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I will not believe in until convinced by ocular demonstration of such authority. To this end, in order to avoid any apprehension on the part of these people, "half savage and half child", as to the effect the change would have on their lives, liberties and possessions, it was enacted that the transfer to British rule should be made clearly known to them by placarding the villages. This, we are bound to believe, as loyal British subjects, actually took place. Something else also took place, as one of the men engaged (or supposed to be engaged) in posting these placards was seized at or near the village of Un Loong, and was condemned to death by the elders of the adjoining villages. He was killed on the 17th or 18th May by certain men, who received "blood money" or "luck money" from one of the elders. His murderers were tried, convicted, sentenced to death, and executed. Had the Government taken the advice tendered them at the outset and supported their placarding with a demonstration of force, the lives of these poor, ignorant, misguided natives, and of their victim, would not have been debited to the British occupation.
So far, the facts in connection with the murder are clear. The men were given a fair trial, before an impartial judge and jury of their fellow-citizens; they were convicted and sentenced under British law. But what follows is not so clear. It is freely asserted by the people concerned that a sum of money was paid into a local bank, for the benefit of the murdered man's (Tang Cheung's) family, and that this was done by order of the British authorities, the apportionment being as follows: the villages of Kam Tun, Un Loong Toong, Ping Shan, and Ha Tsun paid $150 each, and the family of Tang Tsing Sz, one of the men executed in Victoria Gaol, $450, making a total of $1,050, and that the Pat Heung village was also ordered to pay $150, but did not pay it. The date when this money was paid into the Bank is given as May 29. We believe it has been paid out again. There is also the further allegation that five houses belonging to the family of Tang Tsing Sz
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will not believe in until convinced by ocular demonstration of such authority. To this end, in order to avoid any appre- hension on the part of these people, "half savage and half child", as to the effect the change would have on their lives,
liberties and possessions, it was enacted that the transfer
to British rule should be made clearly known to them by pla-
carding the villages. This, we are bound to believe, as loy-
al British subjects, actually took place. Something else also
took place, as one of the men engaged (or supposed to be en-
gaged) in posting these placards was seized at or near the
village of Un Loong, and was condemned to death by the elders
of the adjoining villages. He was killed on the 17th or 18th
May by certain men, who received "blood money" or "luck money”
from one of the elders. His murderers were tried, convicted,
sentenced to death, and executed. Had the Government taken
the advice tendered them at the outset and supported their
placarding with a demonstration of force, the lives of these
poor, ignorant, misguided natives, and of their victim, would
not have been debited to the British occupation.
So far, the facts in connection with the murder are
clear. The men were given a fair trial, before an impartial
judge and jury of their fellow-citizens; they were convicted
and sentenced under British law. But what follows is not so
clear. It is freely asserted by the people concerned that a
sum of money was paid into a local bank, for the benefit of the murdered man's (Tang Cheung's) family, and that this was done by order of the British authorities, the apportionment being as follows: the villages of Kam Tun, Un Loong Toong, Ping Shan, and Ha Tsun paid $150 each, and the family of Tang Tsing Sz, one of the men executed in Victoria Gaol, $450, mak- ing a total of $1,050, and that the Pat Heung village was also ordered to pay $150, but did not pay it. The date when this We believe money was paid into the Bank is given as May 29. it has been paid out again. There is also the further alle- gation that five houses belonging to the family of Tang Tsing
Sz
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