The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-20
SEVEN HEADS CUT OFF
Execution of Participants in
Kucheng Massacre.
The LEADERS ALL ALIVE YET.
Consuls fastened the Decapitation by
Telegraphing 10 Peking-New Riots
in the Canton District.

New York, Sept. IA cablegram 10 the
World from Focchow. China, says: De
tails OF Tuesdays executions have just
been received. After the mandarin had re-
fused on Friday 10 execute any men .mph-
Gated in the missionary massacres. the
American and British consuls wired 10
Picking. on Monday the mandarin re-
ceived the viceroy's order 10 execute seven
men. At s o'clock Tuesday morning Con-
sui Hixson, Lieut.. Evans and Mr.. Greg
DRY, the British consul. proceeded TO the
yamen gate. where the mandarin sat
awaiting them. When the foreigners took
their seats the drums were beaten. a sa-
lutte fired and the crier shouted three
times The court is open" Then the
condemned men were brought speedily
from their cells. They knelt before the
court and were tumbled. securely bound.
into bamboo cages, on which were attach
ed pieces of paper with the sentence writ
ten on them. The mandarins then put on
their scarlet robes and scarlet hoods. and
the death procession started for the execu-
ton grounds outside the city, between lines
Of soldiers. When the procession arrived
the condemned men were tumbled out and
made 10 kneel with their backs ia the
mandarins. Then the five headsmen be-
gan their bloody work. The first head fell
clean cut. When the heads of the seven
men were cut off the vast crowd gave
great shout. The people clapped their
hands and departed. The heads were hung
in a prominent place in the city as
warning.
The mandarins professed to fear further
trouble from the crowd of foreigners who
went armed with revolvers, but there was
no trouble. No leaders have been executed
yet. Some leaders with strong backing
hope to escape. The viceroy is delaying
the execution OF others hoping for unde-
served clemency. Punishment following
troubles. The execution Will have a good
effect in showing the people that the mat
ter is serious. bad feeling is spreading
through the province because Of the delay
in the executions. At FoochOw the COM
mon talk was that the men would escape.
The consuls wiring TO Picking for strin-
gent orders to the local officials, who do
nothing unless forced, resulted in prompt
action. The Detroit is still here. and one
English gunboat of 756 tons.
London, Sept. IA dispatch to the
Times from Hongkong says: The Basic
mission. near Swallow. was wrecked on
Monday. The foreigners had evacuated it,
owing TO the warnings received from other
stctIcns that thousands of rebels were
gathering and looting the property of
wealthy Chinese. The troops sent TO quell
the uprising were Withdrawn recently.
Placards announce that the withdrawal
was due TO an English attack on Canton
owing to the recent massacres.
Washington City, Sept. 19-The joint
American and British commission which is
investigating the missionary riots al Ku-
cheng is making most satisfactory pro-
gress in fixing the responsibility for the
outrages and securing the punishment Of
the guilty parties. Cablegrams have been
received at the state department from
both Minister DENLY. at Picking, and Con-
sul-General Jerngan. at Shanghai. stating
that seven of the Chinese who were con-
victed by the commission Of being ring
leaders in the assaults were decapita9d
Wednesday morning The commission is
stlll proceeding with its work. Minister
DENLY also reports that heF' ; making head
way in the organization of an independent
commission that will Investigate the
Chengtu mission riots.