Tun-yao, two natives of the Hsin-hua district in Hunan, came tu Peking last spring and obstructed an Imperial procession in their attempt to lay their grievances before the Emperor. After being examined in the usual way by the Board of Punishments, they were sent back to Hunan, where they were to have the benefit of a further investigation im the local courts. Wang Chia-fa's case is thi His stepmother Wang Chang Shik owned a farm of Jand which she mortgaged to one Wang Chéng: i. Later on, being in want of funds, she tried to raise money by selling the property tv another man. The latter, however, on hearing land was that the Chao Mis Wang mot ed, refuse
age to Wang Cheng-i's opposition, and went to see him on the subject. He told her that she was quite at liberty to sell the land if she paid him the mortgage money. Seeing that she was in the wrong, and with porary staring her in the face, she poi-sonsd herself with some opium which she had on her person. Wang Chia-fa, who was not present at the time, suspected foul play on the part of Wang Cheng-i, and, after a protracted course of litigation, pro. ceeded to Pern, where he laid his ce plaint before the Commandant of the Gendarmerie, and failing to obtain satisfac tien, prostrated himself as a supplicant Yefore the Imperial ch Li Tun-yao's case is stated thus:—His mother-in-law Chang Wu Shik was a masculine sort of peasen, with 0 very violent, temper. In 861, her husband died, and as he left no male issue, Chang Chi-shu, the son of his eldest brother, was chosen to continue the succession, After her husband's death Mrs. Chang became more reckless and extravagant than ever. Her friends reasoned with her but without result, and finally they obtained a decree vesting the control of her property in the hands of a committee of trustees composed of senior members of the family clan. She continued to give 80 much trouble that the chairman of the committee suggested to her the idea of a second marriage, but she changed her aumd before the event took place. She then left her home, and remained away fora long time. During her absence, Chang Chi-shu and her daughter, having no other means of support, sold part of their mother's property, and realized 720 tiaos, On her return the mother started a course of litigation, in which she was supported by her son-in-law Li Tun-yao, and which ended in the latter's carrying an appeal to Peking, where he appeared as a suppliant in the Imperial presence. Both Wang Chia-fa and Li Tun-yao were sentenced in Peking to 100 blows and banishment toa near frontier, and this sentence is now confirmed by the Provincial Court.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.