CHINESE PUNISHMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 147, 23 June 1894, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHINESE PUNISHMENTS.

In December, 1831,1 was in Canton. One afternoon I visited the principal law courts. Two prisoners in chains were introduced — one an old man, too infirm to walk, the other a youth, tolerable vigorous, but abject and forlorn in domeanour. The presiding mandarin appeared, sat down, and sipped his tea, while an official pattered out a long oration, presumably an indictment, for the prisoners proceeded, as I understood, to plead Not Guilty. What followed was this : The old man was held vp — not held down — while two stolid Chinamen flogged him with long, pliant canes above the knees. The youth was divested of his chains, which were then piled up in front of him. Upon these he was compelled to kneel, while his feet, hands and pigtail were all attached by a cord to a post behind him and tightly secured. ■ The cries of the victims and the ! complete composure of the spectators j were alike disgusting. I said as much to my guide, whom I generally regarded as an amiable being. His reply was : " This very interesting. I never seen this before." though I have no doubt he had. The ex- ; planation of the dreadful seene — excuse there could be none — was j that, by the law of China, no man . can be executed until he has oonfesßed his guilt. These two individuals had

bean convicted beyond doubt of heinous, crimes, but they refused to confess. The alternative before them was execution or death by torture, and apparently they preferred tb'lattor. The ceremony, I witness***^ was to be repeated de die in ditm uu oitherlife or resolution gave way. How the end came, of course, I never knew. — " Spectator. ' '