DEALS with
The grim climax in the trial of a Chinese kidnapper-killer, the most despicable of all criminals.
with the doomed man between them, are shown escorting him to the judges’ table, to hear a brief review of his case,
just before he is strangled
kidnapping and killing young girl. He kill her after her rich
father not send money enough soon. He already convicted,
but Chinese official always review case just before punish-
ment. He get punishment anyway.”
To the right of the table the crowd parted, and two soldier
guards brought a good-looking, thirty-yeur-old Chinese up
to the judges’ table. Briefly, and I mean briefly, his case
was reviewed. The judges asked him several questions, he
nodded or mumbled a word or two whicli was difficult even
for our guide to understand. Upon a signa} from the judges
the two guards grabbed the kidnapper by the arms and marched
him'to the strangulation post. We were informed that the
officials had asked the Chinese if he was the person accused
and convicted by the court in this case. If he was guilty or
not. To all of which he replied, he was the man and he was
guilty. :
Just before he knelt with his back to the post; the priest
asked him a couple of questions in an attempt to convert him.
After this, his hands were tied behind his back and in the
kneeling position, the leather harness which we had seen the
officials fumbling with a moment or so. before, was fixed on
his head At the same time a thin but strong cord, which
was part of the harness, was slipped around his neck and up
through the upper part of the gear.
It was then announced in a loud voice that this man was
_KIDNAPPE
RS
Two soldier guards,
dying for the kidnapping and killing of a young girl. The
executioner tightened up on the cord. ... The cord was loosened
and the criminal became conscious.again. This was repeated
several times. Finally, the cord was pulled sharply. There
was a terrible heaving of the doomed man’s chest and a twitch-
ing and a straining of the muscles, which were trying to free
the body. . . . Just one more terrific struggle and finally a com-
plete collapse. What a@ horrible death! What agony and
terrific pain! What torture to be choked and then come to
life again, only to be choked again until death! This for
killing and kidnapping in China.
How long would the curse of kidnapping, torturing and
finally killing the innocent law-abiding people last in our
United States, if we would pick out a public place in one
of our cities where all could see and instead of giving our
kidnapper killers-a few years in prison, give them death by
strangulation or slow death by torture which itself is too good
for them.
Every day I pick up the newspaper, and every day I read
article after article of the outrageous practices of the killing,
kidnapping gangs in our liberty loving republic. My thoughts
fly back to Shanghai and the methods used by these so-called
dumb but actually wise Chinese in dealing with their kid-
nappers.
61
men
\etnenee ems a n>
erage
S you remember, the Chinese-Japanese war situation
flared up in February, 1932, and Uncle Sam ordered
his 31st United States Infantry from tropical Manila to
Shanghai to protect. American lives and property
there. This, naturally, gave our army officers with the 31st,
especially our Military Provost Marshal, practically a key
to the city. And as Shanghai was under military law at this
time, our Military Police were placed in charge of their sector
and thus co-operated with the British, French, Chinese and
others in all matters pertaining to law and its enforcement.
T arrived from the Philippine Islands several months after
the 31st took possession of their sector of defense of the city.
At this time the first frenzied excitement was over and things
were almost back to normal Our Military Police had made
an excellent reputation. I was especially delighted to hear
of this as one of my classmates at West Point was the Provost
Marshal. A fine young officer of the he-man type, six feet
tall, and not afraid of anything or anyone. I called on him
at his office on Nanking Road and was warmly greeted. While
talking with him, he told me of the trouble that Chinese
were having with kidnappers and even translated a copy of
Chinese military orders that stated, due to the prevalence of
kidnapping, from that date on it would be punishable, not
only by death, but by death by strangulation. He reviewed
many of the cases that he had had to deal with, especially
many minor cases in connection with American soldiers,. who,
he humorously said, did not have to come all the way to
Shanghai to get into trouble. .
Two days later I was called to the phone. A voice said:
“This is Griff. Would you like to witness a kidnapping case?”
“No,” I said, “I do not care to sit in a Chinese courtroom
and hear a lot of pow-wowing that I cannot understand.”
“Wait 2 minute, the court case is all over.. I want to know
if you would like to see what happens to a kidnapper in China
after he is convicted.”
I hesitated a second and thought, if he is going to die, he
will die whether I am there or not, so I quickly answered Griff
that I would like very much to go.
When Lieutenant Griffith, the American Provost Marshal,
called for me at my hotel an hour later, I was ready. As I
entered his car he handed me an envelope and said, “Here is
your invitation.”
Whereupon I said, “What, a personal invitation to a stran-
gulation?”’
Griff smiled, “You understand this is strictly a Chinese
60
~ JOSEPH P.
CLELAND
U. S. ARMY
(Left) Soldiers shown awaiting the’ kid-
napper at the strangulation post, where he
must pay the supreme penalty for his crime
affair but they always invite us. . They always send us per-
sonal official invitations, sort of gives us a front seat and
causes the officials to meet us and treat us with a great deal
of respect which we otherwise would not receive, if we did not
have this official invitation. ,
“These affairs, however, are not closed to the general public,
rather the Chinese government encourages people to: come
and witness the horrible death dealt out to the criminal, that
it may spread fear in them and stamp out this damnable
crime of kidnapping.”
Our car left the Kavkaz Hotel and after several blocks and
a turn or two rolled up in front of the American Military
Hospital.
“I promised Captain Rhielander, of the Medical Corps, I
would get him in on the next one, so t am stopping here at
the hospital for him,” Griffith remarked as the car came to a
stop.
Before reaching the prison, we picked up the fourth member
of the party, a British officer. And together we had a jolly
chat, which was more in the nature of instructions, in a joking
manner, as to how Rhielander and I should conduct ourselves
at a strangulation, we being the recruits of the party.
TH grey walls of the prison were visible for several miles,
and in appearance looked much like ours in the States.
Practically before we knew it, the car had been halted in front
of a huge iron gate guarded by two Chinese soldiers. To the
right was a small side door. It opened and a young Chinese
officer stepped out and introduced himself. He very politely
ushered us around the inside of the prison and told us all that
was to happen. I asked him if I could use my camera. He
grinned, as Chinese always do,. and said, ‘“Amelican like
take pictures?”
Inside the wall, not far from the cell-block itself, was a
beautiful green grassy plot. At one end was a table covered
with a clean white table cloth. It looked as if tea was about
to be served, until you noticed at the other end of the same
plot opposite the table a group of Chinese Military Police
standing around a post adjusting some sort of harness. This,
our guide pointed out, was the strangulation post. Within
a few moments some chairs were brought out and placed
around the table; shortly, several Chinese officials occupied
them. We were called up close to listen, while the general
crowd had to stand back on the edge of the grassy plot.
Our Chinese guide said, “I tell you this man convicted of
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