Another Soochow dispatch reports the decapitation in that city on the 14th inst., of four men who had been the ringleaders, while confined in the Wuhsien (Soochow) district magistrate's. yamen for various minor offences, in a recent serious attempt to break gaol amongst the prisoners. The severity of the punishment given was due to the fact that it was confessed by most of the prisoners concerned that it was intended, after killing the prison guard on duty at the time, a dash should be made to murder the' magistrate and pillage the treasury which had recently been filled with the autumn land taxes.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.