STARVING A CRIMINAL TO DEATH.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2450, 24 March 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

STARVING A CRIMINAL TO DEATH.

The North China Herald of November 24th says that the persona who doubt the barbarity of some of tha Chinese punishmonts " have only to walk in the city of Shanghai this morning, a. few minutes' task, and they will find one of the most revolting of these punishments in full operation, and ita infliction applauded by all the Chinese who know about it." The criminal, one Koh, is a hardened ruffian who bus passed the greater part of the past 10 years in gaol. Tho specific offence for which he was being punished was his habit of blackmailing the new prisoners who were put in gaol with him. He was suspended in a cage about sft. high, with his head through the top in u wooden collar, so that he could not reach it with his hands. His feet, which were loaded with chains, were ao far from the bottom that he could only just touch it when stauding on tiptoe. Here he was condemned to stand, without food or water, just inside the outer gate of the magistrate's yaraen, the sport of hundreds until death put an end to his sufferings. The writer suggests that a photograph of the cage and its occupants would be a telling frontispece to the Marquess Tseng's recent article on the " Awakening of China." The exhibition is supposed to act as a deterrent; practically Koh is a popular hero. The writer found him laughing and joking with the mob, and bandying coarse jests with them and the guards. Someone had given him a stone to stand on, and he had got from some other charitable person some rice and water and a pipe.