Arizona republican., 1895-04-26
CHINESE CRUELTY.
Horrors of the Place Of Public
Exc cutiOn.
The Terrible Butcilery of Criminals Re
garded by the Peopls as an Occasion
for Joking and Rejecting
Work OF the I5eadsman.

Some four years ago l spent four
DAYS in Canton, the metropolis of |
southern China, on special mission to
investigate Chinese justice, and the re
suits surpassed my most CHASTITY an
ticipation says a writer IN Harpers |
Weekly.
What l witnessed was nothing un
usual, and is the daily practice of the
country, but I an compelled to tone
down the details to make them pre-
sentable for publication. Nothing but
the strongest spirit OF inquiry, sup
ported by an iron resolution, carried
me through the horrors of those days,
and for weeks afterward 1 suffered
from perpetual nightmare.
The place Of execution, or ''Matou,"
as it is called by the Chinese, is filthy
yard, long and narrow, like blind
alley, and, singularly enough, it is
used as pottar's field when not re-
quired for execution.
On a cold January afternoon pro-
ceeded thithcr to witness the final re-
lease of L Latch of poor wretches who
had already undergone a prolonged
course OF torture.
On this occasion the death squad
consists of thirteen, who are tightly
bound hand and foot and carried in,
huddled up in baskets slung on BAN
boo between two coolies. On arriving
at the center Of the ground these living
loads are pitchod cut unceremoniously,
and Immediately seized by the execu-
toner and his assistants, who arrange
them in two lines in a kneeling posi-
ton.
At a nod from The presiding manda-
rim, and with incredible swiftness, the
butchcry commences. The assistant
seizes the first victim by the shoulders
from behind, 'whHe the executioner
steps up to his left side, armed with an
enormously heavy short sword with a
broad blade and a razorlil1e edge. With
out any compulsion, the victim, still
kneeling, bends his head forward, and
almost instantaneously it leaps from
his body, severed by one swift stroke.
The assistant pushes the trunk over
forward, and shrill burst of approving
''Hi-yahs' goes up from the crowd.
After the uncertain and clumsy oper-
atoms of the medieval headsman, one
had been LED to suppose that human
head required q great deal of sever
ance; but SO adept are the Chinese ex
ecutioners that they seem to display nc
more effort or emotion in cutting off q
head than they would in looping &
poppy from its stalk.
With fearful rapidity the slaughter
proceeds, and not five seconds elapst
between the fall of each head. One
unerring stroke ends each life, and tn,
victims are SO arranged that each cal
witness the fate Of all those in front o
him before his turn comes.
The crowd is now in the most jovia
humor, and signifies its light-heartet
enjoyment by ribald chaff at the ex
pense of The remaining victims, VIII
frequently retort defantly, and exhibi
the most stolid Indifference to thei
fate.
Suddenly burst Of merriment arise
in one corner. A portly merchant ha
approached too near, and his lon!
white coat is splashed with blood. How
the bystanders laugh! Was there eve
such good joke!
The last few heads are falling now
when my hand is plucl1ed by an ez
cited youngster Of ten, dancing wit
delight, who cries, eagerly: ''Ho-tai:
Qsn't it beautifully I repress a ferc
desire to throttle hiza, and in a few SCI
onds all is over. Justice is INDICATED
and the crowd quickly Isperses, all bt
the city galnins, who remain behind
rehearse tie whole proceedings and
skylarll WIS., the bodies.
Horrible :.oagA ;he sight has beer
death has, at any rate, being swift an
merciful, but another day the supren
horror OF Chinese justice is revealed
US.
For certain offenders, notably pam
cides ana women who kol their hu
bands, the penalty is the ''Ling-chee
or thousand cuts" This is too ghast
for detailed description. but suffice it
say that the victim is first crucified to
low cross, a2d thea slowly sliced
pieces with a knife.
So sl1illful is tae eXecutioner that {
though his vi9.ia soon becomes u
recognizable as hannah being, yet
vital wound is inflicted till perhaps ha
an hour of tits torture has elapse
when tlae agony is ended by decapit
ton.
So superior an entertainment as tt
is naturally rewarded by.a full hous
and even greater merriment preva
than at mere head-chopping displa.
which SAVIOR somewhat of monotony
the blase Cantonese.
Men and Women Patrons.