A Chinese Execution.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 324, 12 December 1888, Page 3

A Chinese Execution.

S<mi: nights ago ths present wiitcr was talking to a \ouny- naval officer about the Whiteohapel murder*, and the latter gave it as his opinion, thab they must have been committed by a Celestial executioner. Those officials, he contended, must learn swilt and dexterous mutilation as a part of their trade. To strengthen his opinion he spun the following yam, which may be worth reproducing, though the ouera tion it refer? to has been frequently described in books on China. ' I and the burgeon,' lie said, ' resolved to see it, as we had heard a good deal of the treatment of criminal'!. Besides, the case wa& an interesting one. A young: Chinaman, after ' making hi& pile' abroad, had come home, as many of thorn do, to enjoy it at his father's house, hh parent being still alive. One night the young man was doing something in the house with a hammer" when the old man came in stupefied with opium. He coolly told his son that at one of the dens he had gambled away the last fraction of tho treasure which had been placed at his disposal. In tho anger of the moment the son raised the hammer and struck tho old man, and the blow proved fatal. For this lie was condemned to the lingering death, and when we arrived on the scene was in a condition of nakedness, tied to a stake. The executioner, an artist in his own grim way — appeared on the s^cene girt with a be]t in which were stuck knives of all shapes and sizes, which ho had brought, as it turned out, not for- use, but for show. He commenced operations by flourishing a keen and glittering blade beiove the .face of the prisoner. Then he notched each oheek with a cross cut, swopt the knife round the head, and, seizing the scalp pulled it over the victim's eyes. Next he took a slice from each arm and from each leg. and j from the body, without, however, inflicting any fatal wound. Finally, he rippod the man open, and, sowing the still palpitating heart, flung it down in triumph. So swift was he that the execution lasted only three minutes by my wa.tch.' , The officer added that though both he and the doctor were very temperate men, andjbofch familiar with death, whisky and'Svatev formed their only beverage for 24 hours after, as the.hor.ror of .this scene weighed on them to such a degroe that tho sight of food brought, on nausea. Jack the Ripper niust be nearly as oxpert as the Chinese executioner. „ ; J \

Move indications of war.'— France 'raising a heavy l'oau. * V i - '' - - ~J ~* Captain Ash by aviivcs in Auckland early in l-hp Now Year, ■ <~ % ' ' The sjMdor is happiost when his life' is hunginp,' by a thread. Imaginary scholars—^The pupils of your oyes.