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Show SELE(JTKI). T1I1C HAlU-KAnl I.V JAPAN A NCIC.VK OF 8KL.F-ICXK.CUT10N. A correspondent of the Now Yo'k L'ccndr Just writcH nn account of the act of liuri-knri committed by Taki, a Jiipunew) nobleman, upon himself, uo cording to tlio law. Ho had been found guilty of an assault upon Christians Chris-tians ut lliogo, nnd was compelled to sull'er this punishment, l'ho writer says : Taki ascended tho low platform with a slow step and a determined mein. Hero ho prostrated himself Ecvcral times in succession before tho altar, his faco each timo touching the ground, and subsequently sat down upon tho carpet with bin back turned towards tho altar, and with his friend, tho Kaisliaku, seated on his right side. One of tho (hi co Japaueso officers now mado hia appearance, carrying a small tablo or dumb-waiter, similar to those used in the temples upon the occasiun of sacrifice, upon which lay, wrapped up in paper, a Japanoso dagger, about nine and a half inches in length, with a point lino as a needle and an edge as keen as a razor. Kneeling down before tho platform, ho hauded the dagger to the condemned, condemn-ed, who reverentially took it, and after having lifted it with both hands above hia head, placed it on the crimson carpet car-pet in front of him. Then Taki made a deep obeisance, and in a voice without with-out a tremor, and without faltering gave utterance, to tho following words in Japanese: ''It was I, and 1 alone, that gave the order to lire upon the foreigners at Kobe, without having received re-ceived from any one the authority to do so. I also fired upon theni af terwards, ter-wards, when they tried to escape. Acknowledging Ac-knowledging my great sin and misconduct, miscon-duct, I shall now proceed to cut open my bowels; and beg the gentlemen present to do me the honor to bear witness to the execution of the deed." Having said this, he stooped down, and loosening his clothing let it fall down so that it exposed hia body down to the loins. He took care to tie the sleeves of his tunic together below and behind the knees to prevent his falling backwards, as a Japanese nobleman must always fall upon hia face, according accord-ing to the creed of the nobility. Then taking up the dagger and removing the paper covering he glanced for a moment mo-ment upon the glittering blade with an expression in hia face as if he were for the last time on earth collecting his thoughts and bidding, in his mind, all that no loved farewell. Then glancing up again and looking proudly rouna upon the spectators he firmly grasped the hilt and, burying tho steel in the pit of the stomach, near the left side, drew it across the stomach towards the right, making a feartult gash. Uut not content herewith, he turned the knife in the wound and made an incision in-cision upwards about two inches in leneth. While this horrible deed took place his mouth was firmly set, and not a sound was heard, while his eyes seemed to stare at the ceiling. For a moment, but a moment only, an expression of unutterable pain and agony came over his face, and, shutting the eyes, he staggered and tumbled forward. At the same moment the ''Katshaku," who had been wathciog for this opportunity, oppor-tunity, sprung to his feet; a sword glittered glit-tered in his hands, a sharp cutting sound came through the air, then an ugly, dull blow and a heavy fall; and the head of Taki Zenzaburo was severed sev-ered from its mutilated trunk. The deep and profound stdlness of death ensued, interrupted only by the sound of the blood as it trickled from the headless body upon the ground below. Every face was pale with fear and horror; it was a moment never to be forgotten, and which 1 hope I may never again have occasion to see repeated. |