New-York tribune., 1900-08-19

capitated or mutiIated to prevent continuance
Of the family.
MODES OF PUNISHMENT.
II is interesting to learn that biting to death
Snd burying alive are by no means the worst
IOrms OF murder in fact. one SOlcitOus husband
who cheerfully buried his wife alive at her
quest because she suffered 50 with her cOrns-
no doubt aggravated complaint among Ce-
lestials-received a very mild sentence. Even a
Celestial BlUebeard who drove three wives to
suicide. burnt a fourth with red hot irons and
cut a steak from fifth TO eat with his wine.
was legally only liable TO strangulatiOn subject
20 rev sion; so special decree had to be issued
for his immediate decapitation. Why not slic-
ing to pieces wonder.
good deal depends upon the kind Of weapon
used- sharp instrument is worse than ten
Pouhu CluD, Dut "eye-outscoOping, as Aschy-
lus terms it, takes precedence OF either To
Dutt your enemy on the nose is assault only
hard labor
Punishments to fit the crimes are very care
fully arranged and classified. The severest capl-
tal punishment is slcing to pieces and extinc-
ton Of the family. 1t is called lingering
death. but in reality the third or fourth cut is
maze rataL The punishment is really aimed
at the offenders existence in the spirit world
In common with all Orientals the Chinese be-
lieVe that they inhabit ethereal body after
uedlh' ana tnat this tenement can be injured
by a sharp instrument Hence the chOpping
up OF the physical body so Injuries the dODpeI-
BdhBeT thdt ne IS unrecOgniZable even beyond
the grave This is a subtle refinement our Grim
lhaI law mas not yet attained TO. The offender
does not escape his pOsthunOus disgrace by
committing suicide; his corpse is sliced up lust
the same When a mercifuI brother buried a
hatrlclde alive TO evade the penalty, the court
mad him dug up and sliced
Ihe feelings of departed spirits are also con-
sldered- Mrs Wang slew virtuous son who
expressed his disapproval OF her improper tastes
/ SIedIly ~ t tne son could not wish his mother TO
be hanged and so. out Of respect for his feel
lhgs she was merely sent TO Tarts~ slavery.
IL IS further believed that the departed spirits
Suoslst on the aroma Of wine and pork offered
/ by the sorrOwing relatives Hence in order 10
stamp out a very pernciOus entity not only is
the Dody sliced, but the relations. whose duty
IL Is 10 sustain the spirits life with these offer
lngs, are executed. or, if under age ernasculated
As torture the only legal Instruments arc a
kind of boot" and finger screw: their use Is
strictly regulated some illegal tor+1lrae -
occasionally used as deterrents in casas of ~
ceDtional atrOcity.
THE CODE WORKS WELL.
IN spite OF the evils Of the responsible" svs-
TEN, the complications and fnjustices caused Fv
| hne distinctions, relationship etc and s-,rcs
undoubted absUrG.ties there is much 10 a51--f-.
| IN the system a whole
Mt Alabastcr declares that the code IS inf
hlteIy more exact and satisfactory than our own
system, and very far from being. tba barTa-r,,-e
cruel abOmination it is generally supposed ~
pc; 1t is inherently consistent and capital sen
/ fences are IN the majority OF cases c0r1rOrr-a4
/ by the process of revision described Tba ca.e.-
quoted viii certainly not convey the innr-essio-7
OF eVen-handed Justice, but some oE the worst
/ IN the DOCK nave purpOSely been selected II is
! IN the very effort to combine law and Justice tba.
/ the immense number Of distinctions are drawn
Wh!ch. IN many cases, defeat the end in vsevv
/ II Is IN the broad results. however that tIa
/ value of a system is proved and We ba1,a :,
definitely stated in this work that .rbara fs -
greater security for life and property in tba
| our metropolis" N-'e-ii III
Thus we can afford to respect and even learn
I tIOIn t0dn Chlnese law An evolved production 81
4VOO years. IL has developed slowly and staa(J :
/ lily to suit the growing needs of tbs rs--1a -
IT is remarkably similar TO Roman law ,7, -
our own system is based.