Page
April 11, 1903]
PAKIOI
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT]
31st Marol, 1903. Since writing you last, nothing bas transpired here of any moment to write about, but tho following, might probably interest your readers,
ARRIVAL OF AMIN OF WAR. · ·
The German ganboat Jaguar arrived on the 15th instant and left again on the 17th instant for a cruise:
|
INTERESTING TEIAL OF A MURDERER. A native, surnamed Lan, was accused of having committed plunder and several mardois at his native village celled Sai Cheong, a place only a few hours sailing from this port. The Authorities were looking for him for some time, but without success. The murderer, finding him self hotly pursued, joined the German Mission here, probably to evade justice. A short time ago, however, while he was taking a stroll, he fell into the hands of the authorities and a day was set down for the prisoner to take his trial. At the trial, which took place on the 18th inst., there were present, besides the loc. magistate and ather Chinese officials, a few members of the German Mission, who were trying to defend the prisoner) and Dr. A. Mudra (the consul for Germany here), who went probably to watch the case. A large number of native spectators, including the Chinese writer of the British Consulate, were also present to witness the novel proceedings of the Court, for they learned that the missionaries were going to -obtain the release of the culprit. Amongst the witnesses for the prosecution (some twenty of them) were a few elders of the same village as the prisoner, and where he committed the crimes he was accused of. Nearly all of the wit. nesses declared that the prisoner was an evil. character, a murderer, and a terror of the village. An old man stated that the prisoner had murdered his second son, one witness said that the prisoner had also killed his own. - (prisoner's) uncle, and so forth. The mis ionaries, i after hearing the evidence, for the prosecution, asked if any of the witnesses present could testify to having seen with their own eyes the crime or orimes, of which the prisoner stood accused, committed; but none dared to come forward. After a good deal of animated discussion between the anthorities and the missionaries, the magis trate declared that according to the Chinese law, when so many people of the same village as the prisoner, 'including some of his own relatives and elders of the place, come to accuse him of a vile crime, he must be visited with the extreme penalty of the law. The mis- sionaries argued that as there was not a single eye-witness to prove the crime, the prisoner must be released or at least his life must be spared. The villagers protested that if the prisouer wole going to obtain his release, they would all prefer to be killed first, as they feared the prisoner would play havoc with them as soon as he finds himself at large again. The magistrate, after consulting with the other officials present, stated that he must send the prisoner to Lim-chow to be dealt with by the Prefect and the sub Prefect, as he was not going to take upon himself the responsibility of releasing the prisoner nor to reduce the punishment of death which the prisoner deserved, under the circumstances, having before him such a long chain of evidence for the prosecution. :
The prisoner was sent to Lim-chow the follow- ing morning.
- At the trial in Limehow, the prisoner was sentenced to be imprisoned in the Chinese gaol in Limchow for the term of five years, after which period he would be handed over to the German missionaries to be kept as a prisoner in the Misson house for another term of two
year
·
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
morning of the 25th. The nativo inhabitants, especially the Cantonese, who subsist mostly on pork, were deprived of the meat. How long the dealers are going to resist the tax remains to be seen..
On the evening of the 28th, the pork dealors, formed into a body, proceeded to the office of the farmer, and as they began to demolish the frönt door, a crowd was soon collected. The farmer, mistaking the crowd of on-lookers for rioters, took fright and applied to the authorities for protection, and when the soldiers arrived the crowd dispersed, but not before the sign board and lautern outside the door were smashed. One man was arrested for having been caught in the act of demolishing the front door of the farmer's office.
On the morning of the 29th, a few soldiers went out in search of the ringleaders of the disturbance, and needless to state, they had absconded, but in the honse of one of them they foundalad, whom the soldiers attempted to drrest, The lad took to his heels and escaped through the back door and took refuge in the French Mission House, followed by the soldiers, with rifles in hand. The priest, on hearing the rush, came out and finding the soldiers trespassing his ground, he remonstratod with them and the soldiers ran away at once. I understand that the priest went immediatel to lay a complaint with the local mag'strate against the soldiers for trespass, and the soldiers were punished for their indiscretion.
ARRIVAL OF THE FRENCH GUNBOATS.
The French guaboats Surprise and Avalanche, arrived from Kwangchow Wan on the evening of the 27th instant and left the following morning for Haiphong.
SWATOW.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDI NT ]
Swatow, 7th April
CHANGES.
Customs, has been transferred to Chefoo, for Mr. Smollett Campbell, Commissioner of
Mr. F. A. Morgan, who has a'ready been here which port he has already left. It is said that
Mr. P. von Ranterfeld is in the meantime in as Commissioner, is to succeed to this post, charge of Customs.affairs. Mr. Alex, Cumming, Messrs. Butterfield rad Ewire's local agent, has departed for Tientsin, to which port he has been appointed. He has been succeeded by Mr. Gt. M.Young of Hongkong.
EMIGRATION TO AMOA.
By the s.s. Decima there were shipped to Apia, in the island of amos, about 300 Chinese coolies, priucip. lly agriculturists and labourers. This is an enterprise of the German Goveru ment to cultivate the fertile lands of Samoa, and I am told that further batches will, in course of time, be sent from here to that island. The first lot left here under charge of Mr. Wandres, representing the German Government.
RUMOURED UNREST IN KANSU.
The N.-C. Daily News has the following:- A correspondent writes from Fanchêng ou the Han river, in. Hupeh, that a large number of Hunanese soldiers, who had come up from Wachang in boats, arrived at Fanchêng on the 12th u'timo, bound for Hsian. It is remarked as being very unusual that troops from Hanan should be sent to Shensi in time of pace; and our correspondent says that this unusual incident tends to strengthen the rumour prevalent in Northern Hupéh that Prince Tuau and Tung Fu-hsiang_have sent an ultimatum to the Empress Dowager, to the effect that she must depose H.M. Kwang. Esü and put the ex-Heir-Apparent, Pu Chan, who
in Kinau, on the throne, or they will take the two provinces Shenzi and Kansu and make them a separate kingdom with its capital at Hsian.
|
SUPREME COURT
Saturday, 4th ApHI
IN ORIGINAL JURISDICTION
BEFORE H18 HONOUR SIE. WILLIA
M. GOODMAN (Chief Just
SKOTO OD. I word TĂNG KINH. Messrs. H. Skott and Co. sued- Hing, alias Wong Tat, and yest aside for the examination of a garn I On Fire and Marine Insurance Co., Ld. II. E Pollock, K.C., appeared for the plaintin instructed by Mr. F. B. L. Bowley (of Messr Dennys & Bowley), Mr. J. Hastings (of §. Deacon & Hastings) watched the case on of garnishees. The action arose from attachment of certain shares belonging to the defendant, on which the I On claimed * lien. -⠀
The assistant secretary of the I On stated in examination that the Company had advanced a sum of $17,000 to the Sing Kee firm, and of this amount $14,003 remained unpaid. For this Wong Tat Hing was the guarantor. In the course of his statement, witness said the Company was in the habit of advancing money at the request of the managing director and that no record of such advances was put in the company's minute book. The managing director in this case WAS Wong Tak Hing, who was also interested in the Sing Keo firm,
..
The compradore of the plaintiff firm testifed to Wong Tat Hing being the managing pariner of the Sing Kee firm, and that that firm did a large business in Japanese goods. The Sing Kee firm had since closed its doors and Mr Wong Tat Hing had vanished; when The Court ordered-The garnishee disputing the liability of the property on attachment, it is directed that the issue be tried to settle the dispute. Issues to be framed by the parties und to be settled by the Court in the event of dispute. Costs of the day's proceedings to abide the decision of the issue and be costs therein.
Tuesday, 7th April,
IN ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION, BEFORE HIS HONOUR: SIE WILLIAM
GOODMAN (CHIEF JUSTICE) AND COMMAN- 1 ER BASIL TAYLOR (ASSESSOR).
SEQUEL TO A COLLISION. There was called a' cross-action arising out of a collision which occurred on 22nd November about half-past three in the morning in the China Sea about 100 miles N of Hunan Island, between the French 8.8. Eclair and the Portuguese 88. Hoi-kiang, while the Eclair was going to Kwanchauwan and the Hoi-kiang coming up to Hongkong, as a consequence
of which the latter vessel sank in deep water and the former was seriously damaged.
Mr. E. H. Sharp, K.C. (instructed by Mr. F.- Paget Hett of Messrs. Mounsey & Brutton, solicitors), appeared for the Eclair and Mr.T Morgan Phillips, barrister-at-law (insträoled by Mr. G. C. C. Master of Messrs. John Stokes & Master, solicitors), ~was for Hoi-kiang.
Mr. Sharp, in opening the case, said it one of exceptional simplicity. The hole. was the courses. The Eclair in attributed the fault of the collisio
oi-kiang, on which, it was alleged, look-out was the Hot-hiang starboarded her helm tried to wrong side of the Eclair, was generally reckless and unseamanlike and she violated Articles 18 and Regulations for Preventing Collisions The Hoi-kiang stated that insufficient
improperly altered her course to endeavoured to cross the Hot-kiệng did not stop and reverse her engin Tolair, Mr. Sharp went on to may, crew of 34 all told. She 120 feet long and the was about 12 o water. She w to Kwanchau Government.
The missionaries have succeeded at last in their endeavour to save the man's life from the is now with his father Prince Tuan at Ninghsia was kept on board the Eclair, tha executioner's knife, but what about the misery of a five years confinement in a Chinese gaol? | I doubt very much that the man could survive the first term of imprisonment; to my mind, death would be a lighter punishment,
ર
ONEWATA
The new market tax on pork come into force on the 25th stant --The_dealers in pork resisted and the pork stalls in the markets were all empty on the
|
This same story was told some months ago and has been repeated from time to time from various quarters, always in almost exactly the same terms. Perhap there is enough truth in it to account for the depression from which the Empress Dowager is said to be suffering.
st
-