The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1914-05-08
SOME SIDELIGHTS ON THE MEXICAN WAR

the platform, we awaited the execu-
tion.
"In a few moments the prisoner
came In, dressed in the usual Japanese
dress of a person of rank. accompa-
MED by the executioner, who was his
pupil and most intimate friend. He
walked with a steady, firm step In
front OF the altar, where he knelt In |
prayer. He then arose and went To
the red cloth, where he knelt and |
made the confession that he was the
officer that ordered his troops to fire
upon the foreigners and also to fire
upon them when they were trying to |
escape and that he was sorry for
what he had done
"He then disrobed himself to his
waist and reached out for knife that
was near him. which he thrust into
his bowels and drawing 1t toward his
right side, and leaning forward at the
same time the executioner, with one
blow from his sword, severed his head
from his body. This occurred at
about 10:30 p. m.
"The Japanese then bowed to the
floor, on which we all did the same.
We we're then asked II we were salts
fed with what we had witnessed, when
we replied in the affirmative.
After the lapse Of few moments
we were informed that all was over,
when we arose and took our departure
The whole scene was one OF great SOL
emnity and very impressive.
"Very respectfully,
"Your obedient servant,
"J. BLAKELEY CREIGHTON,
Commander"
What War Really Means.
Let us hope we will have peace
again soon. The jingoes are not found
among the veterans. War is worse
than Sherman said it was. This de-
| scription, which | copy from the In
dependent, is all too true;
No more thunder OF artillery, no
more blare Of trumpets, no more beat
OF drums; only the low moan OF pain
and the rattle OF death. In the
trampled ground some redly-glimmer-
ing pools, lakes of blood; all the crops
destroyed, only here and there piece
of land left untouched, and still COW
cred with stubble; the smiling villages
Of yesterday turned into ruins ana
/ rubbish. The trees burned and hacked
in the forests, the hedges torn with
| grapeshot And on this battle-ground
thousands and thousands OF men
dead and dying-lying without aid. NO
blossoms Of flowers are to be seen on
wayside or meadow; but sabers. bayo-
nets, knapsacks, cloaks, overturned
ammunition wagons, powder wagons
blown into the air, cannon with broken
carriages. Near the cannon, whose
muzzles are black with smoke, the
ground Is bloodiest. There the great
est number and the most mangled or
dead and half-dead men are lying lit
orally torn to pieces with shot; and
the dead horses and the half-dead
which raise themselves on their feet
such as they have left them--to sink
again: then raise themselves up once
more and fall down again, till they
only raise their heads to shrek Out
, their pain-laden death-cries. There II
a hollow way quite filled with corpses
, trodden into the mire. The poor crea
, lures had taken refuge there, no doub
: to get cover, but battery had driver
over them, and they have been crushed
by the horses hoofs and the wheels
Many of them are still alive-a pulpy
bleeding mass, but still alive"
> 1t is impossible to depict 1t accu
rately. Flies were feeding on thei
open wounds, which were covered wit
, them; their gaze, flaming with fever
:. wandered about asking and seekin
= for some help-for refreshment, TO
water and bread! Coat, shirt, fles
and blood formed in the case Of mos
y of them one repulsive mass. Worm
u were beginning to generate In thi
Is mass and to feed on them. A horribl
odor filled every place. All these so
~ diers were lying on the bare ground
T. only few had got little straw
i'd which they could repose their mise
re able bodies. Some who had nothin
to under them but clayey, swamp
rs ground had half-sunk into the mud
formed-they had not the strength
OF get out Of 1t.
d. In Masloved, a place OF about fif
n houses, there were lying, eight da,
I'd after the battle, about 700 wounde
vn It was not so much their shrteks
Sc agony as their abandonment witho
We any consolation which appealed
ut heaven In one single barn alone six
ed of these poor wretches we're crowde
he Every one Of their wounds had orr
nally been severe, but they had
ur come hopeless in consequence OF tn,
,se unassisted condition, and their wa
he OF nursing and feeding; almost
ch were gangrenous. Limbs crushed
in shot formed now mere heaps OF
at trefying flesh, faces a mere mass
Ich | coagulated blood, covered with I'll
ich In which the mouth was represent
ar. by a shapeless black opening, fr
Gu. which frightful groans kept we'll
an. out. The progress OF the putrefact
separated whole mortified pieces fr
ho Hx-tx, xss