The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-06-28
SUICIDE BY HARA-KiRi.
story of an Eye Witness to the Ghastfy
,Jnuanese Punishment

~Hara- kirl as a legal form OF punish
nent has been abolished in Japan for
about twenty-five years. Prior to that
time class of political offenders oil
high rank or title were allowed the
choice OF the headsnan's sword or sui
side. This was a concession to caste
that was meant to remove the disgrace
Of an execution at the hands of the
Jaw. 'Hara-kiri'' signifies ''cut-belly"
Dr. it the words are arranged as in the
Japanese term. belly-cut." The
usual method of self murder cOntem-
plated by hari-kiri was for the victim
to drive long, broad and very sharp
blade into his abdomen and draw it
across his body in manner that would
disenbowel him. Instant death was
usually the result.
An officer in the army of one of the
feudal princes was the last person to
commit an official hara-kiri. He hated
all foreigners with patriotic bitter
ness, and in hOt-headed outburst of
temper one day ordered his soldiers to
fire on some Europeans who were
crossing the street. The British Am
oassa Tor. Sir Harry Parkes. was on the
scene and had a narrow escape. while
some were killed. The representatives
of the foreign powers demanded the
summary punishment of the young
officer The Prince yielded to the de-
mand and the offender was condemned
to death. He chose the alternative of
hara-kiri. Mr.. j. A. X. Walters. a
mining engineer of Chicago, then
living in Japan, thus tells the story of
the execution:
Representatives of the foreign pow
ers were invited to be present." said
Mr.. Waters, land witness the execu-
ton. Through the courtesy OF Il men,
Der of the British legation | was one
If The witnesses. The execution took
place in a large, gloomy, half-lighted
Buddhist temple. The ceremony was
conducted with The rigid formality ana
lecorum of religion rite. On one
side was the foreigners, pale as ghos.s s,
breathing in gasps and trembling with
excitement. The dim Eight and dank
airgave supernatural, uncanny thrill
20 the scene. Opposlte " ere the Japa-
lese officials. unflinching as stoics, as
lnmOved as statues. In front on a low
1ias was the condemned man. He sat
tailOr-fashiOn. bare | to the waste. a
brawny fellow with muscular arms.
and deep-chested IA an OK. On a low
table near him was a } japanese short
sword with blade nine or ten inches
long and keen as a razor. Behind him
stood his best friend-the condemned
being allowed to select some one to
strike off his head in the event he
failed to kill him self and was liable to
suffer prolonged agony before death
came. The man was apparently the
only agitated native in the temple
The muscles of his face twitched He
clutched the broad sword nervOusly
with both hands. waiting for the mo-
ment that should demand his services
The condemned was the coolest
man present. Through an interpreter
he said he was not sorry for what he
had done for his beloved country. He
was proud to give his life for her. He
would show the coward forei gners how
Japanese gentleman could die. As
he finished his speech he picked up the
knife. A moment later he plunged it
to the hilt in the left side of his abdo-
Ia Int "A
seemed an hour to us hite-faced,
shivering Englishmen, as we held our
breaths. Then, with a powerful effort,
he pulled the blade across his body.
the blood gushing from the long cash
in torrent. Either from pain or pur-
pOsely. he leaned his head slightly for
ward. A swish of the sword behind
him and his head leaped from the body
to the floor in front Of him.
The Japanese had not apparently
moved muscle through all this CHASTITY
scene. A pleasant-voiced dignitary
arose and said he hoped he had proved
fthat Japanese justice would he vindi-
cated Ind asked il the foreign repre-
Sent0tfves were satisfied. The British
Ambassador simply nodded an affirma-
tive and the shuddering witnesses of
the harar kiri hurried with bloodless
features into the open air.
IL was long haunted by that dread
scene and ever and anon it would rise
before me-the dark and gloomy tenn
pie. the impassive japanese, the awe
stricken foreigners, and, above all, the
aces of the principal actors. the con-
demned man and his closest friend; the
me calmly content, even proud to give
up his life, the other crOuching behind
him, watching with a deadly intensity.
pale and anxious. fearful. perhaps, of
5ungling at the supreme moment. 1t
looms up clearly before me yet, al
though years have gone by. Chicago
News.