CO129-438 - Public Offices - 1916 — Page 379

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A Deterrent.

Mr Almeida, Portuguese lawyer, was called and gave his

explanation of his part in the affair.

Pereira, a Portuguese subject, was also called and said he was introduced to Crowl by Schratter.

Mr Musso here applied that the defendant Zung Zei-cha be handed over to the Arsenal authorities as he had been arrested

in Chapel, and had committed no offence in the Settlement. Nr Fessenden who appeared for Woo, in addressing the Court for the defence, said he did not know under what section of the Chinese Provisional Criminal Code his client was charged. Counsel asked the Court not to deal too severely with these ignorant men who were simply striving to make a living in these times of unemployment. He asked the Court not make these

men scapegoats of those higher up in these arms transactions. Mr Newman replying, said that the men were charged with conspiracy in trafficking arms. He did not wish to go into any length, but what he had said in the case of the other three men, he would like to say again: that in order to stamp out this trafficking in arms in Shanghai, the Court must deal harshly with the agents when brought before the Court, so as to act as deterrent to others, and the risk would not make it worth while for them to enter the arms traffic.

Judgment.

Mr Grant Jones in delivering his judgment said: The prisoners are charged for that they, on or about December 2nd 1915, within the jurisdiction of this Court, unlawfully did conspire, combine and confederate and agree together without proper authority to traffic and deal in arms and munitions of war, contrary to Section 204 of the Provisional Criminal Code and against the peace, order and good government of this country.

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