CHINESE JUSTICE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1603, 5 July 1887, Page 3

CHINESE JUSTICE.

As I entered the coiut room two stalwart jailers «ers roughly bringing in 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 jailers was dragging the prisoner along by tbs chain and tbs other was aiding him by pushing and kicking. The accused was taken before the Mandarin’s desk, made to prostrate himself on the floor, and the trial commenced. The accusation charging the prisoner with piracy was read, and then the Mandarin asked him through the interpreters to confess the charge. This the prisoner refused to do, claiming that he was innocent. This seemed to anger the Mandarin, and he instructed the lictora to strike the prisoner with their leather thongs. This they did, striking him a number of times on the face with a leather strap two inches wide and afoot in length. This failing to bring the desired answer, the Mandarin then ordered the jailers to prepare a torture. An instrument of torture resembling a common bench was then brought in and placed in position on end. From the upper legs of the bench dangled four stout cords, and near the top of the plank forming the seat was a doth band about two inches in width and tached to a winch at the back of the board. Tbe prisoner viewed tlipse preparations with a dogged and sullen look. The liotors then leiaed the prisoner and forced him tefcntel with his back against the

frame, and quickly fastened a cord to each of the large toes of the feet, and bending back the arms, fastened the two ocher cords to the thumbs. The cords were n"w tighter! until the prisoner’s knees wre clear of the floor. The band was then placed round the forehead and tightened with a few turns of the wheel. The position of the body naturally threw its weight forward aud made the pressure on the forehead fearful. As the cords and bands tightened and the weight of the body was thrown on them the victim began to show evidance of extreme pain. His breath came heavily and labored and a deep groan occmiooully escaped hie lips. In tins posiuon he hung for a couple of minutes, and was then again asked by a Mandarin if he was guilty. He refused to confess. The perspiration was starting nut all over his body, the cords were beginning to cut into the flesh, and the muscles were becoming knotted. The Mandarin gave an impatient order to the liciors, and the winch was given a couple of turns, tightming the bands around the forehead until the prisoners vyes seemed to start f:."M their sockets, and the flesh was puffed and discolored. Again he was asked to confess and refused, Another turn of the winch was ordered. The eyes of the suffering man had now lolled back until only the whites were visible ; the lunacies of the face began to twitch and knot, and froth whs collecting around his lips. His groaning and writhing were horrible. It seemed as if human senses could stand no more. A few more (urn* of the winch and the band would crush in the skull. Once more he was naked tj confess. This time* he hesitated aud then he shrieked out that ha would confess anything they desired if they would but take him from this horrible rack. This they did in much the same manner as a stevedore handles sacks of grain. They untied the cords, and loosened the band, allowing the prisoner to fall in 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 crumped, all muscular power seemed to have left them, and the psrspiratiou was rolling from his body in streams. The doctors now hastily throwing a cloth on his face to bide its grinnings, roughly straightened his limbs and set him up against the rack from which he had just been released. The suffering of the man was horrible, and his groans sent a chill through my blood. After the man had recovered so as to bn 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 his neck, and the jailers led him out in much the same manner that they brought him in.— Exchange.