The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-09-25
JUSTICE IN CHINA.
Cruel Torture of a Prisoner by the Order
of a Mandarin in Canton.

Wart JallerS were roughly bringing in
a prisoner accused of the crime of
piracy. Around the neck of the pris-
oner was an iron collar to which an
iron chain was attached. One of the
jailers was dragging the prisoner along
by the chain and the other was aiding
him by pushing and kicking. The ac-
cused was taken before the Mandarin s
desk, made to PROSTATE himself on the
floor and the trial commenced. The
accusation charging the prisoner with
piracy was read and then the Mandarin
asked him through the Interpreters to
confess the charge. This the prisoner
refused to do, claiming that he was in
nocent. This seemed to anger the
Mandarin and he instructed the lictors
to strike the prisoner with their leather
thongs. This they did. striking him
a number of times on the face with a
leather strap two inches wide and a foot
in length. This failing to bring the
desired answer the Mandarin then
ordered the jailers to prepare torture
An instrument of torture resemblino
a common bench was then broL ght
in and placed in position ON
end. From the upper legs of the
bench dangled four stout cords, and
near the top of the plank forming the
seat was a cloth band about two inches
in width and attached to a winch at the
back of the board. The prisoner viewed
these preparations with logged and
sullen look. The lictors then seized
the prisoner and forced him to kneel
with his back against this frame and
quickly fastened cord to each of the
large toes of the foot. and, bending
back the arms, fastened the other two
cords to his thumbs. The cords were
now frightened until the prisoners
knees were raised clear of the floor.
The band was then placed around the
turns of the winch. The position of the
body naturally threw the weight for
ward and made the pressure on the
forehead fearful.
AS the cords and bands frightened
and the weight of the body was thrown
on them, the victim began to show
evidence of extreme pain. His breath
came heavy and labored, and deep
groan occasionally escaped his lips. In
this position he hung for couple OF
minutes, and was then again asked by
the Mandarin if he was guilty of the
charge of piracy. He refused to con-
fess. The perspiration was starting
out all over his body, the cords were
beginning to cut into the flesh, and the
muscles were becoming knotted. The
Mandarin gave an impatient order to
the lictors, and the winch was given a
couple of turns tightening the bands
around the forehead until the
| prisoners eyes seemed to start
from their sockets and the flesh on each
side of the band was pulled and dis
colored. Again he was asked to confess
and again refused. Another turn OF
the winch was ordered The eyes Of
| the suffering man had now rolled back
until only the whites were visible; the
muscles of his face began to twitch
and knot, and froth was collecting
around his lips. His groans and with
ings were horrible. 1t seemed as il
human senses could stand no more. A
few more turns of the winch and the
band would crush in the skull. The
muscles of the arms and legs stood out
rigid and knotted from the weight Of
the body. Once more he was asked to
| confess. This time he hesitated and
then shrieked out that he would confess
any thing they desired if they would
but take him from this horrid rack
The Mandarin, therefore, ordered the
| lictors to release him from the rack.
This they did much in the same man
ner as stevedore handles sacks OF
grain. They united the cords and
loosened the band, allowing the pris
oner to fall in heap on the floor. The
tortured mans face had lost the SEM
blsucc of human being. Distorted
by the pain and agony endured, with
set staring eyes and open mouth, il
presented grinning, unnatural,
hideous aspect. The arms and limbs
were rigid and cramped, all muscular
power seeming to have left them, and
the PRECIPITATION was rolling from his
body in streams. The lictors now
hastily throwing a cloth on his face tc
hide its hideous grinnings, roughly
Strengthened his limbs and set him W
against the rack from which he haC
just been released. His toes anC
thumbs were bleeding from the cut;
made by the cords, and the band had
left deep red mark around his fore
head. The suffering of the man was
horrible and his groans sent thrill
through my blood. Cor. San Fra D
cieco Cbr0,1icLe