p. 842 | CHINESE PUNISHMENTS

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 12, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 53.

CHINESE PUNISHMENTS.

IN December, 1891, I was in Canton. One afternoon I visited the principal law court. Two prisoners in chains were introduced, one an old man too infirm to walk, the other a youth tolerably vigorous, but abject and forlorn in demeanor. 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 up—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 were alike disgusting. I said as much to my guide, whom I generally regarded as an amiable being. His reply was: "This is very interesting. I never seen this before," though I have no doubt he had. The explanation of the dreadful scene—excuse there could be none—was that by the law of China no man can be executed until he has confessed his guilt. These two individuals had been 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 the latter. The ceremony I witnessed was to be repeated from day to day until either life or resolution gave way. How the end came of course I never knew.—The Spectator.