New-York tribune., 1891-12-20
POLITICAL CRIMINALS IN CHINA.
FORMS OF TRIAL AND ExEcUroN-PuNiehM
rprouEyr1N PRESENT TINES OF DISORDER

FORMS OF TRIAL AND NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
rprorryr1N PRESENT TINES OF DISORDER
.ooordro N Chinese papers the execntioners sworn
hos heen busy I'm tho Fiowery Kinedom lately III ou.
n, frIcben woud-be conspIraiOrs from engaging " ~"
rebe,on which has broken out against t''o '.s
DYNASTY recent issue OF the "Ostasia'isc"e. ~
contains a vivid description OF the manner VI 49,,
istering Chinese justice In the cases VI P'''
criminals. , ,r mon
IN all nrobab,lity will suffer death at the hands oi
the State for daring TO oppose the Government VI i
Imperial Majesty. a., ..t.,
When q person." says the newspaper 80"
nrisoncr charged with treason or rebelnous cohau "
is bound in chains and placed In what Is e"ieu
nrisoner,s cage-Tsch'n lung'-and carneu W o''0
orice NJ the nearest district Judge. During the trans
mort his fortunes depend In great pait upon 'he WI" "
the guards as they may remove the ch'i"s' s'.
him cooa and wholesome food, and allow nm 10 s'
dvn or ,e down in the cage. In case tile prisoner u
dIsobedient or II his crime be thought c'po'''
heiuous both hands and feet are loaned WIN ''"'.
and he is allowed only sufficient food TO Keep h'' "''
for future torments oor. 4, a
.u,.,,n., .our, IN such a cage is allowed to go Free
although he Il always treated in fashion that ihspne
him with hone As soon as he enters the gates VI "'e
courthouse the guards deliver him TO the aSss'a"
the Judge before whom he is to be triea' i"'' -
him from the cage ard conduct him To an 'Ho' ""
containing a table, upon which are tempting Via".o
and intoxicating drinks. The assistants lh'i'e nm ~
eat drink and be merry, and command the ""i'e,s =,
do his every bidding The invitation is accompanied Wy
the pntekeeper's congratulations upon the man. Sie
arrival nj his destination, as well as eApre'''o"' "
regard for his welfare , l..
ar the prisoner has hopes OF future freedom ne
often eats hearty meal, but II he has no such on'
look he usually begs permission 10 rest """'N.
the assistants who received him upon bis ARRIVAL inc
assistants Ieutenants again place chains upon '"'
prisoner and take him before The judge
I'm times OF peace, no sentence OF aeaVh Gun oe
executed without three trials or judicial exama'"h
Tho first is held before the district Judge, the econu
before the prefect ana the third before the poV"'
iudce or the governor Of the Province 10 "hch '"'
criminal belongs AS soon as the sentence Oh ue''' h"
been pronounced for the third time by The thiru anu
,, ,d,e the criminal is incarcerated and chained by
the feet TO the floor OF the prison. Thus he remains
until the day OF his execution.
.The number of days. weeks or months "hich
intervene between the sentence and It's eAeou''0'
depends upon the season. According 10 oh'ne'o
law criminals in time OF pence can be executeo o"''
during the third month OF autumn. III u ma" -
sentenced 10 death I'm September he must be beheaded
before November 30 II in November, the execu.'on 10
Immediate: but II the sentence is made In December
he remains in prison until the following autumn In
the DAYS OF rebellion sedition, rs at present. 's
law Is inactive and the doomed man can be dsposeu
OF at once -
0When the day OF execution arrives the )ungo
visits the prisoner and orders his chans removed An
elaborate dinner is spread for him, and he Is lhVeo
10 eat all that he wishes. This execution meal mas
various sicnifcations II is intended to prove tha'
the headsman is not unfrendly to the criminal ana
only the tool Of the supreme power IL Is a'So
looked upon as n vaticum to facilitate the entrance
OF the spirit into the invisible world the last words
Of the headsman to the criminal being Eat until thou
satisfied that thou mays: npPear pnHse IN also believe
that the meal prevents the reaPpearahcc oi 'ne ue
in this world as q hungry spirit. .-,-,., u.
After the meal. the hands OF the crlmLhai ao aso
a light pole eight or ten feet long, bearing small
white nag with the name OF the doomed man anu th
his crime in black or red coOI he ena Sa ons
flag falls upon the criminals head mus P t
execution large open field beyond the CITY wallis "'
as near the north gate as possible. ,,o rr,soror
"As as the PROCESSION WITH I,,r she iaen
10 the centre OF the field. Guards and ,sn a;,
sstants surround him and command him 10 iMali M
npon his knees. The headsman approaches the
doomed from behind & s tns e r6 am the body
the fatal blow which sewers the heau Ho" "'o ooN'
The officers then disperse . oonu,t,ad
In cases where the beheaded man has committeo
no crime against the State his relatives can claim ms
Te n Sh1emnEsr Is or burial Il by the
kinsmen But this favor Is never accorded 70
political criminals The bodies Of such men arc
thrown into hole open graye wheTe tney peSod or
in baskets and later spiked upon long poles n that
Condition. they are planted at the west or north gate
Of the city 10 serve warnings to all men VINO tnink
Of rsbelllng against the mild rule OF 'he son Vi