The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-27
JAPANESE EXECUTIONS.
n Naval Omcor's Description or u Scono
Wltnossed In Yokohnmn.

- ~N'''"A OihVorb DtbCTfDtlOn OF II SCOno
Witnessed In Yokohama.
About daylight OF pleasant summer
morning in 1868, party of officers wore
sont ashore in tho dinghey OF man-of.
war lying in tho harbor of Yokohama,
Japan Notice had been posted in town
fcw days previous that thrco men
were to suffer death on that morning
Tor tho crimo of robbery, and while
hoping that somo time during the cruise
we should have n chance to witness n
'hari-kar" or "happy Dispatch" we
mado up party to SEQ dccapi tation.
Wo landed just above tho French ha-
toba, and short walk brought us to the
execution ground, u sloping hillside be-
You'd tho town limits, but not incloscd
a small tent had been put up and three
holes dug TO u depth OF u couple Of feet
and in limo. In front OF each holo
was planted q stout post with an iron
spike on top.
A few spectators, mainly Foreigners,
were assembled, and soon procession
was seen coming up tho lane to tho
ground; bouzo or priest led, and be-
hind him marched in single flo tho
criminals, llanked by n dozen samourai
or soldiers in charge of an officer.
The men who were to suffer death
wore large and fine looking, dressed in
the ordinary middlo-clasS costumes and
had their hands tied behind their backs,
cut were otherwise unfettcred. Each
had pinned to his breast % white pla-
card inscribed with characters which |
was told gave tho name, crime and SON
tencc AS they passed within Il low feet
OF me noticed that each man was re-
citing in low tone, but their bear
ings and features wcro impassivc
and their step firm. They wcro
halted few PAGES in tho rear OF
the frcshly-dug holes, and tho Of
hccr stepping in front read what sup
pose was warrant for the execution.
had placed myself by one of the posts
facing tho mon, and as tn o reading fin
ished a hcavily-built man. hearing Il
two-handcd Japanese sword, stepped
from tho tent with two assistants Tho
sword was naked, and such as in those
days every yakonin or fculal retainer
habitually carried, and the cutlery then
was equal TO any Toledo work.
Tho cXccut.oncr stopped by the first
hole, while tho attendants led forward
the nearest man, who quickly knrlt
down and, bending forward his body,
stretched out his neck till his head
looked down into its grave. Tho as
sistants also knclt, ono on each side,
and supported the criminal in
his constrained position 10y hold
ing his shoulders. Ono Of them
also pushed back tho gown
from tho back Of tho neck and wet the
napc from Il tub Of water. Tho exccu-
TONER, who had been standing by with
tho sword resting on his shoulder. then
advanced his left foot, lowered his
weapon to'a level with Ibis thigh and,
with seconds pause, as if to take aim,
gave a quick. downward, slicing cut.
The head, completely severed, disap-
poared in tho hole and tho trunk, re-
leased by tho assistants, Strengthened
out with hardly a culver. but streams
OF blood gushcd from tho severed
arteries
The other two criminals stood behind
with bent heads but so far as I could
SEQ or judge gave no sign OF emotion,
and, in Il shorter time than it takes in
telling, each had in his turn knelt and
received the fatal stroke.
When all was over tho executioner
affixed each head on the spiked posts
and tho bodies were taken off for burial.
Washington Star.