Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1908-07-10
A bioodIess Execution
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IOriginal.1 l


 Two friends were discussing the pos sibility of killing a perfectly well man without doing him the slightest bod.,..' harm, without frightening him to death or by tempting him to dissipation. One elaine ;ilat death could not be brought about except by some overt act to pro- duce ho.,ily injury.
 "-s man can be killed" the other coatenGed, simply by going through the form of an execution"
 ..E!!s.clt 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 Flung of San Francisco, Washee-washee man, called Charlie 1ung by his "Melican" acauantances, was accused of revealing the secrets of tAe Iii Whang society, of which he was . member. Summoned before the so- G9ety to answer to the charge, he was aOigned counsel and duly tried. Though ably defended, he was convicted of having revealed certain methods of the 6an Francisco Chinese underground r41lroad for smuggling Chinamen 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 q gong.
 A big Chinaman entered from anoth CT 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 pigtai and drew his head down so that the neck was laid bare to the ax. Then the smocl1 was pulled over his shoul- 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 hairs breadth from the neck it suddenly stopped. From that point it was slowly and carefully low cred till the edge rested on the cu!- prit's 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- prit's 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 decrees of Chinese secre' societies. but John Chinaman has n, pull with them. A headless murder would not only lead to the punishmen of those instrumental in it, but would be prejudicial to the continued effort! of thousands of the copper coloret brethren in America who are washin: hard night and day for living.
 The executioner after holding th' sword upon the culprit's neck for ; its point on the floor beside him. turn eO TO the Judges and SalO:
 ''The traitor is dead.
 The executed man arose to his fee and looked about him. No one inter fered with him. for he was dead. N one saw him. for he was dead. II, said something to q man near him The man made no reply. Why shoul' he reply to dead man? The mem bers of the society were arising fron their seats and leaving the hall. Th decapitatesl man called to one wh, had been his bosom friend but with out avail. Death separates the quicl and the dead be they friends or enc mics
 Charlie Flung followed the others ou into the street. There he saw poste procIaiming to Chinatown that he ha, been executed that evening. \ police man, seeing the notice, 10 him unintel ligible, with Chinamen standing abou 1t. wondered what the yellow devil were up to now. Could he have reat 1t he woTld doubtless have carried dreadful story to police headquarters The dead man wandered about like ghost from the spirit world No or' saw him; no one spoke to him; 10 on, gave him smile or frown
 If he had had money he might hay, returned to China, but would he hay, fared any better there? Would Tot 2! agent of the society he had betrayet follow him and do really the work tha had been done fgnrativey No; Char lie was dead and nothing could hriu2 him 10 life
 If Charlie was not really dead, he was really dyin2-that is. he was gel ting into a condition where deatl would be preferable to life. The post CTS announcing his execution remain eC on the walls, and, go where bt would in Chinatown, he saw them They were the only mention of himself that he encountered. Tn all other re spects he had passed into oblivion. Ee was thirsty, but no one would give him