Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-06-29
SUICIDE BY HARA.kiRt.
story of an Eyewitness to the CHASTITY
Japanese Punishment.

Japanese Punishment.
Hara-kiri as a legal form of punish
nent has been abolished in Japan for
about twenty-five years. Prior to that
lime class of political offenders OF
high rank or title were allowed the
choice Of the headsman's sword or sui
| side. This was q concession to caste
| that was meant to remove the disgrace
Of an execution at the hands of the
iGw. "Hara-kiri' signifies ''cut-belly'
Dr., if the words are arranged as in the
Japanese term, belly-cut." The
usual method of self-nurder contem-
plated by hari-kiri was for the victim
to drive a long, broad and very sharp
blade into his abdomen and draw il
across his body in manner that would
1isernbowel 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 a 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,
bassa Tor, Sir Harry Parkes. was on the
scene and had 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. Il. 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 MEM
Der of the British legation was one
II $he witnesses. The execution took
place in a large, gloomy, half-lighted
Buddhist temple. The ceremony was
conducted with the rigid fOrmality and
| lecOrum of religion rite. On one
side was the foreigners, pale as ghosts,
breathing in gasps and trembling with
excitement. The dim fight and dank
air gave u supernatural, uneanny thrill
to the scene. Opposite y ere the Japa-
nese officials, unflinching as stOiCs, as
lnmoved as statues. In front on a low
iias was the condemned man. He sal
/ tailor-fashion, bare to the waste, q
! brawny fellow with muscular arms,
and deep-caest8d as an OK. On a low
| table near him was j japanese short
sword with blade nine or ten inches
| long and keen as Il razor. Behind him
stood his best friend the condemned
! being allowed to select some one tC
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 waa-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 il
] Ii g l. i
men. He paused an instant, but it
! seemed an hour to us white-faCed,
| shivering Englishmen, as we held oul
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-
nosely, 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
that japanese justice would be vindi-
Gated and asked if the foreign repre-
sentatives were satisfied. The British
Ambassador simply nodded an affirma-
tive and the shuddering witnesses OF
the hara. 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 impressive japanese, the awe
stricken foreigners, and, above all, the
faces of the principal actors, the con-
demned man and his closest friend; the
one 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
hungling at the supreme moment. 1t
looms up clearly before me yet, al
though years have gone by. Chicago
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