Show CHINESE punishments A bhae of the in december I 1 was in canton one afternoon I 1 visited the principal law court two prisoners in were introduced one an old man too infirm to walk the other a youth tolerably vigorous but abject and forlorn in demeanor the presiding mandarin appeared sat down and sipped his tea while an official pattered out a long oration presumably an indictment for the prisoners proceeded as I 1 understood der stood to plead not guilty ahat followed save a writer in the spectator was this the old man was held up not held down while two stolid flogged him with long pliant canes abobo the knees the youth was divested of his chains which were then piled up in front of him upon these he was compelled to kneel while his feet hands and pigtail were all attached by a cord to a post behind him and tightly secured the cries of the victims and the complete composure of the spectators were alike disgusting I 1 said as much to my guide whom I 1 generally regarded as an amiable being his reply was this very interesting I 1 never seen this before though I 1 have no doubt ho had the explanation of the dreadful scene excuse there could be none was that by the law of china no man can be executed until he has confessed his guilt two individuals had been convicted beyond doubt of heinous crimes but they refused to confess the alternative before them was execution or death by torture and apparently they preferred the latter the ceremony I 1 witnessed was to be repeated de dio in diem until either life or resolution gave way how the end came of course I 1 never knew |