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234
CRUELTY TO MUI TSAI."
THREE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT FOR
MISTRESS.
Before Mr. Lindsell, at the Magistracy, on Sept. 1st, a Chinese woman, living at No. 20, Hillier Street, was charged with assaulting a 10-year-old mui tsai.
Mr. F. X. d'Almada appeared for the
accused.
Dr. W. B. A. Moore said that on August 8th he examined the child. She was uffering from a superficial burn on the left ear. There were some dried-up sores on the face-two on the right cheek and one on each of the upper eye-lids. There was a recent burn on the right fore arm and several scab sores, which might have
been the result of burns, and there was
also a superficial burn on the left fore arm just below the elbow, and several small sores on the wrist. The nail of the fourth finger of the left hand was black. There were three small superficial burns on the right instep, and one on the outer side of the left instep. There was a small
mark on the right hip. The child seemed well-nourished and intelligent and the marks were all very superficial. The marks of burns were such as might have been caused by lighted matches.
The mui tsai, in the witness-box, said that she had been with the accused for about 5 years.
Her parents were still alive, and she knew them. The accused was not a good mistress to her. She often beat her with firewood and tied her to the bed-post, "because,' she said, "I was naughty."
Questioned by the Magistrate, the mui tsai said that the accused tied her hands behind her back. Her legs were not tied.
The Magistrate: When she tied you could you walk -No.-Could you move your body --Yes.
How did you get those burns?—The de- fendant burned me with a tong.
Was the tong red hot?—No, she picked up a piece of burning coal from the stove with it and touched my face, hands and legs with the coal.
On how many occasions did she burn you?-Only once.
Why? Because she said I was naughty. How long was it after the burning that you were taken to the police-I went the following day.
What did she say you did to be called naughty? She said I did not do my work. How did you get the old scars on your wrists-Through a beating sometime ago. And the mark on your buttock ?-Also, as the result of the beating.
Shown two pieces of split bamboo, the child said they were used by the accused to beat her. A cord was used for tying her.
When she was burning you, could you not run away-No, it was done in the kitchen with the door closed?
Cross-examined by Mr. d'Almada, wit- ness said that she knew the accused's brother-in-law, who had been to court against the accused over a dispute about jewellery. It was true that the brother- in-law laid the information about the
assault on witness.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS &
being tied and beaten. She produced the rope and the bamboo splits. An amah supported the child's story.
Mr. d'Almada said that the accused would admit punishing the child, but not witness he proposed to call for the de- burning her. The defendant was the only fence, but before doing so, he would like to point out that the amah, who was the who had witnessed the only person alleged burning, had not been called to support the child's story.
Sergt. Stimson interposed that the amah had absconded and could not be found.
The accused, in the witness-box, said that bad feeling had existed between her self and her brother-in-law for some time. The matter reached a climax when he
entered her house on August 17th, and assaulted the boy servant. She remons- trated with him, and they quarrelled. He took away her gold watch and chain, and she reported the matter to the police. On the following day she was arrested on the present charge of having ill-treated the mui tsai by burning her. She knew, as soon as the police visited her house, that the trouble had been caused by her bro- ther-in-law. She did not burn the child. She did beat her on the 16th, because she was disobedient, and stole food from the kitchen. She did not tie her up.
[September 3rd, 1921.
THE WAR IN HUPEH.
WOODEN BULLETS AND BLANK CARTRIDGES...
[CHUNG MEI NEWS AGENCY.]
179
PEKING, August 17th.
"
Fighting in the Hunan-Hupeh near war was more severe than first reports indicated according to reports received in foreign circles to-day, and this was largely due to the sagacity of General providing his enemies with wooden bul- Wang Chan-yuan (the late Tuchun) in
lets and other useless munitions.
When Wang some time ago was named to put through a unification plan and to assume full control on the Upper Yangtze, he received funds for equipping the forces in his area. He presented a glowing account of his military needs, of his wishes to serve the Peking Govern- ment and of his ability to put the pro- gramme through.
With the money the Peking Govern- ment gave him he bought the Hunan troops wooden bullets and blank cartridges. In some cases the cartridges were not even blanks in the accepted sense of the term but contained no
The Hunanese knew nothing of this until they were on the fire line.
The witness added that through the in-powder. fluence of her brother-in-law, her amah was also prejudiced against her, and help ed him to bring this false charge against her, through spite.
The Magistrate: But surely, you can suggest how the burns came to be on the child-I did not do it. Perhaps my bro- ther-in-law and the amah know how the child got burned.
Do you suggest that they deliberately burned the child in order to bring the charge against you? Through spite,
yes.
The Magistrate: Stand down, that's enough. I find the charge proved, and take a serious view of the case. Three. months' hard labour.
MOTOR PROSECUTIONS.
The driver of motor-car No, 379, owned by Mr. C. Montague Ede, was charged with having left the car unattended in Pedder Street, outside Jardine, Mathe- son's, from 3.15 to 3.33 p.m., on Monday. The defendant said that the coolie who was in charge of the car while he was having tiffin left it for a few minutes only to get some water to wash the car. fine of $5 was imposed.
A
Mr. M. A. Hancox, of Holts wharf, was charged with reckless driving on
22nd. Bonham Road at 8.10 p.m., on August
Defendant said that he had not been warned that he would be charged for speeding, or he would have shown his speedometer to the prosecuting sergeant.
Inspector Garrod said that the defen dant passed him on Caine Road about half a mile from where the sergeant stop- ped him, and he was going at fully 20
miles an hour then. He would have sum- He told you what to tell the police-moned the defendant had not the ser- Yes.
geant done so.
So it is not true?—It is true enough. The brother-in-law of the accused said that he lived opposite the accused's house and heard the mui tsai cry, because he had often heard her crying. On the night of the 16th, the cry was more touching than usual. He went to the house at 11 a.m. on the 16th, but saw neither the accused nor the girl. As he was busy, he went away. The following day he went to the house again. He saw the mui tsai, who cried and told him that she had been beaten on the 16th. He saw the burns. and reported to the police.
A Chinese constable said that he visited the house on the 18th. The defendant was not there. The child complained of
Defendant said that
it was
dark, and it was hard to estimate speed. He might have driven at between 16 and 20 miles, but he did not think he was causing any danger to the public at that particular time. He admitted two previous convictions in connection with the same cycle. He was fined $25.
As a result the total losses in their little skirmish was 5,000 men of whom about 2,000 were killed and the others severely wounded.
The Hupeh men in the Hunan army, how. ever, were better equipped. As a result of this the Hupehese lost several men and there are 2,000 Hupeh prisoners in Changsha alone.
While Wang received no praise from the Hunanese, they are not condemning him openly because to do SO means a lack of face.
WIRELESS TELEGRAPH COM- MUNICATION WITH CHINA.
STATEMENT BY THE BRITISH POSTMASTER-GENERAL.
In the House of Commons, on July 14th, Mr. Hurd asked the Postmaster- General whether the Chinese Govern-
ment has entered into an agreement with the American General Company and the Radio Corporation for the erection of high-power stations in China which will bring Washington into direct communi- cation with Peking; whether he is aware that by this means the 800 daily news- papers of China will be provided with a cheap and steady flow of world news through American channels; and what comparable British news services will be available in the Far East under the British Government's scheme?
Mr. Kellaway (in a written reply): The question of wireless telegraphy China is at present the subject of diplomatic communications between his Majesty's Government and the Chinese and other Governments concerned. I understand that no such agreement as that referred to by the hon. member is in existence; but I would point out that the receipt in China of news sent out by wireless stations in other countries depends upon the existence in China of suitable receiving stations, and not of A driver employed by the Russell high-power stations capable of trans- Street Garage was charged with reckless mitting to other countries. If such re- driving in West Point at 9 p.m., on
ceiving stations exist they would be able August 21st, and with having taken out
to receive news from stations of the pro-
M. Williams, without permission. motor-car No. 344, owned by Mr. E. A. posed Imperial Chain-e.g., Hongkong, He Singapore, and possibly India-in the was fined $20 on the first charge, and
same way as from stations in other $10 on the other.
countries.
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