The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-10-25
EXECUTIONS IN CHINA.

Few people regard the great even
tuality' with less dread than the Chi
nese. Their nerves survive shocks
which would prove fatal to a more
finely organized people and they prac-
tice methods of self immoiation for un-
selfish ends inconceivable to the west
ern mind. Such custom, for example,
as substituting ones self to be executed
in consideration of certain sum of
money, that the family may be left en-
riched and independent, is beyond our
ken, and the liberation of it is impossi-
Die of understanding.
1t is a queer anomaly that these
Asiatics infict, through their laws,
frightful punishments of torture and
death and, on the slightest provocation,
human blood is poured out like water,
while in their social relations they are
kind-hearted and good-natured, and
the thoroughly brutal, hardened ruffian
who beats his wife and starves his chill
dren is proba ably rarer in Shanghai than
in Shoreditch
Under the heading of death" in the
penal code come the several modes in
ticted- A sliding scale of capital pun
ishments is used to mark their sense of
the varying Nervousness OF murderous
crimes
For parricide, matricide and whole
sale murder, the usual sentence is that
OF Ling Chih, or 'Ignominious and
slow death" In ordinary cases eXecu-
tion by beheading is the common mode,
and still another is strangulation. With
the exception of those cases of "high-
way robbery" and burglary with muir
der" and of rebellion and treason" in
which, the guilty having been caught
red-handed, the death penalty must be
paid within forty days, the criminals
sentenced to death in Pekin and other
cities are executed in the autumn.
The date is fixed by the imperial
edict and is usually about ten days be-
fore the winter solstice. 1t is then
that the emperor proceeds to the Tenn
pie of Heaven to render an account at
the great altar of his past years stew
ardship of the power intrusted to him
as the one agent on earth of the
''most high in Heaven"
In the general record of the imperial
acts is included a statement Of the
names and crimes of those who have
suffered death by his will during the
year, this record being burned on the
shrine. and its contelts thus waited
up to the cognizance of Heaven.
Preceding this ceremonial, of course.
the wretched culprits have been tried
before the board of punishments (or
criminal court, where quivering. pros
trate they have heard the fatal Ching
Shin found guilty droned ont by the
clerk. There is no jury to try the un-
fortunate delinquents; there is no oath
prefacing the testimony of witnesses;
there is no pleading by shrewd law
yers, but an autocratic condemnation,
subject TO no appeal. In spite of this,
mercy is sometimes shown. 4 criminal
condemned to death is saved from pun
ishment if it be proved that aged pa
rents depend upon him for support.
All prisoners look eagerly forward 70
these trials. They feel only joyous re-
lief from the conclusions of them or the
calm certainty of death. They are
about to escape the indescribable hor-
rors % Chinese prison. The filth and
dirt of the rooms. the brutality of the
jailers, the miserable diet, the entire
absence of the commonest sanitary ar
rangements, and their beds more like
strait jackets, with the vernin that in
fest every nook, make sny change well
come to the miserable culprits.
Among the tortures incidental 70 a
compulsory confession Is the sitting
cage. This Is strong box of heavy
timbers made Just the height Of tho
shoulders of the culprit and Just large
enough 70 hold him in a sitting ar
doubled-up position. An opening at
the top is made 10 encircie the neck,
the head being held without In this
c-amped position he is kept for long
hours until the pain is so great relief
must come in unconsciousness or a con-
fession. Il may be, TO obtain physical
ease.
The swinging pole" from which hangs
the prisoner suspended ST one end bv
his queue, his arms bent backward. as
also his legs, at the other by his feet,
gives Perforce exquisite agony and
leaves the subject too lame. II no.
broken OF bone and taut OF sine~. 70
resist any demand for full confession
The Triple Cangue.H seemingly so
simple. Is severe enough N its heavy
drag OF the bones Of the spine. as
bleeding necks and lscerated shoulders
attest, while svarming mosquitoes.
pestilential aies- and uHreienting ua-
nentionables perSistently torture the
collar being too wide 20 permit the
free rse OF the hands 10 drive them
away.
Perhaps not least IN pain is the
''Chain Coil One sees some wretch.
stripped Of his trousers. kneeiing with
barred legs on a col OF rusted chains
he IS supported by man On either