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Show HAD A DEGREE OF MERCY Executioners of Chinese Robber, Sentenced Sen-tenced to Be Burled Alive, Shortened His Agony. A correspondent In Clllna sends the following: In Ha Tony, a little village Just north of Canton city, there lived one Tsao Ah Sum. There was shrewd suspicion that he had stolen many oxen fifteen, to bo precise. The ox Is n sacrosanct beast of burden, and under village law to steal one Is n capital offense. Tsao Ah Sum stole his last ox a month or two ago, and when tho hue nnd cry went out In fled. He was eventually caught and he had to face trial before the elders of three villages, for he had not confined con-fined his depredntlons to his Immediate Immedi-ate neighborhood. He was found guilty guil-ty and given tho maximum penalty, namely, to be burled alive. On the day of execution the village watchmen beat the gongs and nil the young men of tho village gathered around a rectangle rec-tangle eight feet deep. Before Tsao Ah Sum was Invited to make his resting rest-ing place In tho bote, he wns feasted vjlth inq nnd iwoMkillo the elders performed sacrlflee8'V.f the benefit of his bouI. Tho rite being ended two wntchmen lowered Tsao Ah Sum Into the hole, hend downward, nnd while all tho young men and spectators shouted tho watchmen of another village vil-lage shot at tho convict with a native gun loaded with shot which pierced tho body of tho victim In numerous places. |