The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-02-09
oEcAp,TATEo BY THE SWORD.

DECAPlTATED BY THE SWORD.
Military Execution Of Native Rebels by the
French on the Cambodia River.
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 Ira
vinh, on the east shore of the Cambodia
river, some twenty years ago.
At that time France needed all her
available troops at home to resist the
steady advance of the German armies
toward Paris, and all the colonial gar
risons were reduced to the lowest pos
sible limit. Several of the Indo-Chinese
annexed provinces took advantage Of
this condition and instituted revolt
under the leadership of the two sons of
Fan Tan Giang, mandarin who had
been captured and killed by the French
in 1862 and by the Biuh Bee-Biuh
being the corresponding rank in the
Anamite armies to that Of brigadier
general in Europe.
The French naval commander, Sail
cetti, with as many sailors and marines
as could be spared from the few gun
boats on the India station, marched
against the rebels, but the small band
of white men was ambushed near the
town of Mocav and slaughtered. When
relief column came up few days
later they found the town deserted and
saw the heads of their comrades inn
paled on bamboos along the roadside.
The bodies were never recovered, but
it was supposed that they were thrown
into the Cam bodia river.
When Admiral Dupre, then governor
of France Indo- China, learned of this
probably be easier to buy off the lead
ers of the revolt than to fight such
savage foes. He therefore made an
offer to Biuh Tan, the second in COM
mand to Biuh Bee, agreeing to pay
him million francs to recognize his
rank as general, and to make him a
knight of the legion Of honor, if he
would betray into the power of the
French Biuh Bee and the two sons of
Fan Tan Giang and suppress the re-
bellion in the provinces. Biuh Tan
accepted the Offer and carried out his
end of the contract with the exception
of the surrender of the two sons of the
late mandarin, whom he allowed to
escape on junk to the city of Bhe.
After his capture Biuh Bee was tried
by court martial at Travinh and con-
demned to have his head cut off. The
weapon used for decapitat;on in Indo-
China is curved yataghan, the razor
like 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 as to offer good mark for
the executioner. He is also allowed to
mark on his neck the exact spot where
he desires to be struck with the yata-
CHAN. He makes this mark by moisten-
ing his forefinger with saliva, which is
colored by chewing the betel nut,
which yields bright red juice.
There are no regularly appointed
executioners, but it is considered an
honor with the men of the native
contingents of the army to be allowed
to act as headsman. And as soon as
the soldiers heard that the little Biuh
Bee was to be executed they began
practising on trees and stumps with
their yataghans SO as to be in good
practise if the honor fell to their lot
1t was finally decided that the Dol, or
captain, Of the native guard should
act as executioner.
When Biuh Bee was brought to the
public square to be killed he looked
disda nfully at the headsman and
then carelessly drew the red mark
across the back of his neck. He knelt
and told the Dol to strike hard and hit
the mark. But for some reason the
captain of the guard lost all his
strength and courage at the last mo-
ment and struck SO weak and false a
blow that instead of chopping off the
Biuh's head he merely made an ugly
cut across his back and arm.
With heather curse the condemned
man jumped to his feet and, Selling the
sword which had fallen to the ground,
he Topped off the executioner's head
before any of the French soldiers, who
were drawn up near by to witness the
execution, could interfere
'Cowardr' shouted Biuh Bee, ito un-
dertake duty you are unable to per-
form! Die as you deserve and take
what you were unable to giver'
The condemned man was then turned
over to the surgeons of the post, who
dxed up his wound SO that he would be
well enough to be executed week
later. When it came time for the sec
ond attempt soldier named Bep &c.
who had proved himself an artist with
the yataghan, was assigned to the duty
of chopping the brigadier-generals
head off. The French admiral how
aver, gave orders that if Biuh Bee
would tell where the two sons of Fan
Tan Chang could be found, his life
would be spared and he would be sent
An exile to Algiers. Biuh Bee refused
to pay any attention 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 / show you how to cut
off mans head?"
Bep So lifted his yataghan high in
the air. there was flash of steel, and
then the head of Biuh Bee rolled oF
on the mating as his body fell for
ward heavily.
Bep So picked up the head and held
II by the hair so that the soldiers and
the crowd of natives might plainly see
hour wall ba hoI JoDo h Tba,