Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-06-28
CHINESE PENAL CODE.
IT'S cRUElIieS EXPLAINED BY Ma
TNes CT THE COUNTRY.
There Are Very Few Prisons. Because An
Puni.hments Are Inflicted the Spot
W.xpipp~ II, 0fher~

Warning. to Others
All Yek Wan looked a. serene Is basket
Of chip at the Chinese consufs Office. He
was every inch a Celestial, from his felt solesi
Shoes 10 bis long braided cue. He spoke the
English language brokenly, but sufficiently
well 10 be thoroughly understood he said;
There are practically no prisons In China
Prisoners are made public examples Of by be
ing exposed in the most public places. When
it is found necessary to confine them they are
placed IN wooden structure like stable
These structures have wide court yards In the
center. surrounded by stall ike cells.
The cOuvicts IN China must all work
They are put 10 building roads and making
other public improvements when nothing else
can he found fer them TO do"
POWERS OF THE POLICE.
How those delinquents who are put in
prison trcatedf was asked
The Chinainan gazed through the lace cur
tains out TO the cobble stones in the street for
Il moment and said:
I'VE have no such prisons as you have de-
scrib-sd, and which have thoroughly investi-
gated Only comparatively few people are
placed IN prison When person is arrested
the officials prevent him from escaping by
placing a chain ar,und his neck and tying
his hands behind his back with the same
chain This mode Of securing a prisoner does
away with the cost Of maintaining great
prisons IL u only in exceptional cases when
il Is found Necessary 70 contne prisoner.
In such Instances the prisoner IS placed in
cell in a wooden building. He is both man
acled and guyed, but at different periods dur
ing the day one band Is released by the JAM
tor for the purpose Of allowing him TO cook
and eat his rice He is allowed two pounds
OF rice per day and about ten cash two
cents for fuel Each prisoner is required to
do his own cooking"
The Chinese gentleman seemed disinclined
TO talk much about the manner in which
criminals are executed in his country. A
little persuasion, however caused him to re-
lent. He said;
1t is considered one of the gravest offensss
Known TO Chinese law for IA child TO speak
Unexpectedly 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
"lf u policeman considers that person is
guilty of Improper conduct he can arrest him
and have him punished by not less than forty
blows with a bamboo. II it is of a serious
nature eighty blows is the minimum"
This inSsman treatment Of prisoners, II
was subsequently, learned, was not an I'M
common occurrence either, and often occur
from the caprice of some petty official who
may be prompted by malice or spite
There Is no chance for an appeal, for the
reason that punishment is administered at
once. In some instances the prisoner may bs
innocent. Lawyers are an unknown factor.
The offenses which meet with capital
punishment in China are; Robbery in the
first degree, murder, arson, rape, breaking
into Notifications, highway robbery. homi-
eide and remuneration of allegiance
when man or woman is discovered 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 immedi
ately."
WHAT HE ESCAPED.
Lue Gun Gong, a Chinaman who escaped
from the empire after having been sentenced
to DEATH said to the reporter that he had
seen many poor fellows with their lips stuck
with bamboo sticks until they were nearly
jellied. Policemen made the miserable vic
tins kneel upon rounded glass, sand and salt
mixed until their knees became eMoriated
Pulling and twisting the ears while the pris-
oncr Is made 10 kneel for hours OH chains is
another mode Of Chinese punishment, while
wrapping the fingers in rags saturated with
oil to burn them is way in which the Chi
nese have to extort confessions from prison.
ers who are conIumacious
LIE Gun Com, said that he knew of "a case
where "A magistrate suspended two criminals
TO two boards by driving nails through the
palms of their hands The weight of one Of
the prisoners body tore him loose, and he
was nailed up again After they were probied
with red hot iron and >calded with hot water
both died This punishment was inflicted for
no worse Il crime than burglary
Flogging. said the informant is one of tho
principal modes of punishment for securing
confessions, and in many instauceslso unmer-
cifuily does the slim rattan cut into the vic
Tins flesh that he is actually murdered In
these instances the magistrate reports to the
governor that the prisoner died from sick
ness
Another instance which came under the
notice of All Lue was that of a refractory
culprit who was taken before the magistrate
for stealing chickens The prisoner struck
the judge IN the face with his open hand A
coffin was standing near to be used for q
dead victim The refractory Chinarnan was
plftNl IN tine couln ana kept there lntil he
was sutfocuted
The least OF all punishnents, as considered
by the Chinese. is to he placed in the kia, a
framework which weighs from twenty to
thirty pounds 1t is like stock, and is made
to rest on the shoulders without chatting the
neck, but so broad as to prevent the wearer
of the Little Lord Fauntleroy collar from
feeding himself The name, residence and
offense committed by the prisoner are printed
on the frame as an example to others
Whipping men through the street is "A COM
public example to others. The prisoner is
manaced, and policeman goes behind him
carrying big sign. on which is his name.
crime and punishment. He is accompanied
by another policeman as execrtioner and a
gong bearer Sometimes little sticks with
flags on them are stuck through the prisoners
ears. The executioner whacks away at the
bare back of the victim every time the gong
bearer bangs his bell until the number Of
lashes has been given the prisoner. The
latter is then released
So cor upt Is the Chinese government, and
SO easil' can criminals be bought off from
justice, that magistrates are perfectly will
ing to accept money to placeother people in
the place Of nlurderers San Francisco Cor
New York Telegram
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