The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-02-16
ocoAPlTATloN IN CHINA.
Mode of Execution 81 Conyicts Described
by M American Writer.

Mode of Execution 81 ConylCts Described I
by an American Writer.
The execution of the two Japanese
| spies whom America delivered mp 10
/ the Chinese and the decapitution OF a
man-of-wars captain accused OF cow
ardice in the sea fight OF Ping-lang,
were recent notable instances Of the
use 81 the headsman's sword in China.
There have been other behcadings, for
offenses growing out of the war and
for the ordinary criminal oficnses. and
these have lent u new interest to the
subject, even 10 foreigners resident IN
China, who frequently read Of such
punishment, but seldom witness them
or hear them described. ! have been
SO fortunate as TO fall In with a distin-
ruishcd European who witnessed the
legal slaughter of q number OF crlnl-
nails In Pcling. The account he has
given me Of what nc saw Is 50 unlike
the popular methods Of justice that
have written down the substance OF II
for publication in Ilarper's Weekly
"The official on duty on the morning
OF which / speak having reached the
mat she'd clad in all the glory OF a man
darin's dress button, necklace, breast
cloth and nll-ordcrcd the men brought
before him one by one. The law says
that in such eases the condemned men
shall admit their guilt and ask that
punishment bc no longer deferred.
Like most all good laws and almost all
good logic in China, this regulation Is
turned into mere ceremony and pre-
tense. The prisoners neither say nor
7 do anything, but man who stands be-
hind each one pushes him over, bumps
his head on the ground, and says Vow
This word, or one with that sound,
) menna. 4 want, and the presiding
| mandarin understands II TO have been
, uttered ~ Inc prisoner and 70 mean
| Il want TO bc punished. While the
official ticks or the mans name upon
: the list before him the man Is pressed
. down upon the ground and red cross
4 Is painted on his neck. This Is done
r in order that the right head may be
4 fitted upon the right body aftcrward,
( II proof Of the mans death Is required
Z for official entry.
1 '.Thc prisoner thus painted s pulled
c away 20 the execution ground, where
the headsman is heating his sword in
i great cnldron Of hot water The
Y swords are rather moro like knives
g than swords Each II yard in length,
8 half an inch thick at the edge and an
d inch and a half or two inches thick Mt
o the back. If you should weld together
o nine or ten Of our heaviest axes, one
laid beyond the othcq YOU would make
4 something like one Of these knives.
r. The victim Il laid on his belly and face,
"A a
= niece Of whipcord Is Topped under the
II mans Jaw and tied into his pigtail. 80
X much OF It's free end Is left that two
D, men 90 Off with IL 20 distance and
r, pull on Il with all their might, whilc
ii the third ono sits on the condemned
& mans neck. The cxccutioner seizes
knife and stands over the victim, whose
a neck IL seen 90 pull out--and out-and
Is out. The knife falls, the head Is severed,
n. and frequently the men who arc pull
in inc the whipcord fall backward and
II roll half over, like tumblers In circus,
Ii The cxccutioncr picks mp the head and
holds Il cnrclessly and calmly, and
le mikes a mark upon the tally list IN
" front of him / was less stolid than he
4 especially when, happening 20 glancc
M one OF the heads, | saw u open is
IL mouth Just "a II was held up to tn,
G, mandarin's view. IL was then placed
g beside the body, and the next felor
g was brought out and treated the same
al way.
or Two or three prisoners were To b,
n stranglcd ON this occasion, and though
n | went away twice from sheer inability
20 witness their execution was urge'
back by n friend who accompanied me
and thus saw enough 20 bc able e
IN describe that mode OF punishment also
he The cxccutioncr tied short bit
v. whircord around each mans throat
IN and then put stick of wood In th'
he slack of the cord until IL was eviden
n that IL could not be made tighter
20 For some reason he Immediately loos
M ened the cord dn each case Others said
hc and frightened II again aud fastene
W, u. The victims made no sound, but
at culver passed over their bodies, an
at their fingers were seen Co curl In as
in their fists were being clinchcd. Ina
as yVns all. The mandarin sent clerk Z
To check OFT the names OF these victims
We aud thus the law was indicated, q
avenged