Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-08-18

The Chinese also believe that In the
world eyJnd the q ave the resurroctrd
nr, clad IN garments -,milar TO those
worn at the time NJ dcn.h; hence II IA
usual Tor all attempting suicide 10 array
themselves IN their test clothing be.
fore committing the rash act. The places
chosen Tor committing suicide very
with the circumstance under which
the act Ia done. Some choose retired
ssols fat from the hauu,s " men, while
others choose the most ffcquunted
thoroughiar, =, and there destroy them
selves before the eyes II hundreds or
even thousands Of their .ellow.beings.
The number OF euieides IL supposed
10 be- about equally divided between the
sexes, though as women In China are
taken no note OF II lisa very difficult
matter TO get the truih VI any statistics
concerning them. Women usually
com 10 IL suicide IN their houses, though
they do not couflnc themselves 10 this
by any mean; quite frequently they
choose some place ~ pIhic az possible,
aud instances have teen known where
widows would give puuiic notice some
days ahead Of theif In ended suicide,
anu lasge crowds would collect at the
hour appointed 10 view the horrible
scene. Gambling iss frequent cause
Of selfmurder among women, par.
ticulnrly 30 when, 10y severe loisca,
they fear iheir husbauuA displeasute.
Apaiu,wiv who are ill treated by their
hulbnnde or masterr, " who are not
supplied with what they may consldufa
sniiiciency Ofmoney ani othir worldly
goods, are very prpnu 90 suicide. In
ouch casts the object BE- generally sole
~ ~ bring remoise 10 the heart u tue
cruel husband in orto, that sulc, ed.
.ur wives or cUucubinrs may not be
treated Ia a similar m4unef. When.
ever this IS the cause, tie place chosen
for committing the act ~ always IN
N" husbands room or in the public
hallway. where sne l. sure ~ be seen
hy he object which she declares has
driven her 10 the rash d,uI. But no
sooner IN the certainty Of Death insufe1
chan the huatnnd UrIvfs tue attend.
ants 10 remove tue dying woman rom
the daUlnug into the Upru yard or au
uuthuuse, this toing In keeping with
the iuhumen belief that ~ ia sigu II
VI luck should AN inferior wife " con.
clrIue be allowed 70 die Ia the hours
of the MASTER.
Ieauusy il another fearful cause OF
suicide among Chinese women, This
Of course IL to hc expected IN "a land la
which polygnmy anu c0ncubiuage are
pTactiCud to the extent % which Il PIE.
vails ia CHINA. Hundreds OF Instances
resulting rom thia cause are known,
and almost daily the uewHIalprH
chronicle still otheis. JeN'Uuty seems
more rampant In Chinese households
than among other uces, tut whether
this H. due TO fAuCied NJ real reasons
cannot he decided. lmmDuiity IA by
no means widesIreal among the Chi.
nrs,, tn iaot, u may be said with con.
siderable truth that tnis vice Is much
less IrHcticcu than in any other nation
OF which We have statistics.
Another very prevalent reason for
the great numter Of Chinese suicides
Is tnu frequency with which iriends
and relatives force others TO commit
the act. Upon natJr, 30 ctedulous
M the Chinnman's II list much easier
matter ~ force n person 10 believe that
he or she has been disgrEcol 10 tho
eye. Of their ismily or Tlpu1s, aud the
beet courtu to pursue Is 10 put an onl
TO life, than one would suppose with.
cut "a previous study Of the people.
81 greatly has this luwer been ex-
erted that Chinese laws ir ages have
forbidden all further auiciica on this
score, anu threaten severe puui.hmeut
10 all who assist Ia driving other
10 take this step. This law, however,
il seldom enforced, puOlic opinion com.
pletely overriding all attempts To carry
it, provisions into effect. According
10 these laws IT, capital Oiionse 10
drive another 10 commit suicide, and
To be acquitted OF ,aplta charge Is
almost ~ bad ~ being convicted, 80
ruinOusly expensive ars the squeeze"
moneys TO be paid to the mnndarins
and court officials, aud besides, the
charge, even though not proved, IL
sufficient TO cause the accused 10 lose
caste among his iellow-men, and his
blows Is 10 savage that in the vat
majority OF cases Tho victim will end
by committing suicide himself.