bamboos and walked away. I inquired
what they meant and was told the exc
cution was over. 1t was customary to
leave the man that way, and he would
die in couple of hours or so. The
bamboos would remain in him until he
had expired. A Japanese executioner
is taught to carefully avoid the vital or
gans so as not to bring death too quick
ly, and the executioner's reputation Is
gagged by the length of time his victim
lives. l tell you that is the kind of an
execution that takes nerve, both on the
part of the victim and the crowd, and
the ones like the last, and also that of
Tuesday next, are tame affairs com
pared with my japanese experience"