The Arizona champion., 1890-05-03

upon such occasions areuses the populace, and long before the parade of death moves the narrow streets of the town are lined with sleepy eyed citizens, anxious to see the baskets with their condemned freight
 In or.ler to make as deep an i'm pression as possible upon the people, these occasions are made as dread ful as may be. The sarch is at the slowest pace, the dismal tolling of the gong, sounding the death knell of the basketed criminals, Is the only sound, save the shuffiing of sandaled feet, which breaks the morning stiffness.
 Upon the arrival of the process sion at the place of execution, which is usually on the outskirts of the town, the cortege is surrounded by an imposing number of guards in waiting. in order to avert all possible risk of a rescue. The presiding Magistrate ascends platform and seats himself at a desk, facing the south. On the ground in front of him are a series of holes dug in the earth, each 3 feet distant from the other. The criminals are taken from their baskets ant made to kneel before these holeS facin@ south. The people form a deep, solidly packed half-ciraie at q re- spectful distapce in frtnt of the kneeling men, and the chief exc cutiOner steps forward with his sword poised in the air. Behind him are the other executione ready to relieve him in case soe ,n aeei- dent or if he should become tired before his work is completed. It not infrequently happens that there are as many as six men kneeling ill a row before him. He stands at the left end of the line, and, with his eye fixed on the Magistrate, waits for the signal to begin his work. It Is given. The crowd know it because they see the stal- wart form of the swordsman move slightly and plant his feet more firmly on the ground. The sword is raised a trife higher, the double grip on the big handle tightens, there is a seconds pause, and then the great shining blade sweeps through the air in a downward, forward stroke. When it meets the neck of the victim it seems to halt for an instant, but the space of time is so brief that 1t is barely preceptible, and with the impetus of its weight and swing it shears its way through. The head of the vic. tim topples forward, and as it falls into the hole prepared for it foun- tain of blood spouts into the air impelled by the final spasmodic pull sations of the heart. Before its force is half spent the trunk of the criminal falls forward over ths hole.
 Before the convulsive twitching of the muscles has ceased, the killer steps forward until he reaches the next poor, trembling wretch and 4he performance is repeated. If he be- comes tired while welding that heavy instrument of death he gives way to one of his assistants. Dur ing the execution the dismal funer- al rolling of the gong is heard. When the work is finished, the exc cutioner turns around, still holding the dripping sword in his hand. 1 He salutes the presiding Magistrate and says:
 ''Ching Chee" Qmperial order obeyed)
 The procession is again formed, the beating of the gong is redoubled and the return march Is taken up a corps of soldiers is left to attend to the bodies. Attending to the bodies means that they will be thrown into a ditch near by and covered over with a few shovelfuls | of earth. The heads are placed in wire cages so the birds can not peck at them, and hung on the