The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-07-22
A BIoodless Execution
IOriginal.1

| or by tempting him to dissipation. One
claimed that death could not be brought
| about except by some overt act to pro
duce bodily injury.
"A man can be killed." the other
contended, simply by going through
the form of an execution
That would be by shock"
! Not at all. He shall know before
hand that he is not to suffer the slight
est bodily harm"
| To illustrate the last speaker told the
following true story:
Lang Ting Fung of San Francisco,
washee-washee man, called Charlie
Flung by his Mclean" acquaintances,
was accused of revealing the secrets of
the Ii Whang society, of which he was
member. Summoned before the So
clety to answer to the charge, he was
| assigned counsel and duly tried. Though
ably defended, he was convicted of
having revealed certain methods Of the
San Francisco Chinese underground
railroad for smuggling Cinnamon into
the United States. The punishment
was death, and the sentence was TO
be carried out Immediately in the pres
ence Of the assembled members of the
society.
Call the executioner," said the pre-.
siding officer in solemn tones that re-
verberated through the silent hall as if
some one had struck a gong
A big Chinaman entered from anoth-
er room, carrying one of those large
sharp double edged swords with which
culprits' heads are stricken off in Chi
ma. over his face he wore a wooden
mask representing distorted features.
The culprit was led into the middle of
the room and forced on to his knees.
Another Chinaman, also on his knees
before him, caught him by his pigtail
and drew his head down so that the
neck was laid bare to the ak. Then
the smock was pulled over his Shout
ders. The eXecutioner, taking the
handle of his sword In both hands
threw himself into position, raised the
weapon, swung it high over his head
and brought it down. When within
more than a hairs breadth from the
neck it suddenly stopped. From that
point it was slowly and carefully low
cred till the edge rested on the cul-
prits neck. Then he held it that it
might not cut the skin.
Now, in China. whether from the
great power of these societies, from in.
effective law, or what not. the cul.
prits head would have been separated
from the body. But in America diff.
ferent conditions exist. There are not
only judges and juries who do not
respect the DEGREES of Chinese secret
societies, but John Chinaman has NO
pull with them. A headless murder
would not only lead to the punishment
OF those instrumental in it, but would
be prejudicial to the continued efforts
OF thousands of the copper colored
brethren in America who are washing
hard night and day for living.
The executioner after holding the
sword upon the culprits neck for
few moments removed it and. resting
Its point on the floor beside him, turn
ed to the Judges and said:
THE traitor is dead"
The executed man arose to his feet
and looked about him. No one inter
Tered with him, for he was dead. No
one saw him, for he was dead. He
said something to q man near him.
The man made no reply Why should
he reply to dead man? The mem
bers of the society were arising from
their seats and leaving the hall. The
decapitated man called to one who
had been his bosom friend. but with |
out avail. Death separates the quick |
and the dead, be they friends or enc
mics.
Charlie Fung followed the others out |
into the street. There he saw q poster
to Chinatown that he had |
been executed that evening. A police !
man, seeing the notice, to him unintel- |
ligible. with Cinnamon standing about |
IT, wondered what the yellow devils |
were up to now. Could be have read |
1t he would doubtless have carried a
dreadful story to police headquarters. |
The dead man wandered about like n
ghost from the spirit world. No one
saw him; no one spoke to him: no one
gave him a smile or a frown.
- nc Ao'u hdu luoHey, he might have !
returned TO China. but would he have
Jared any better there? Would not an
agent of the society he had BETRAYED
follow him and do really the work that
had been done fguratively. No: Char
lie was dead, and nothing could bring
him to life.
If Charlie was not really dead. he
vas really dying-tha is, he was get
ing into a condition where death
would be preferable to life. The post
RS announcing his execution remain
ID on the walls, and, go where he
would in Chinatown, he saw them.
They were the only mention of himself
hat he encountered In all other re-
pects he had passed into oblivion. He
vas thirsty, but no one would give him
drink. He was hungry. but no one
would give him bread or meat
At last Charlie could endure the
train no longer. He wandered off into
he Mclean" district and procured
evolver. 1t was supposed he stole it.
Ioing back among those who had been
lis fellow Cinnamon, he sat down IN
Ter one Of the posters notifying them
hat he had hoap axaoutod y1,,+ 49, -