Sessional_Paper_1893 — Page 885

[LXXII]

From enclosures marked C. D. E., translations of which are attached, it appears that this is not the first time that TSAU KUNG-WAN's name has been before the Chinese Community in Hongkong in connection with his marriages. In 1883 two Cantonese gentlemen, Mr. LAU and Mr. LEUNG, on visiting a brothel in Shanghai, heard one of the inmates crying in her room and recognised the voice as that of a native of the Shuntak district. They entered her room, and on enquiry she told them (see Enclosure C) that her name was CIIAN CHAN and that she had been married as a concubine to TSAU KUNG-WAN at Canton. Some days after the marriage she had been taken to Shanghai by the fourth wife who told her that their husband had preceded them thither, and shortly after her arrival she had been sold to the mistress of the brothel in which she then was, but had refused to prostitute herself. The two gentlemen interested themselves in the matter, and, through their efforts, she was redeemed from the brothel, a sum of $400 being paid to the mistress, was provided with clothes, and sent to the Tung Wa Hospital at Hongkong,

CH'AN TSAI-CH'ÜN a native of the same village as CH'AN CHAN, who has been en- gaged in the "Sain Shing" lacquer-ware shop in Hongkong for 20 years, was sent for and took her home to her parents, after entering into a bond (see Enclosure E). CHAN TSAI-CH'UN is still in Hongkong and his statement will be found in Enclosure D. From a statement made by Mr. WONG YUNG CHING, son of Mr. WONG SHING, it also appears that the fourth wife of TSAU KUNG-WAN was connected with a somewhat similar trans- action when four Cantonese girls were brought by her to Shanghai ostensibly to be. married to TSAU KUNG-WAN by whom they were seduced. Two of them afterwards married Cantonese policemen; the other two were put in brothels. One of the girls brought her case to the notice of the Magistrate of the Mixed Court by whom it was referred to the KWONG SHIU KUNG SHO, in whose archives a record of the case is believed still to exist.

A. W. BREWIN, Acting Assistant Registrar General.

17th October, 1892.

Extract from Registrar General's letter No. 327 to Pó Léung Kuk, 7th December, 1891.

*

I now send to your Society a girl CHEUNG LUK and a woman CHEUNG TSING, who were brought from the steamer Fu Shun, and I shall feel obliged, if you will report on their case, and send them to my office to-morrow,

Extract from Registrar General's letter No. 328 to Pó Léung Kuk, 8th December, 1891.

I am sending back the girl CHEUNG LUK to be under the charge of your Society until her mother arrives when her case will be decided. If CHEUNG TSING wants to go, she may; but there is no objection to her remaining if she wishes to do so.

Extract from Pó Léung Kuk's letter No. 363 to Registrar General, 12th December, 1891.

CHEUNG LUK has been sent back and we are in receipt of your letter No. 328 in which you instruct us that she must await here the arrival of her mother, before her case can be decided. We are informed that CALUNG LUK has been purchased from her mother by CHEUNG T'SING for $290 with the intention of taking her to Hankow to be the concubine of her husband TSAU KUNG-WAN. The mother of CHEUNG LUK has come to our office

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