AN EASTERN EXECUTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2525, 15 September 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

AN EASTERN EXECUTION.

A STnASCK .'ind horrible slory romps, to us from Bagdad, that illustrates rrto.-t luminously the suporstilous and fierce life lived in that Eastern town. It appears that some short time asro a merchant was murdered there by his servant, named Mustapha, and for this crime the servant was condemned to 15 yours of imprisonment in its worst form. But the daughter of the murdered man was not satisfied with this judgment, and pleaded for the head of the murderer us an expiation for his guilt. At length the death of the murderer was granted her, and at her request he was chained to the wall to prevent him committing suicide before his execution. For three days ho remained thus, and then a Kurd was appoinel as l;i< evecutioner. The execution took place in a public square, that was crowded with spectators, especially of women ; for there i 3 a superstition in the East that childless women who see a man beheaded will become mothers. Several balconies were also erected for spectators to witness the horrible scene. To tl.is place the murderer was brought, the upper part of his body stripped of its clothing, and was bound down to a peg. The executioner then commenced his task ; but, being unaccustomed to such work, in spite of several blows failed to sever the head from tho body ; and to strengthen him, and give him luck, he dipped a fiuger in the victim's blood and touched his lips with it. The daughter of the murdered merchant and her relations rushed forward, and steeped their fingers in the murderer's blood, and wetted their lips with it to expiate the death of their relative. But this horrible scene was attended with further tragedy, for as these furies were dipping their hands in the blood one of the balconies gave way, killing several spectators in its fall and wounding many more—a story of horrible fact that eclipses the horrors of a murder novel.