The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-08-17
AWFUL CHINESE TORTURES.
Blood Curdling Cruelties Practiced
by Celestials on Prisoners.

Chinese military discipline is
something fierce, according to DR.. A.
l.. Shelton, of Anthony, Kan, who
has just returned as a missionary
from the land of the pigtail. The
doctor tells this blood-curdling story
of the cruelty practiced upon a good
friend of his who was major in the
Chinese army.
Three companies of Chinese SOL
diers under the majors command,
but stationed in a distant city, re-
belled and deserted, taking their
arms and ammunition. AS the Chi
nese army is in the main made up
of men who accept the service in
place of penal sentence, the most
rigid rules are enforced heartlessly
to get minimum of service and dis
cipline. They are paid hesequiva-
lent of s2.40 a month on which they
must subsist. To them starvation
is always imminent and a dead dog
or mule or other animal, even when
dead of disease, is greedily cooked
and eaten.
''The major was held responsible
for his rebellious troops, and only
the intercession of the commanding
general of the district, who got. down
on his knees and begged for the life
of his subordinate to the civil gov
governor, saved his head.
"The punishment was modified to
dismissal from the army and 1000
light blows from a small paddle. The
paddle used is from one to one and
half inches wide, eighteen inches
long and probably the eighth of an
inch thick. In administering it the
thighs are barred, and light, even
blows are struck on the thick flesh
between the hip and the knee, the
victim lying PROSTATE on his face
The. paddle is used with sort OF
flip and for some time makes no i'm
preston; 500 blows makes the flesh
red and puffy, 1900 brings the flesh
to jelly-like consistency, and 1000
mark the limit of torture. a strong
man may endure and live.
"Often gangrene sets in and the
victim dies; with the best of treat
ment it is months before the man
padded can use his legs naturally
In the case of the major the flesh
sloughed off his thigh an inch and
half deep, five inches broad and sew
enty inches long. He expected to gel
we'll, but his legs would always -be
crippled. The rebellious troops were
pursued, 200 of them were killed IN
action and the balance brought tc
camp for beheading. Eighteen O.
the soldiers were given swords ant
required to cut gashes in the fesf
of their captain who was unable tt
prevent their rebellion, then they
were beheaded before the captain.
"To stimulate other officers tt
greater zeal in handling their mer
the captain was then taken in hant
by the official executioner who hat
bound him to a big stake for the mer
to cash with swords. With a kee1
knife the lips of the captain were
sliced off, then his nose, later hi
eye lids were cut off and his eye
balls were exposed to the pltlles
sun. After a few hours the skin O.
the forehead was cut away and allow
ed to drop over the blinded eyes
hanging by the corner edges. The1
later the breasts were cut off, all bu
the skin at the lower edge, and al
lowed to hang; if the victim sur
vived that, and the captain did, the1
the flesh covering the bowels wa
cut away and allowed to hang apro1
fashion while the wind and sun drlet
and the flies and vermin fed upo1
the blood and cut flesh. In this case
the captain long unconscious, d1et
with disembowling; in cases where
a man survives that, then a knife il
plunged in his heart at the end O.
the day of horrible torture. kan
sas Journal.