We find at Jast in the Japan Mail a translation of the text of the judgment of the Nagasaki Court in the case of the two Japanese who murdered a Chinaman in the City in July last. It is as follows The accused, Fukuhara Banjuro, and Omoto, lodged in the house of Ping Chao-ching, in the native city of Shanghai. Between the hours of 8 and 9 pan their lodging, in company with Narasaki Hachiro, to bid good-bye to. their visitors, Miyasaki Katsu and Murakawi Tsuruzo, who were returning to the Settlement. On their way back to their lodging, the prisoners, still accompanied by Narasaki, passed the shop of Shen Kuan-fub, when a dog belonging to Shen barked furiously at them. quarrel ensuing between Omoto a id Shen and Shen's family, a crowd of Chinese came together, armed with sticks, boards, and cutting weapons, to assist Shen. This crowd attacked the accused and Narasaki, the latter defending themselves as best they could and receiving several wounds, but. ultimately making their way to their lodging. Excited by the attack of which they had been the objects, Fukubara, arming himself with a sword cane, and Omoto, taking a stick, left Ping's house and proceeded towards the dwelling of Shen, After advancing about 20 yards, they encountered Shen near a street-lamp, whereupon they renewed the quarrel with him, and Fukuhara, drawing the sword, struck Shen on the head with it and cut into his skull. Omoto also beat Shen on the head with his stick, fracturing his skull in two places. Several other wounds were inflicted on Shen's person, but those on his head were fatal, and he expired immediately. Omoto's stick has not been found. "The above are the facts established by the testi-many submitted to the Court, The action of the prisoners Fukuhara and Omoto, in so far as concerns the question of inflicting fatal injuries, is dealt with in Art, 299 of the Criminal Code. Art. 305, however, provides that when the injuries are inflicted by one labour ing under excitement owing to the safety of his own person having been previously imperilled, the degree of the rime is re= duced. 'Therefore, in accordance with these Articles, together with Articles 313 and 316, the prisoners Fukuhara and Omoto are sentenced to 8 years' imprisonment with hard labour, the sword of Fukuhara is confiscated, and the costs of the Court must be borne by them.
(Signed) Axrvaa Geyzo, Chief Judge of Nagasaki Local Court.
Signatures of two Associated Judges and of the Clerk of the Court.
Dated November 2ud, 1891.
We now know that the penalty in Japan for a premeditated murder, if it is committed by Japanese on a Chinaman, is three years' imprisonment with hard labour. The Chief Judge of the Nagasaki Local Court does not attempt to disguise the fact that it was a premeditated murder. he accused on their way home one night were annoyed by the barking of a dog belonging to Shen. They had a quarrel with Shen, and according to their story, Shéu's friends and neighbours gathered together and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.