1939-01-25 — Page 26

2

Wednesday,

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

January 25, 1939.

LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MOTHER CONVICTED IN "MERCY DEATH" CASE Poignant Drama Of Woman Whose Baby Faced Starvation Counsel's Eloquent Plea

Formosa-Siam Non-Stop Plane

For 'Not Guilty' Verdict Near To-morrow

FOUND GUILTY of taking the life of her 18-month-old daughter by administering opium to her, Lau Shuk-hing, 22-year-old married woman, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Chief Justice, Sir Atholl MacGregor, in the Criminal Sessions this morning. The jury coupled their verdict of guilty with a strong recommendation for mercy.

Mr. Whyalt: You realised that if position her husband was in. The The case was one of the most poignant ever heard in the you had committed suicide, your Jury must have the greatest plty for Ja noble sacrifice on her part for her Criminal Sessions. His Lord-daughter would be left behind with her for taking that step for it was

You didn't want her to be left husband and mother-in-law. ship remarked that the recom- no one to look after her? Yes.

"What is most important for you! Vchlud?—I did not, because alie: mendation for mercy would re-

would suffer, ceive his strongest backing, and

wanted her to die alsa?-to remember is that when the ne So you assured the nected, who is an ex-

did not think of her child at all. pectant mother, that the sentence When I gave her the oplum I did not, cused decided to commit suicide shel But it was your intention and your which he was bound by law to pass know it was enough to polson her: on her would probably be consider wish that she should die?--Yes. ably shortened.

Mr. J. Whyatt, Crown Counsel, proxecuted, and Mr. P. V. Lo, ins- tructed by Mr. M. W. Lo, was for the the defence. The follow.ng was Jury: Mesurs. W. F. Ford (Foreman) Fook, G. T. Reed, Chung W. Shun-cheon, W. F. Arndt, To Cus and L

L. Well,

stated to have Accused

to her child administered opfum during an attempt to take her own life, following a dispute with her busband over the redemption of a pair of earrings, which he had pawned to pay the rent.

Wis

COUNSEL'S ADDRESS

wish that it should die.

"It was only after she had taken the oplum that she rentised her! child's plight, and under irresistible emotional Impulse gave the nar- cotic as well.

"Whatever might be unreal in the case, there was one thing that Was rot i was her devotion to her child."

The Jury, Counsel

take a compassionate

to her hus mother, turn the aerused free

hand and to the child that was to

A

GERMAN Heinkel plane, owned by the Japan Aviation Company, is expected to pass slightly south of Hong- kong at noon to-morrow on a non-stop flight from Taihoku,

Formosa, to in

Bangkok, capital of Siam.

The plane, which is manned by a crew of four, hopped off aerodrome in Tokyo at 6.44 from the Tachikawa military a.m. to-day en route to Tai- hoku. It is expected to reach the Formosan capital at 4

p.m.

The Japanese alrmen, will leave Taihoku at, dawn to morrow. No arrangements have been made for a landing at Hongkong.

law, and shall. I devoutly hope.

long remain unknown.

"It is inevitable that your syme been aroused strongly in favour of the prisoner. but in law every person is respon- Able for the consequences of his or her action.

pathies must have

Yesterday's Big Rise In Temperature

A substantnt rise in the minimum temperature during the past 24 hours was reported by the Royal Obser- the mercury valory this morning,

The maximum for going up to 59. the same period was only three de Brees higher.

o'clock the This morning at 10 thermometer had jumped to 00, with an accompanying humidity of '71 per

cent.

The Royal Observatory weather report issued this morning stated very considerably in intensity and now exists as a ridge of moderately that the anti-cyclone has diminished high pressure, extending from the to South Upper Yangtze Volley Japan.

Is-North-cast forecast Lucal winds, moderate; fine to cloudy.

Foreign Affairs Debate Soon

London, Jan. 24.

Sir Archibald Sinclair, leader of the Liberal opposition, and Lord Crewe, Liberal leader in the House jet Lords, eniled at the Foreign Office 10-day and saw Lord Hallfax, who it is understood, gave them an account of the conversations which he and the Prime Minister had in Rome.

Last night the Prime Minister saw the Labour opposition' Icatters. It is generally assumed in partlamentary clicies that foreign affairs will be the subject of an early debate in the

Wireless. House of Commons after the flouse

that the sentence which you will eventually have to undergo will be considerably less than the one which I have formally passed upon

she had to give him from thne to case was that of a young child and merciful view of the case and re- proper the prisoner, but it

In his final address, Mr. Whyatt said it was beyond dispute that the opium was given to the child by the accused. It did not matter in a case not there they were of this kind whether or

Counsel then referred to the state' was premeditation; all

of mind the accused must have been concerned with was whether the act of the accused had been voluntary,

Jury at the inquest intentionally and unprovoked. lent the time, and suggested that

"Mr. Lo has also spoken of com- submitted that the death of the child had she succeeded in taking her was enused under such conditions be- own life the cause the accused herself had said would undoubtedly have returned a that it was her intention and her verdict of suicide while of unsound passivrate and merciful consideratine.

mind. What the accused had Counsel also reminded the Jury It was an irony of fote for had the child There is no one in this Court who MOTHER GIVES EVIDENCE

your duty is only to devolve on facts was their duly to enforce the law, not awakened and roused her emo-does not feel and and compassion and concluded, according to the fact. Compassion Giving evtience this morning, the

which safeguarded and protected theilans nothing would have happened. mercy for this woman, but again reassembles on January 31-British andun her husband's

and merey could be displayed to the accused said that

authorities were your verdict not carnings as a waiter were insuleient integrity of human life, even though

adverse to to meet the household expenses, and the life which had been taken in this should

part of your duty to indulge in these."

for ten minutes The Jury retired and returned a verdict of guilty with a strong recommendation for mercy As the accused had stated she was Mi. Lo opened his address by say-

was considerable In his summing-un, His Lordship there a pair of earrings, which had beening that pawned for $5. Her husband agreed human element involved in the case said they were investigating the snu- enceinte flis Lordship directed that to this and asked her to look for other It was a pathetic revelation of the dest of sad cases that of a mother she be examined in the Court pre- daughter to T. Bee, who subsequently report- accommodation, promising to pay for other side of society-of a woman who found herselt charged with the cincts by Dr. L. D. Pringle and Dr

who, stricken by poverty, forlorn of murder of her baby

uscles whom she had given all her devo-ed that this was so.

Mr. Lo submitted that in view of her maintenance.

hope and despair of a

the finding of the doctors, the pro- the struggle, was driven to a desperate

After directing the Jury attempt to take her own file and,

ship reminded them that they must Ordinance of 1911, stipulating the while in an emotional state of mind, tegal aspects of the ease, His Lord-visions of the Penal Amendment that of life imprisonment, be applied Gentlemen of the Jars not be swayed by sympathy but to imposition of sentences lighter than

criminal but a return a true verdict according In this case. are not trying

Mr. Whyatt replied that it was man- most unfortunate woman who, by the

for the Court to substitute te datory cruel twist of fate, has taken the sho loved lite of a child whom

time the jewellery from her dowry that it was the wish of

in rell.

On the morning of December 10, her husband returned home from his work and she asked him to redeem

THOUGHT OF SUICIDE "After they had gone away." went on accused, "I went to bed and thought of committing suicide be- cause I realised that my husband's income would be insufficient if he hind to look after me and his mother at two different places.

went out for the purpose "Luter of seeing my mother and on the way

I asked a coolie it he could buy a dollar worth of opium for me. He did and after 1 had seen my mother.

that it should be taken.

THE BEAMY SIDE

also that of her baby.

4You.

parents.

come.

tions.

SADDEST OF SAD CASES

agreed with

Mr.

Ynu.

The Jury were thanked by His Lordship and exempted from further service for one year.

Gland Discovery Restores Youth In 24 Hours

I returned home, and took the opium befell her early when she lost herr allow ficlinatiors inspired by pity Mayatt, although with much regref, to quickly and caplly restore vigour 10

with some hot water.

"MY CHILD WOULD SUFFER"

"Immediately after that my child cried. I picked her up and gave

her a cake.

"I then realised that after my death my child would suffer as would not go to anybody except I thought it would be better for her to die also, so I gave her the remaining oplum.

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to evidence, "You are here." he said, "not only administrators of time being, es and not her own as alio had wished. 15 responsible citizens but, for the| imprisonment for a death sentence worn-out before their timo wilt be

His Lordship ""The Accused was born of poor kustice and it is your duty as such and nothing else."

not to let your heart lead your head "She married young and tragedy

to overrule your duty." nod Chrifly was

The prisoner. His Lordship went first-born. She contented on the meagre earnings of

homening and had admitted that her her husband, and had been a dutiful, had given an account of the sad act was deliberate and Intentional. the time. accused was not insane at Mr. Lo had suggested that, while the no one could but feel that the tragedy was due to emotional impulse, powering idea. silent was the slave of

wife and fond mother.

"She had also, in true Chinese tradition, willingly handed over all her valuables to her husband when he was in need of money."

NOBLE SACRIFICE

Dealing with the dispute over the redemption of a pair of earrings, Counsel said it was not because of pair of earrings, Counsel said it was not because of this trivial quarrel

"I had no intention of killing my child. When my mother-in-law and sister-in-law found what had hop- that the necused decided to take her pened, I asked them to take the child to hospital. I refused to go."

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and asked the accused if she had anything to say why sentence should ahe realised what she had done was wrong and asked for leniency. not be pussed. The accused replied RECOMMENDATION SUPPORTED

He Lordship: "There is only one Irresistible sentence which I could pass upon you his according to the law which I have to over- administer, and that is that you be confined in prison with such labour as you are it to perform for the term of your natural life.

UNKNOWN IN LAW

"It is my duiy," sold Is Lori- ship, "o warn you explicitly that Ue doctrine of irresistible impulse is one which is unknown to English

"The Jury have recommended you to mercy In the strongest termi and that recommendation I shall be clad to support and endorse.

"I think you may rest assured

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