R. e. Sexton.
John Sexton, sailor, was charged with deserting from the 8,8, Hankore, Vice-Consul Playfair, who prosecuted, produced a letter from' the ship's captai stating that prisoner was entered on th Shanghai and received an advance Prisuner did not come te the ship the captain was compelled to treat him as n deserter. Mr. Playfair added that prisoner came to the Shipping Office and applied for assistance, stating that he had spent all his money. It would be advisable to keep him in Shanghai until the return of the ship, which would be in about a fortnight, His W.
ship passed sentence of two weeks' imprisonment.
26th April. R. v, Srewanr, J. A. Stewart appeared in answer to a summons charging him with assaulting a coolie lately employed in Muller & Co.'s store.
Complainant said he had been in the employ of Muller & Ca. for thirteen years, On Thursday defendant told him to send
Japan mil steamer. When the chit hok to watches to seme person on board the was returned, and it appeared that a mistake had been made, the chit buck being signed by some person for whom the watches not intended, defendant became angry and struck complainant with his fist. giving him " black eye.
Defendant denied the assault, and said the firat intimation which he received of it was contained in the summons. Com-Plsinant on Thursday said ho wanted to leave, and defendant said he could do 20 as soon as successor was found. Complainant worked in the store all Friday and had since absented himself, causing defendant great inconvenience. Ever since defendant had been in. the store complainant had been giving trouble. through laziness and failure to carry out defendant's orders. On Thursday complainant failed to convey defendant's instructions to the coolie who took the watches on board the steamer, and the consequence was that the chit book was returned with only a Chinaman's signature for. two valuable gold watches. The pro-ability was that they would be lost, When defendant found this out he was very angry with complainant, but. did not strike him 5 and if he had received a black eye, it was hardly likely that all trace of it would have disappeared in five days.
His worship ushed complainant if he had any corroborative testimony.
Complainant replied that another coolie saw the assault, but it was useless to produce him as a witness because he would be obliged to take his employer's side.
Mr. Smyth, the court usher, said that when complainant applied for a summons his face was artificially discoloured all round the eye and complainant admitted this was caused by putting Chinese " medicine" on it. The eye was only slightly bloodshot.
His Worship ised the case, saying he was disposed to believe complainant's story was nut true, more especially as there was no cortobarative evidence, and as complainant had worked in the store on Friday, which it was not likely he would have done if he had been given x black eyo the day before.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.