October 16, 1905.]
Shum, had a house in Po Shinn Fong, in the walled city. Viceroy Shum has instructed his deputy, Li, to estimate its value in order that it may be sold and the funds used by the Govern. ment. This is a week of seizures, indeed.
BRITISH CONSUL AND THE NAMHOI MAGISTRATE.
Yesterday the British Consul went with Colonel Yung to watch the trial at the Namhoi magistracy of the six prisoners who were recently extradited from Hongkong_on the charge of armed robberies, etc. The prisoners blandly listened to the lengthy list of charges and had nothing to say in reply. Another prisoner Cheang Pat, alias Cheang Kwai Pau, also extradited from Hongkong was then called and, having been duly identified by two of his victims, Li-Cheong and Li-see, was charged with robbery with violence, etc.
The prisoner made no reply to the accusations, bending his
head all the while.
Canton, 8th October
THE CASE OF CHAU TUNG-SANG.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
offered for sale at Canton for 10,000 tasis each. Chau Tung-Sang who had then but one son aged six years, engaged a Cheong-Yun (first laureate of the Haulin examination) as a teacher for him and purchased a Ku Jon degree for 10,000 taels. The Viceroy and the Hoppo both went personally to Chau's house to followed by a great number of officials. The offer congratulations and their example was people respected and feared him as the most powerful of the gentry in Canton. Shortly afterwards, Lun-Yuen's term of office having with his friend and spent enormous sums of expired, Chan Tung-Sang went back to Peking
to the Chinese Legation in London. When the money to secure his appointment as a secretary
Sang's name did not appear and he thus was published, however, Chau Tung-
of an important
cheated out late Tit-sai, Chau Tung-Sang's cousin. had sum of money. The
a very good reputation; he was law abiding, very careful in his dealings and seldom made any errors. It is believed that he did not of the deficit left by his predecessors." know until quite recently the exact amount
Edict
found
that he had been
Yesterday afternoon Cbau-Tung-Sang's concubines and daughters (20 in all), together with their male and female servante, (about 50 in number) were transferred to the Tai-Ting Yamen in the Walled City. The same day the late Chau Tit-Sai's family ( 8 individuals) and about 15 servants were removed from this house to the Sui-Lo Taotai's yamen. Fu Ka-Tai was lodged with his family at the Nam-Hoi magistracy. All the women, concubines, daughters, or servant girls will be released, on security being given by substantial firms or persons, according to Chinese law, so that the officials may be free from responsibility. Other. wise people might hide them somewhere and then claim them from the mandarin or bringning and the governed alike. charges of murder, poisoning, etc., against them. All the furniture, jewellery, etc., seized in the different houses will be removed to-day to the Sin-Hau-Kuk; it is said that this, together with the household properties seized is valued at over 1,000,000 Taels. Lok Chi-Tong was arrested yesterday at Koon-Yum-Shan (the temple of the Goddess of Mercy) and his house in the Ying Lane has been seized by the Poon Yu Magistrate. Lok was Chan's brother- in-law.
known to everybody. He invested considerable The more recent part of Chau's history is sums of money both in Hongkong and Shang: hai and lately went to Peking where he practi- cally bought his nomination as Minister to Belgium which was so soon to be cancelled.
towards Chau Tuug-Shang, leaving aside all Viceroy Shum has been exceptionally severe the suffering and humiliation the innocent members of his family have been subjected to. Peculation amongst officials in China is the rule. It is the system which is bad and the matter the better for all concerned, the govern- sooner reform is introduced in this important
#
SEIZURE OF TAM
YING KONG CLUB.
Tung-Sang together with house and a coal- The seizure of this clab owned by Chau godown containing about 100,000 dollars worth of Hongay coal closes the list of the properties connection with the above news that the lessee seized by the authorities. It is reported in of the club will suffer;some loss as part of the furniture seized is said to belong to him.
"DOMINICO."
THE ITALIAN STEAMER
The wrecked Italian steamer Dominico which was recently sold by auction and knocked down to Kit-Kee of Hongkong for $1,950 is reported to have been totally broken up by the last typhoon. The junk that was lying by with the salvage gear on board has also foundered during This means a net loss to the specu- ators of nearly three thousand dollars.
the storm.
POSTAL MATTERS.
Hitherto parcs posted to Canton by the French mails were transbipped to Canton from Hongkong. A new departure has, however, been recently made whereby parcels are carried on to Shanghai, from whence they are remailed to their respective destinations. This extraor dinary arrangement means a delay of eight to ten days as far as our port is concerned. Why on earth this illogical step has been taken no one knows! One would hare expected that the Messageries Maritimes Co., which is subsidized by Government, might here taken into con sideration the inconveniences which this retrograde manner of handling mailed parcels would cause to the unfortunate ad Iressee who happens to live in this part of the world. It is hoped that the powers that be will see their way to set this important matter right, at our early date.
REORGANISATION OF THE NAVY.
265
It is said that Capt. Tyler, formerly in charge of the reclamation works here and Coast Inspector of the I. M. C. service, has been appointed to the rank of Chinese admiral and that the task of reorganizing the navy has been entrusted to him.
THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS. yesterday by the Hankow for a two years' Deputy commissioner Schmidt left Canton holiday at Home. His many friends here gave him an enthusiastio sead-off.
11th October, 1905, ELECTRIC LIGHT,
Chinese in the city are complaining that the too late, Electric Light Company turn the current on At this time of the year it is dark in the houses at 6 p.m., whereas current is provided have no meter. only at 6.30 p.m. Most of the lamps in the city The Chinese pay so much per lamp per month and the lamps are kept going from the time the current is turned on to the time it is cut off in the early hours of the morning.
THE BOYCOTT.
telegram yesterday to Leong Shing, Chinese The Boycott Committee in Canton sent a Minister in Washington saying that they are informed that Congress will meet on the 12th instant to discuss the Chinese Exclusion Act They urged him not to sign any new Treaty first submitting to the Chinese people the full with the United States' Government without details of the modifications introduced into the new treaty. and obtaining their approval; otherwise dissatisfaction is sure to follow, as the majority of. Chinese in America ars natives of the Kwangtung province.
CHAU TUNG-SANG'S CASE.—ANOTHER BEIZURE.
So Tai-Fut alias Chan-So, a wealthy Chiuaman of Canton, purchased about two months agɔ a price was Tls. 18,000. house from Chau-Tang-Sang in Canton. The that only Tls. 10,000 were paid at the time the It appears, however,
assignment was made. The balance was to be paid sometime before the Cuinese New Nam-Hoi Magistracy and the fees (6 per cent. The assignment dred was duly registered at the
were paid. The Viceroy having discovered that the balance is still unpaid has authorized the Nam-Hoi Magistrate to seize the property.
A UGLI
It is reported here to-day that Chau-Tang- Sang's principal wife, who is in Hongkong, has she believes to be either at Shanghai or Tientsia, sent numerous telegrams to her husband, whom but has so far received no reply. Chau's where abouts is unknown at present. His wife has, however, engaged a firm of solicitors in Hong- kong to defend him in the event of his extra-
ment. dition being demanded by the Chinese Govern-
Most of the maid-servants and also several members of Chau's family have been released. Chan-Tuug Sang's family who The following is a list of the members of detained in the Tai-Tang Yamen by order of are still
Viceroy Shum:-11 servant girls, 5 concubines, 10 children whose ages range from 1 to 15 years, 9 of whom are girls. Two of the daughters are betrothed to sons of wealthy families here, Most probably their engagements will fall through, as the Chinese are very superstitious and consider that imprisonment (detention) is a bad omen for the future,
The following is a translation of Chau-Tung- Bang's history published in the On Ngu Po :-
Chau-Tung-chang is of very humble origin; his parents were poor and were living from hand to mouth. His maternal uncle, Fu-Kwong, was chief clerk and treasurer to the Hoppo. Chau was then quite a young man. Chau's family was assisted in those days by Fa. Fu-Kwong having saved some money retired and purchased an expectant Taotaiship. He resigned after giving to Chan Tung-Sang his nephew the position he held in the Hoppo's yamen. Chau made use of the money in the treasury to go into all sorts of businesses and amassed a considerable fortune in a few years He purchased official rank (an expectant Taotai- ship) and built a large house for himself in Tung- wang-kai, in the new walled city. Chau Chi- Tung, who was then Viceroy of Canton, suspect- ing that Chau Tung-Sang and Fu-Kwong had both made use of the monies in the Hoppo's treasury ordered
an investigation into the accounts and, discovering a deficit, imposed a heavy fine on Fu-Kwong. Chau Tung-Sang then resigned and gave the position to his consin Chau Tit-Sai. Fearing trouble, he im. mediately left Cantou taking all his fortune to Hongkong (about 3,000,000 taels). From Hong- kong he proceeded to Peking where he was befriended by a Manchu Assistant-Minister, Lun Yuen. He soon became Lun Yuen's sworn friend. Chang Chi-Tang having meanwhile been transferred to the Viceroyship of the
It has now come to light that a man named Liang Hu provinces, Lun Yuen was appointed She-Ching-Kuk, who had a grievance against Hoppo of Canton and Chan Tung-Sang fol- Chau-Tang-Sang, is the informer in the case. lowed him to Canton. There they found Li He was formerly a clerk in the Hoppo's Yamen Hung-chang as Viceroy, and as the latter and has recently sent a petition to the Viceroy giving details and proofs as to how the monies were misappropriated. It is said that one of the most important charges contained in the
taels Chau's star petition is that of selling passports to students, artisans and others desirous of going to the United States, and that as much as $2,000 each had been paid for them. It is rumoured that Lee-chea, alias Li-Lum-Kwai, formerly Hoppo's deputy, is involved in this charge.
ras
an intimate friend of Lan Yuen, Chan Tung-Sang was introduced to him, and by his pleasing manuers soon became personna grata in the Viceroy's yamer. was in the ascendant and all the high officials recognising his influence used pay calls at his residence. It happened at the time that the Peking Government was in need of money and several Ku Jen degrees were
to
10th Octobe
SELLING PASSPORTS.
Sang had an interest of 7,000 taels has been A pawnshop in Honam wherein Chan-Tang- ordered to refund the money to the Viceroy together with the share of profits apportioned to that investment. The Pun-Yu magistrate has received orders to inspect the account
the books and find out
ex ict smounts. Seizures are being made daily and it is now reported that Quen-Tsung-Yao Taotai has been sent to Hongkong to move the Hongkong properties held by Chau-Tung-Sang in that Colony. Despatches are said to have been sent a few days ago to the Governors of Hongkong and Macao with reference to the above. Chan is oredited with being the owner of over 1,000.000 worth of property in these two
VICEROY SHUM'S BROTHER PROMOTED. The local authorities here have received: telegram from Peking saying that Viceroy Shum's fifth brother, Shan-Chun-Ming, who is
Government to attach all the
colonies.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.