The beheading of Shimazu-Seiji for the murder of two British officers in Japan, 1864. Wood engraving after C. Wirgman, 1865.

Shimazu-Seiji was executed for the murder of Major Baldwin and Lieutenant Bird while they were riding from Yokohama to the Kamakura Daibutsu

"Execution of a Japanese assassin at Yokohama. Our special artist at Yokohama has sent us two sketches, which are engraved in this number. representing the Japanese manner of execution in the case of Shimadzu Seiji, one of the men concerned in the assassination of the two Engliah officers, Major Baldwin and Lieutenant Bird, three or four months ago. On the day before the execution, the 27th of December, the criminal was mounted on a pack-horse and promenaded through the town. His sentence was written on a large flag carried before him, and also on a board. A guard of twelve Japanese soldiers, with fixed bayonets, marched in front: and the rear was brought up by two mounted officers and a crowd of Europeans on horseback. The. streets were crowded with Japanese and Europeans. The murderer, who was an athletic man, with a fine head and a determined expression. sang all the time and looked about him with an air of indifference. At the end of the street he smoked a pipe and had something to eat; then he was taken to the execution ground, where bonfires and torches lighted up the scene; but the execution was put off till next day, because it was too late for the garrison to attend. The man was then conducted back to prison; and next morning, at nine o'clock, the whole garrison--Royal Marines and light infantry of the 20th Regiment, under the command of Colonel Penrose ; and half a battery of artillery, under the command of Lieutenant Wood--marched out to the execution-ground, where they formed square. The Japanese troops were drawn up on the road. After waiting some time, the prisoner, escorted as before, but carried in a norimon or litter, made his appearance. He had some wine and food and then walked to the straw, on which he knelt, with the hole for his head to fall into in front of him. He had made a request that he should not be bIindfolded, which was granted, and also that his body might be buried, and sent to the place he named, and that a tablet should be placed over his tomb. Afteri speaking to the executioner, he sang or yelled out a long recitation, which no one seems to have understood, and turned to the executioner, who had his sword ready to strike. Saying "Wait a little," he settled himelf with his head over the hole a,nd said "Now." The sword came down, but only severed a part of his neck; so that the executioner had to make three cuts before the head was off. A gun was then fired, and the head was taken, in a mat bag, to be exposed at the entrance of the town."—Illustrated London news, op. cit. pp. 261-262

[London] : [Illustrated London news], 1865.

1 print : wood engraving ; image and text 24.5 x 34.5 cm

The execution of Shimazu Seiji. From a sketch by our special artist. See page 261.

Wellcome Collection 580193i

Wirgman, the special artist of the Illustrated London news in Yokohama, had breakfasted with the two murdered men on the day of their deaths, 21 November 1864