Two old men were brought up at the Mixed Court on Wednesday before Mr. Chang (Magistrate) and Mr. 8. F. Mayers (British Assessor). The men had been sent in by the Paoshan Magistrate charged with forging certain native land tax papers which had been given to the Municipal Council in return for a sum of money amounting in all to Tls. 800.80 for 4 years, arrears of taxes and fees for having the land at the Rifle Range placed on the Paoshan register.
Mr. C. H. Godfrey, Acting Engineer to the Shanghai Municipal Council, appeared and stated that the Council had no complaint against these men. He asked what the Paoshan Magistrate's decision was as to the specimen tax notes which had been sent to him for inspection, The Assessor said the reply was that they were forgeries.
The Assessor asked to whom the Council had paid the money and was informed that it had been paid to Mr. A. Dallas in July, 1899, The Assessor remarked that in his dispatch the Paoshim Magistrate said that when arrested one of the accused denied having forged the papers. and stated that ho believed it was done by a man named Ying Wun-sun. If this were the case, then the Paoshan Magistrate said_ that Ying Wun-sun should be arrested and tried either in Paoshan or at the Mixed Court.
Mr. Godfrey said he would hand ina statement made to him by one of the accused some weeks ago from which it would be seen that. even then a charge was made against Ying Wun-sun, The man might be questioned on the point.
In reply to the Assessor the man adhered to the written statement put in by Mr. Godfrey which said that a land broker named Tsing Yun-ssu in the employ of Ying Wun-sun came to him during the 9ta moon and brought $421, and handed him a receipt now produced. He returned in 3 or 4 days saying, he must a receipt for $802 in full discharyo of all claims in connection with the ta on the land. On being threatened with violence he gave this receipt and believed Ying Wun-sun had it now. Not having received the full money he had kept bad two necessary native tax papers bearing tie Paoshan Magistrate's chop. These were now put in by Mr. Godfrey. The man stated that he was convinced thi the papers given to the Council for all this money were forgeries.
Such forms were never used in Paoshan.
They did not even bear the Magistrate's chop. The Paoshan Magistrate had accused him of the forgery but he protested his innocence as he did now.
The Assessor remarked that the Paoshan Magistrate only knew the accused as the brother of one of his subordinates and asked Mr, Godfrey if the man brought any credentials.
Mr. Godfrey replied that he was formed that the man had been tax collec-for for several years. The Council had recently paid him 200 strings of cash for last year's taxes on the Iand. If he was no the proper man it strange that he should have given receipts which wnquestionably' bore the Magistrate's chop. He had their chief writer there who would he knew the man, and could bring other evidence if necessary.
Mr. Godfrey, continuing, said that the had recently shown the receipts alleged to be forged to Ying Wun-sun, who assured him that they wore perfectly in order, although now the Paoshan Magistrate him-celt repudiated them.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.