Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-25
CRUELTY IN CHINA
A MOTHER HAS THE RIGHT TO
sTRANaLE HER SON.
Penalty for Gouging Out an Eye
Beating With a Strip OF
Bamboo.

SHANGHAI China. June II. 1908.
THE Yangtzepoo ruffians: The three ruff
fans charged with gouging a complainant
eyes out, extorting money, cutting and
wounding second complainant. etc. were
brought up for sentence. The ringleader
was sentenced to 500 blows a month for
six months Din all 5000 blows and impris-
onment for life. The other two prisoners
were sentenced to 600 blows and ten years
imprisonment and 800 blows and five years
imprisonment. respectively.
"Yangtzepoo is one of ShanShais leading
thoroughfares.
The article entitled THE Yangtzepoo
Ruffians' gives faint idea of the cruelty
of the bad Chinaman'' and the lengths to
which he will go, even within the limits OF
the foreign concession. 1t also shows that
in some instances at least they are not
dealt with leniently when brought to the
bar of the mixed court where such cases.
in fact. all cases brought against China
men by foreigners. are heard by native
magistrate, assisted by consular rep
resentative of the power to whom the
prosecutor owes allegiance.
What Blows Means.
The blows which were part If the pun
ishment inflicted in this case, and which
enter to a greater or less degree into the
penalty prescribed for all offenseS commit
ted, are administered with a flexible strip
of bamboo on the upper posterior third of
both thighs at once at the rate of about
200 blows to the minute. the ba mboo travel
ing some three feet for each stroke. After
the first minutes chaStisement the skin s
whipped into shreds. leaving a space the
size of an adult hand which closely resem-
bleS raw beef
To receive the punishment the culprit is
Frustrated his face before the magis.
trate, who must witness its infection. with
one executionerS assistant seated on his
legs. while another takes up a similar posi-
ton on lis shoulders. the latter holding the
victims head up by the queue. with an
occasional jerk. lest he forget
1t may seem a trifie severe on the wrong
doer, but it is undoubtedly the only form
of punishment which does or would APP
peal to Chinese of the cOolie class to say
the least, and it is not unusual thing
to see man back to be whipped for an
other misdeed whose scars from previous
bambooing have not yet healed. Women
and children are punished by being slapped
on the hand or mouth with a sort OF
leather shoe sole.
Executed by Mother.
The following story of the deliberate
stranglng Of a son by his mother is taken
from a letter from the city of Wusuet
published in a Shanghai paper:
at has really seemed for the last few
weeks that the writer has seen nothing
but the dark side of life in China. Horror
after horror has come under ones notice
Perhaps the most terrible is a that
has occurred in this HSicn. \ widow has
had great trouble with her son. Come to
years of discretion he has proved nothing
but a bad lot Charges of burglary and
other serious crimes have been laid against
him. His clan felt the disgrace of the sit
uation keenly and meeting was convened
to which the man WAS brought by force.
Two alternatives Were put before him.
He must either agree to he baniShed
from the neighbOrhood or die. He declined
to agree to the former. so he was bound
hand and foot and his mother placed a
moose round his neck and strangled him.
understand it. this method of dealing with
a bad son cannot be used when the offender
is the only child, as his death would mean
that there is none to carry on the anCeS-
trail worship. But as in this case the mother
was the eXecutioner there is not likely to be
any inquiry
The item regarding the execution OF a bad
boy by his mother is interesting from the
fact that probably legal action ii be
taken against the woman in the case. Chill
dren in China are the property of their par
ents and may be deprived of life other
wise punished at the will of the latter with
no one to gainsay it. S. II. RANSOM.