Here they are put on an allowance of one cash worth of hot water and oz. of bread per day. There are in the four rooms of the Hsiich'ien gaol nearly a hundred men, sitting in chains. If they have friends their condition is better; but if not—in a few days all that is left of them is wrapped in a mat and deposited in the "village of the brave" as their half acre is called here. Between Februsry and October 1898, 284 men died in this gaol and since that date the numbers have averaged more than we per day. This is decidedly the quickest and choupest way to deal with accused men. Tf sympathy should be aroused for these prt criminals allow me to narrate a recent occurrence. About a week ago, a man received $2 from the famine relief distribution. Ho bought grain and took it home about five miles in the country. During the night his house was surrounded by des-paradoes and, as he would not give up his pittance of grain, the house was fired. whree children and the father were burned on top of the grain, The mother and a daughter escaped, both badly burned. The magistrate has made efforts to catch these fiends,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.