Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-18
DEATHBYTHE SWORD
MILITARY EXECUTION BY THE
FRENCH IN INDo-CHlNA.
A Retired Naval Officer Relates the Grew
some Details of the Dccapitaticn of Ma
tive Rebels-Wouderful Display of Nerve
by Biuh Bee.

by Biuh Bee.
A retired French naval officer who saw
much service in Indo China in the many
wars Of conquest carried on there by
France is authority for this account OF
military execution held at Travinh, on the
east shore of the Cambodia river, soma 20
years ago:
At that time France needed all her
available troops at home to resist the
steady advance OF the German armies TO-
ward Paris, and MI the colonial garrisoHs
sere reduced to the lowest possible limit
Several OF the Indo-Chinese annexed prov
;uces took advantage OF this condition ana
instituted revolt under the leadership oil
the two sons of Fan Tan Giang, man.
DARN who had been captured and kliiea
by the French in 1862 and by the biuh
Bee. Biuh being the corresponding rank
in the Anamite armies to that Of brlgadler
general in Europe.
The French naval commander. Sancettl,
with as many sailors and marines as
could be spared from the few gunboats on
the India station, marched against the
rebels, but the small band of white men
was ambushed near the town OF Mocay
and slaughtered. When Il relief column
came up % few days later. they found the
town deserted and saw the heads of their
comrades impaled on bamboos along the
roadside. The bodies were never recover
ed, but it was supposed that they were
thrown into the Cambodia river.
When Admiral Dupre, then governor OF
French Indo-China, learned OF this mas
sacre, he decided that it would probably
-, M
volt than to fight such savage foes. lie
therefore made an offer TO Bun ian, the
second in command to Sirh Bee, agreeing
to pay him 100000 francs, to RECOGNIZE
his rank az general ana To make MN a
Knight of the Legion of Honor II he wouiu
betray into the power of the French Bl"h
Bee and the two sons of Fan Tan Chang
End suppress the rebellion inthe provinces
Biuh Tan accepted tho offer and carried
out his end of the contract with the eXcep
sion of the surrender of the two sons OF
the late mandarin, whom he allowed to es
cape on Il junk to the city OF Hue.
After his capture, Biuh Bee was tired
by court martial at Travinh and condemn
ed to have his head cut off. The weapon
use;! for tlecaptation in Indo- China is a
curved yataohan, the raZorlikc blade OF
which is wider and heavier at the end than
at the handle. The condemned may stand
upright or kneel upon straw mating IN
the public square, but his neck must be
entirely barred SO rs to offer good marx
for the executioner. He is also allowed to
mark on his neck the exact spot where he
desires to be struck with the yataghan.
He makes this mark by moistening his
forefinger with saliva, which is colored by
chewing the betel nut, which yields a
bright red juice.
There are no regularly appointed eXecu-
TONERS but it isseonsidered an honor with
the men of the native contingents of the
army to be allowed to act as headsman.
And as soon as these soldiers heard that
Biuh Bee was to be executed they be-
gan practicing on trees and stumps with
their yataghans so as to be in good prac
tice if the honor fell to their lot. 1t was
finally decided that the dol. or captain,
of the native guard should act as eXecu
toner.
When Biuh Bee was brought to the pub
lie square to be killed, he looked disdain
fully at the headsman and then carelessly
drew the red mark across the back of his
neck. He knelt and told the dol to strike
udTt anu tuS 1Dup ici SotiN va
son the captain of the guard lost all his
strength and courage at the last moment
and struck so weak and false blow that
instead of chopping off the biuh's head he
merely made an ugly cut across his back
and arm.
With a heather curse the condemned
man jumped to his feet, and Selling tie
sword which had fallen to the ground he
swung it around and Topped off the eXecu
toner's head before any of the French sol
diers, who were drawn up near by TO wit
ness the execution, could interfere.
Coward" shouted Biuh Bee. ito I'M
dertake a duty you are unable to perform
Die as you deserve and take what you
were unable to 2iye!"
The condemned man was then turned
over to the surgeons of the post, who fixed
ND his wound so that he would be well
enough to be executed week later. When
it came time for the second attempt. Il sol
dier named Bep So, who had proved him
self an artist with the yataghan, was as
signed to the duty of chopping the briga
dier generals head off. The French ad
miral, however, gave orders that II Biuh
Bee would tell where the two sons of Fan
Tan Giang could be found his life would
be spared and he would be sent an exile to
Algiers. Biuh Bee refused to pay any at
tention to this offer, but bowed his head
and marked his neck and said fiercely to
Bep So, who was waiting for the answer
that the French lieutenant expected Bee
to make:
why don't you strike? Are you afraid?
Must l show yon how to cut off man $
head?"
Bep So lifted his yataghan high in the
air, there was flash of steel, and then the
head of Biuh Bee rolled on the mating as
his body fell forward heavily.
Bep So picked up the head and held it
by the hair so that the soldiers and the
crowd of natives might plainly see how
well he had done his work. Then the three
wives of the dead chief came out and car
ried off their husband S remains for burial.
Three months later Biuh Bees two chief
lieutenants were captured by the French
troops, aided by Biuh Tan's volunteers,
and they, too. were subsequently condemn
ell to death by IA court MARTIAL On ac
count of his proved skill Bep So again en-
joyed the honor of being appointed official
headsn,an.
This time the condemned men stood up
right, back to back about six feet apart
Bep So took his position between the two,
and rs soon as they had made the marks
on their necks be gripped his yataghan
and leaned forward on it as modern ath