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the court house. Tell the mandarin we've come," said Inspector Quincey. We waited a few seconds, wondering whether to take off our hats or keep them on. However, we took them off and just then we were asked to step into a side room. The mandarin rose to greet us, shook hands, smiled and hoped we were well. "I shall open the Court at once," said this official, who was apparently very pleased to see 118. He ordered seats, tea, and cigars for us, and then came into court after politely allow- ing us to proceed first. As he took his sent there was a loud yell, something like the yell you hear at a noisy political meeting. "Yee, yak, yak, hoo-
Boom, boom, boom!" The roar of cannon was heard. We had been saluted with three rounds a great honour, for the Emperor does not receive more than three
rounds.
-000-
The court much resembles a well kept slaughterhouse yard, with a recess at the back which is used as the Magistracy, or what- ever the Court room is called. About ten yards in front of the mandarin's chair there is a descent of three steps, and on each side of the yard was a line of runners who kept a large crowd of interested Chinese in order. The mandarin seemed to inspire awe amongst the spectators, who, with open mouths, took a keen interest in the proceedings. The official's name is Chan Wing Fai, and he is the Hip Tai, or Colonel Commandant of Kowloon City. “Bring in the prisoner" he shouted in a stern manner. The prisoner was instantly brought in. He had a heavy chain fastened round his neck and when he got up to the steps he bowed to the ground and looked as humble as possible. Then the mandarin proceeded with the following ex- amination, which is almost on the same lines as that conducted by Mark Twain's insurance. agent.
What is your name? Mok Kam.
P
Your age Twenty-eight.
What are you? A gambler.
Where were you born? Tung-Kun.
All Tung-Kun men in the Kwang Tung pro- vince are a notoriously Dowdy lot, and I am going to inflict a severer punishment on you than I would if you had been born somewhere else. Are your parents living
(With a groan)—Yes. Have you any children? Yes. (Another groan).
Have you a wife
Yes.
Is she living?
Yes.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
then the laying on ceremony commenced. The lictor had certainly been bribed. His strokes were very feeble, and the mandarin became exasperated when twenty-five blows had been administered on the man's thighs. A second lictor was ordered forward, and his first cut made the receiver wince and wriggle, and shout "Oh, mandarin, have mercy on me. I am dying. He shouted this plea of mercy at every stroke.
The lictors were continually changed, and when the hundred stripes had been administered the mandarin banged his rod of office on the table and exclaimed "Repeat! This is a very aggra- vated assault, and it reflects discredit upon me and the people whom I have to govern. Owing to my close relationship with the Hongkong Government, and the proximity of Hongkong to Kowloon, I must make an example of you. Lictors, give the prisoner twenty-five more strokes."
G
"
Twenty-five more strokes were accordingly given, but still the mandarin was not satisfied. He was evidently displeased with the fond mother style of whipping adopted by the lictor who had been bribed. Another bang on to table. The more I think of his case the more There were twenty-five more strokes and an I am vexed. Give him twenty-five, more.” additional twenty-five pleas for mercy. The prisoner was evidently getting tired of the monotony of the thing, but still the mandarin was not contented. "I am not satisfied yet; give him another twenty-five. You must get two hundred blows altogether."
This punishment concluded the mandarin turned to Commander Hastings, and said "Are you satisfied, sir?** Commander Hastings said he was. The Hongkong Government did not wish to be vindictive, but they certainly wished it to be understood that Eng. lish visitors must not be assaulted at Kowloon City. The Government desired the law to be vindicated and justice administered.
The prisoner then rose, knelt down, and the chain was once more adjusted round his neck. Said the mandarin "I must now put you in the cangue, and you will be exposed near to the place where the assault occurred, and you will be kept there during my pleasure."
Four officers then caried the prisoner away; he probably would have had some difficulty in walking.There is no doubt that the crime was deserving of the punishment. Two hun- dred blows with the bamboo sounds too excessive, but it was not. The man's flesh was not exposed, there was no breakage of the skin, and the bamboo had simply left several very bad bruises on his thighs.
This was the only case before the Court, and another salute of three rounds signified that the
Do the children look-But you know what mandarin had risen. He invited the whole of you are charged with; are you guilty?
What's the charge?
Well, do you admit having taken a leading part in assaulting the English ladies and gentle- men on Sunday last at the wharf of this city by throwing stones and other missiles at them, whereby one lady was badly hurt on the head, and a gentleman was hurt on the arm P
I admit I was one of the crowd, but I was not taking a leading part. I did not throw any missiles at the foreigners.
But I have made inquiries and find that you are the ringleader. Now before I inflict any punishment I want you to confess the names of your confederates. Answer at once!'
There was &
the prisoner hesitated,
whereupon the M said
Now if you do not tell me their names I will have your head chopped off.
This threat brought the secret out. The prisquer gave the names of half a dozen of his companions and said some had gone to Hong kong and others to the north of China.
The confession concluded the examination, and the mandarin declared the sentence: "You will receive one hundred blows with a bamboo." Prisoner lay down on the stone ground, and two men held down his head and two took a firm hold of his feet. His legs, just below the buttocks, were examined in order to see if there was any contraband wool hidden there. There was'nt a bit, and after his trousers had been replaced a lictor came for- ward swinging a flat piece of bamboo, which was very like a primitive cricket bat. And
the party into his private room, where tiffin, in Chinese fashion of course, was served. The con- versation, which was interpreted by Inspector Quincey, who also interpreted the proceedings to Commander Hastings, was naturally relative to the assault. The mandatin expressed himself willing at all times to assist the Hongkong Government, and said that he was determined to deal severely with assaults on foreigners in his district. His one regret was that the whole of the offenders had not been arrested, and that he was out in his launch at the the whole time of the outrage otherwise gang would doubtless have been put in gaol. He was very hospitable indeed, and after shaking hands with his guests three times, invited them to visit him again as soon as they could afford the time. He was greatly honoured with their presence, he said, and hoped that Mrs. Mac- Donald would soon recover. He certainly struck every one as an official who was desirous of extending every protection to foreigners visiting his district, and it can be safely pre- dicted that the next Chinaman. who interferes with an Englishman at Kowloon City will reqeive a much more severe punishment than even two hundred strokes with the bamboo.
The Nanaimo arrived at Shanghai on the 19th inst. from Nagasaki, four days out. She saw nothing of the missing vessel Mary Stewart, which left Nagasaki on the 1st inst. for Shanghai. It is supposed that the Mary Stewart has been blown south.
[September 26, 1895.
THE PLAGUE MEDALS.
On Friday afternoon Mr. T. Sercombe Smith, one of the hon. secretaries to the Plague Re cognition Committee, received the medals to be presented to those persons resident in the colony who rendered such noble assistance during the plague of last year, There are 31 silver and 137 gold medals; the remainder went to the various stations of the Shropshire Regiment. It will doubtless be remembered that the design for the medal was opened for competition, and a prize of £15 was offered for the successful artist. The award of the Selection Committee, one of whom was. Sir William Marsh, was given to Mr. F. Boucher, of London, and he has suc- ceeded in producing a very artistic design design which is in the highest degree praise- worthy, and which gives a very vivid and pathetic reminder of the dreaded scourge. The figures are bold, the centre one representing a plague sufferer a Chinaman-lying on a raised am- bulance. Attending him is a hospital sister on one side, and a soldier, with a whitewash brush at his feet, at the other. He is forcing back death, who is hovering overhead-a gruesome figure. One of his long bony arms is stretched out to clutch with his broadened bony hand the patient, On the and in the other hand he bears a spear. other side of the medal are the words seuted by the Hongkong community for services rendered during the plague of 1894. and on the medallist is Mr. Wyon, of London, and too rim is engraved the recipient's name. The much praise cannot be bestowed upon him for The medal this very fine specimen of his work. forms a distinctly suitable souvenir of the plague and a prize which each recipient will doubtless look upon with great pride. It is not yet known whether the medals will be publicly distributed, probably not, owing to the incon- venience it would necessarily cause considering that so many of the recipients are members of the police force. However, a meeting of the Re- cognition Committee will he held on Monday - to decide upon the matter.
SUPREME COURT..
18th September.
CRIMINAL SESSIONS.
**
Pre-
BEFORE SIR FIELDING CLARKE (CHIEF
JUSTICE)..
BRUTAL ASSAULT.
Chan Chap Yau was charged with wounding, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, a young girl and her mother, who live at Yaumati. The Attorney-General (Hon. W. Meigh Good- man) prosecuted, and the prisoner, who pleaded not guilty, was undefended.
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The following gentlemen composed the jury: Messrs. C. G. R. Brodersen, A. G. Gordon, J. P. Pascoal, A. A. Alvares, F. J. Murray, J. D. H. S. dos Remedios, J. S. Perry.
The evidence of the girl was that on the morning of the 22nd July the prisoner went to her father's house and said he wanted some books which were in an upstairs room: He went into the room with her and asked her where her father kept his money. She said she did not know, and the prisoner then picked up a chopper and dealt her a heavy blow on the cheek, causing a serious incised wound, knocking out two of her teeth. He went out of the room and saw the old woman in another room. Shevaid that he also asked her where the money was and she said she did not know. He then cut her on the head five times with the chopper, and fractured her skull. prisoner ran out of the house and owing to cries of "Save life" he was arrested. The girl was an in-patient of the Government Civil Hospital for four weeks, and the old, woman was in a very critical condition for five weeks. At the police station the prisoner, after receiving the usual caution, made the following statement
The
When I was ten years of age the girl's father took me to bathe, and he pushed me into the water and came within a little of drowning me. I went this morning to his house and stabbed his daughter for revenge. The old woman
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