The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-05-10
us. MARINE saw
EXECUTIONS
IN CHINA
BY DANIEL II. BROWN
Ex-Marine AZ Told TO william A.
fS0man11ama

| As4SNAAEtHAS - ASSAAl W eNASAAesAAA -
COnsOdine
copyright. 1928, BY international
News servicel
BOSTON, May 10. Thousands Of
Chinese, I should say about 1000
were tortured and butchered in
China to my knowledge during the
11-month period that was there
with the Headquarters Company,
First Battalion. United States
Marines.
Practically all Of them were 20.
IiticaI prisoners, many OF them ac-
cUsed Of having bOlshevik leanings.
They were killed BY their own
cOuntryn1en. without even the for
maIity OF q trial. 81
The Killings took place every
other Sunday at Tien-Tsen. the city
in Northern China at which we
were stationed for some months.
They were such ordinary occur.
rences there that photos OF the kill
ings were frequently taken BY
small shopmen, for sale to the for.
eigners and to Marines for their
albums.
Killed On SUSPICION
IN Southern China, a was told
that thousands more were killed
Just on q suspicion that. they were
associated with the Reds.
The killings were the most hor-
rible sights that anyone could think
Of.
The prisoners were lined up with
their arms tied behind their backs
then they were forced TO kr1eeL An
executioner was assigned to each
man and was given long double
bladed knife.
The executioner would approach
his victim, swing the knife above
hts head once, twice or three times.
The head must be severed entirely
from the body on one Of the three
tries or else the executiOner loses
his life.
IL he succeeded in severing the
head from the neck, and he nearly
always did. the executioner received
b half dollar In our money.
Frequently the executioner wOr !
be covered with the blood OF MS
victim. The heads would lie on the
street of the native city where the
execution took place for days.
Often there would be d dozen or
lis heads lin an alley for weeks.
Frequently they would be hung
from walls or placed on sticks IN
the roads as d warning to others.
IT always seemed to me that the
victims were doped. They never
raised an outcry as death ap-
preached them and even when the
executioner swung and clipped off
only & small piece, Of the head,
they did not cry out, though they
were still conscious.
These killings, know, took place
IN Tienfsen. and / have photos OF
similar killings III Shanghai. Pek1n
and other northern cities OF China.
Horrible tortures were also infIiced
ana the men were still alive when
the final deed. the cutting off OF
the head OF the exccutioner, was per-
formed.
Few Women Killed
very few Of those who were killed
were women or children. In nearly
ali cases they were men. should
saw there were about 200 women
killed In the thousand that ! have
mentioned.
Occasionally, II the man to be exc
cuted was, or rather had been promi-
nerit, In military circles, the killing
was more private and easier for the
victim. The public would not be
allowed to view 1t. 1t would take
place in q pound. A soldier would
place pistol to the head of the
victim.
The Chinese armies were pretty
nearly As well equipped AZ the bat
taliOns that represented the other
nations OF the world. Frequently
there would be Russian drill mas
tiers and soldiers In charge Of large
numbers Of Chinese soldiers.