The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-16
CHINESE PENAl CODE.
Its PeculiaritIes Explained by an Eminent
Celestial Jurist.

O1INeSE PENAL CODE.
Its PeculiaritIes Explained by an Eminent
Celestial Jurist.
An eminent Chinese jurist has just
arrived from the East. and has been
spending q few days in San Francisco
preparatory to starting for China,
which country he left over year ago.
He travels under the unpretentious
name of All Yek Wan.
This distinguished functionary of
the Chinese Government came to this
country in March, 1883. for the pur-
pose of examining into American
methods of dealing with crime and
criminals and the penalties to which
the violators of the law are subject.
The fact that the Chinese Govern
ment has found it necessary to send
such a man to this country to examine
the question of the administration Of
justice shows an awakened interest on
its part to put itself more in line with
the Western nations, and the heath
ems have at last realized that their
mode Of punishment is cruel and crude.
All Yek Wan looked as serene as q
basket of chips when a correspondent
saw him and grasped his hand at the
Chinese Consurs Office. He was every
inch Celestial, from his felt-soled
shoes to his long braided queue. He
spoke the English language brokenly,
but sufficiently we'll to be thoroughly
understood. He said:
There are practically no prisons in
China. Prisoners are made public ex-
amples Of by being exposed in the
most public places. When it is found
necessary to confine them they are
are placed in a wooden structure, like
stable. These structures have wide
court-yards in the center surrounded
by stall-like cells.
The convicts in China must all
work. They are put to building roads
and making other public improve
ments, when nothing else can be found
for them to do"
"How are those delinquents who
are put in prison treated?" was asked.
The Chinaman gazed through the
lace curtains out to the cObble stones
in the street for moment and said:
1--WE have no such prisons as you
have described, and which l have
thoroughly investigated. Only a COM
paratively few. people are placed in
prison. When person is arrested
the officials prevent him escaping by
placing a chain around his neck and
tying his hands behind his back with
the same chain. The mode of securing
a prisoner does away with the cost Of
maintaining great prisons. 1t is only
in exceptional cases when it is found
necessary 10 cOntine a prisoner. In
instances the prisoner is placed in
cell in a wooden building. He is both
manacled and gyved, but at different
periods during the day one hand is
released by the janitOr for the pur-
pose of allowing him to cook and cat
his rice. He is allowed two pounds
OF rice per day and about ten cash or
two cents for fuel. Each prisoner is
required to do his own cooking"
The Chinese gentleman seemed dis
inclined to talk much about the man.
ner in which criminals are executed in
his country. A little persuasion. how
ever, caused him to relent. He said:
at is considered one of the gravest
offenses known to Chinese law for
child to speak disrespectfully to his
father, and if a wife even rails at her
husband Or her husbands parents the
law says they must be put to death by
strangulation.
'1f policeman considers that a
person is guilty of improper conduct
he can arrest him and have him pun
ished by no less than forty blows with
bamboo. If it is of serious nature
eighty blows is the minimum"
This inhuman treatment of prison
ers, it was subsequently learned. is
not an uncommon occurrence either,
and often occurs from the caprice of
some petty official who may be
ny VI OP1OC.
There is no chance for an appeal,
for the reason that punishment is adj
ministered at once. In some instances
the prisoner may be innocent. Law
yers are an unknown factor.
1.-The offenses which meet with
capital punishment in China are:
Robbery in the first degree, murder,
arson, rape, breaking into fortifica-
tions. highway robbery, homicide
and remuneration of allegiance.
when a man or woman is dis
covered in committing either of these
crimes it is not necessary that they be
taken before high magistrate, but
the captor can summon the ordinary
magistrate and the death sentence may
be imposed and carried out imme-
diately. San Francisco Cor. N. Y.
Telegram.