CHINESE JUSTICE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1599, 2 July 1887, Page 3

CHINESE JUSTICE

As I entered the court room two stalwart jailers were roughly bringing m a prisoner accused of the crime of piracy Around the neck of the prisoner was an iron collar, to which an iron chain was attached. One of the jiilers was dragging the prisoner along by the chain and the other was aiding him by pushing and kicking. The acoused was taken before the Mandarin's desk, made to prostrate himself on the floor, and the trial com; menced. The accusation charging the prisoner with piracy was read, and then tbe Mandarin asked him through the interpreters to confess the charge. This the prieoner refused'to do, claiming that he wa* innocent. This seemed .to anger the Mandarin, and he Instructed the lie 1 oi s to strike the prisoner with their leather thengs. This they did, striking him a number of times on the face with a leather strap two inches wide and a foot m length. Thiß failing to bring the desired answer, the Mandar'n then ordered ths jailers to prepare a torture. An instrument of torture resembling a common bench wad then brought m and placed m position on end. From the upper legs of the bench dangled four stout cords, and near the top I of the plank forming the seat was a cloth band about two inches m width and attached to a winch at the back, .of, the board. The prisoner viewed these preparations with a dogged and sullen look. The lictors then seiz3d the prisoner and farced him to kneel with his back against this frame, and quickly fastened a cord to etch of the large toes of the font, and, j bending back the arms, fastened the other two cords to htß thumbs; , The cords were now tightened until the prisoner's knees were dear of the floor. The band was then placed round the forebead and tightened with a few turns of tbe wheel. The position of the body naturally threw its weight forward and made the pressure on the forehead ferrful.

As the oords and bands tightened and the weight of the body was thrown on them the victim began to show evidence o! extreme pain. His breath cameheavl/ and labored and a deep groan occasionally escaped his lips. In this position Be hung for a couple of minutes, and- was then again aiked by the Mandarin If the was guilty. He refused to oonfeas.. The perspiration was starting out ail over his body, the cords were beginning to cut Into .the flssh, and |the muscles were becoming knotted. The Mandarin gave an .impatient order to the lictora, and the winch was given a couple of turns, tightening the bands around tbe forehead until .the prisoner's eyes seemed to atari from their sjckete, and the fleßh was puffed and discolored. Again he was asked to confess and refused. Another turn of the winch was ordered. ■• ■ * ' * .-■■■■ .; " The eyea of t^he suffering man had now I rolled back until only the whites were .visible : the mueclevof the faca began to twitch and knot, and froth was collecting around his lips, His groaning and writhing were horrible. It seemed as if human senses could staud no more. A few more turns of the winch and the band would crush m the skull. Onceltnore he was aiked tooonfess: This time he hesitated and the he shriek el out that Lo would confess anything they desired if they would but take him from this horrible. rack. , This they did m mudh the Bame manner as a stevedore handles sacks of graip... They. united the cords, and loosened the. .band, allowing the prisoner to fall m a heap to the floor. The poor man's face had lost the semblance of a human being. The arms and limbs were rigid and cramped, all muscular power seemed to have .'effc them, and the perspiration was rolling from his body m streams. ■

The doctors now hastily throwing a cloth on his face to hide i*s hideous grinnlngs, roughly rtraightened his limbe and set him up Bgatnst the rack from whioh hs had jant been released. The suffering of the man was horrible, and his groans Bent a chill through my blood.

After the man had reoovered so ai to be able to talk, he was again prostrated before the Mandarin and his confession, made as desired, was read over to- him To this he readily assented. The iron collar was, again fastened around bis neck, and the jailers led him out m much the same manner that they brought him m, ; :