August 12th.—(1) According to a Memorial presented by the Governor of Kiangsi, a woman in the District of Tu-ch'ang com: mitted suicide in consequence of a quarrel with her mother-in-law, who had scolded her for buying a piece of drugget, for which she could not pay. The District Magistrate, Li Shih-ching by name, was informed of the death, but instead of going himself to hold an inquest he sent his police-master to act for him. When the inquiry had been concluded, the attendants of the police-master attempted to make the relatives of the deceased pay the travelling expenses incurred by their party. To escape this, all the male members of the family ran away and disappeared, leaving their women behind. The pol master's followers stayed on in the village till, after four days, a fire occurred through their carelessness, by which thirty-six rooms were destroyed. The women were then forced to sign a declaration, taking on themselves" the blame of the fire. On a complaint being made to the higher authorities, an enquiry was instituted and the above stated facts were brought to light. The police-master has already been dismissed for misconduct in another case. It is requested that the magistrate also may be lered, and the case submitted to a rigerous investigation.—Granted by Rescript,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.