'The Viceroy Li Hung-chang refers to a report which he has received from the Magistrate of 'Ts'angchou respecting the escape and re-capture of a prisoner who was in confinement under sentence of death for' a capital offence. During the New Year's festivities a lighted fire-cracker fell into the gaol of the Magistracy and set fire to. abortion of the premises. The magistrate was absent at the time, but his assistant succeeded in extinguishing the flames. One of the prisoners took advantage ut the confusion caused by the fire to effect his escape, and_a watchman who climbed on the wall with a view of chase fell down and was killed re-captured, but not in allowed by the law, and the Viceroy has had the assistant magistrate degraded and removed from his post for his carelessness in the matter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.