Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-10
HANGING BY WHOLESALE.

An Old Tar's Yarn About an Execution In
which Ninety-Three Cinnamon Tool
Part.
'.It was along about 81 that shipped
in the German bark La Mona, bounG
from Bombay to Shanghai. We stopped
on the way at Hue, where we took on
board party of twenty-three Chinese
merchants. They had been to Hue to
dispose of their goods and were return
ing to Hong Kong with their proceeds.
All went well until off the island OF
Hainan, when we got becalmed and lay
floating around under the tropical sun
without breath of air.
.Along about three in the afternoon
our lookout deserted q sail, which soon
developed into fleet of sixteen Chinese
iunks, whose decks, upon a nearer APP
proach. could be seen covered with men,
which told us, without need of flag,
that they were pirates. Thinking our
selves lost, as we were unarmed, but de-
termined to hang on to life as long as
possible, we all made for between decks
and slowed ourselves away in the cargo.
We soon heard the junks come along
side, the trampling of feet overhead,
the mailing down of the matches, dull,
grating noise, and all was still.
Presently we could hear the rush of
water. the pirates having scuttled the
bark by boring-which accounted for the
grating-intending to drown us like rats
in . trap. We made a rush for the
hatch, but could not move it. We sue
ceeded, however, in breaking through
the bulk-head that led to the forecastle
and reached the deck. The pirates had
taken the Chinese passengers and all of
our boats except leaky one, which, af-
ter hasty patching, we jumped into,
lowered away, and pulled for the shore,
only mile off. There we were met by
Il bowling mob, who caught, beat us,
and, stripping us of every stitch of cloth
ing. drove us out of the village, so that
we were obliged to tramp, with the rays
of the burning sun blistering our backs,
about five miles to the town of Hainan,
on the other side of the island We
went directly to the house of the Ameri-
can Consul, who received us kindly, fur
nished us with clothing, listened to our
story, and sent for the Captain of the
United States steamer Ashenlot, which
was lying in the harbor.
HE took us on board, steamed up to
Hong Kong, sent us to the hospital, and
in company with the United States
steamer Piscataqua went back to Hainan,
raided the village in which we had been
so ill-treated, and which turned out to
be the pirates stronghold, captured
about five hundred Cinnamon and
brought them back to Hong Kong, sent
them ashore, and had them file past me
and my mates for identification. We
picked out ninety-three of them who
were taken back on board the vessels.
1.-The next morning while sitting on
the hospital piazza, which overlooked
the habor, we heard the sunrise gun, the
shrill whistle of the boatswain, saw the
ensigns fly to the peaks, and the next
moment, as if by magic, from the yard
arm of the two men-of-war hung the
ninety-three Cinnamon. There they
hung for half an hour, swaying in the
breeze, terrible example to eVil-doors,
when they were lowered and the bodies
given to their friends.
''There amt any such hangings now
adays," concluded the old tar, sfbut
never want to see such sight again. 1t
makes my blood creep every time think
of it, and l shall never forget it till my
dying day. Chicago Meas.