The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-10-01

to find myself imbibing the universal indierence of the mob.
 The scene of death in Peking Is called "The Vegetable Market Place" Here are three tents--one for the prisoners, one for the officers deputed to attend. and a third called the sword tent for use Of the executioner and his instru- menfs.
 A touch of mercy not in keeping with the other barbaric methods has caused the erection of the condemned tent. where naught of the execution prepara- tions can be heard by the criminals | awaiting.
 The ofice of executioner is heredita- ry. In Picking there must be now some fifteen active officers of this type. They are not looked upon with abhorrence as | In western countries, but are merely re- garded as following an official there fore, honorable vocation. They receive half tael or gold dollar for each head. | At the house of their chief. in a sepa- rate building. are kept the swords, hve in number and more than two hundred years in use.
 They stand ranged in order In scab- bards on a small table. in front of which is caldron for cleaning pur- poses They are referred to familiarity as Mir. No. one." MT. No. Two" &c.
 "Mr. No One" is said to have lost his teeth. l. c.. to be clipped from the con stant crunching through bone. and with MT. No. Two" is rarely used now. "Messrs. Nos. Three and Four" being most frequently taken out.
 | The swords are clumsy, with broad blades and thick edges, guards of brass and wooden handles, at the ends of which are brass death heads. The vic- tim Is accompanied by two warders to the official tent where his identity is proved and the fatal order Chan" Obe- head) is given. He is dragged away to where the executioner awaits him in yellow, blood-stained apron. A sort of headstall is put on him. He is forced to his knees. An attendant grips his queue and headstall. and by pulling. stretches the neck some inches.
 The executioner takes the sword fom his assistant. With one blow the head is severed.
 Strange to say, the scene of death is not itself peopled by the superstitious Chinamen with the ghosts of the slain Foot passengers at'night fear only the savage dogs assembled in troops on the field of blood. These scavengers of the empire are permitted to roam at will through town or country at all hours of the day or night. Each year sacri- fees are offered by the neighboring shop-keepers to the spirits of these dis honored dead.
 The Ling Chin" or "slicing process" |" finishes this dreadful enumeration. The victim is stretched to cross of wood or three upright poles resting on the ground. With a sharp knife the executioner slowly cuts at the discre- tion of the judge, from eight to eighty slices of flesh from the thickest part of the wretch's body When the com manded number is made the heart Is pierced. and. death ensuing, the limbs are separated from the body and divi- ded.
 The finale of these odious scenes and one which often greets the tourist in north China Is the exposition of the heads over the city gates or in boxes of slatwork by the roadside. They are placed there as a warning to all male factors. .- .- The reprieved, on their return tc pris- on. receive fom their warders and com rades formal congratulations, and have then another year of what would seem to us welcome hardships before they again have to undergo the horrors of | susnense at "The Vegetable Market Place" Three times reprieved, their sentences are suspendd. life is spared, and punishment follows.