August 26th.—(2) The Governor-General and the Governor at Fouchow report the trial of a case of murder which attracted the attention of the foreign newspapers at the time when it was committed. Wu Pao-tai, an assistant sub-prefect, is the son of a Chen- med Wu Ch'i-hsun, The Eh tai, having left his post_in obedience to a summons to come to Po Jprmsly replaced by another oticer 7 Kuo-hsi. Ts'ai Kuo-hsi, on the eve of his birthday last December, invited Wu Pav-tai to dine with him. "The other guests, who were all officials, were Chang Juan, Jao Huai-chung, and Lao Shao-tien. The account of what took place afterward is, per-citly.. It instated that after dinner Wu Pao-haps intentionally, not narrated very expli-
t'ai wished Chang Ju-Jan to play at mora" with him, but Chang Ju-lan declined on the grounds of having drunk too much wine. The party then broke up, and_the host retired to bed. Chang Ju-lan, Jao Huai-chung, and Lao Shao-tien went to sit in summer-house. Jao Huai-chung, being overcome with wine, fell down and was conducted away by the servants. Suddenly Wu Pao-t'ai rushed upon the scene with a pistol. Lao Shao-tian and some servants tried to restrain him, but as he insisted on firing, they cleared out of the way. He discharged one barrel, the bullet striking wall. Chang Ju-lan then rolled up his sleeves and rushed at Wu Pao-'ai, who fired another shot, which struck him i the throat and killed him almost immediately. The memorialist, finds that Wu Pao-t'ai shot Chang Ju-lan in a drunken quarrel, and is therefore guilty of deliberate murder. Though he gave himself up to justice, they cannot "discover any extenuating circumstances, and they sen: tence him to decapitation after imprisonment. They suggest that the board should determine the punishment of the host, Ts'ai Kuo-hsi, fur not preventing the results of the quarrel, and recommend that Wu Pao-t'n's father, who had not returned to his post at the time, should be absolved from blame.—Referred by Rescript to the Board of War.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.