Ar the Mixed Court yesterday mon ug before Mr. Chang (Magistrate) and Mr. F. E, Wilkinson (British Assessor), a man was charged, with others not in custody, with stealing a boat from the Settlement limits and detaining it outside; also with attempting to levy likin upon the cargo contained therein, ¥iz., 50 piculs of tallow. Sergt. Gibson stated the charge and added that the boat was discharging me 70 piculs of tallow at 4 pan. om the 29h ultimo in the Tzepang creek, near the Sinza Bridge, for a tallow merchant who had dealings with Messrs Van Laer, Fuhrmeister and Ca. Some twenty piculs had been discharged when three men came and demanded likin duty. Upon seeing the tallow merchant's wife, of whom the money was also demanded, she told them that her husband was away, but if they would make an appointment he would meet them.. This was done, but the men took the boat and 30 piculs of tallow away. The next day complainant met the men! at an opium shop in the Foochow Road, when $100 was demanded for the release of the boat. The boat had been kept at the East Gate of the City. Prisoner was arrested in the opium shop and had a book (produced) containing a record of likin transactions. Prisoner had attempted to pass the book at the time of his jarrest to another man, Two men were not yet arrested. The Assessor remarked that this particular likin business had its ition at the East Gate of the City, but probably had a boat in the Soochow Creek. Sergt. Gibson said that was so. The Assessor replied that it ought to be removed. A representative of Messrs Van Laer, Fuhrmeister & Ca. stated that there were lots of such cases of collecting likin, but people were afraid of reporting them.' As soon as the matter was reported to the Police Station in this case, the boat was given up. Capt.- Superintendent Boisragon stated that the action was distinctly against the orders issued by the Taotai, and the Council had asked him to request the Court to ask the Taotai to issue a very strong proclamation against auch practices. Tha Dlagistente said he did not think prisoner was a likin man, but represented a tallow guild. The Assessor remarked that he would like to have the case adjourned, as he wanted to find out the system of collection. Capt. Boisragon suid he would like to have the case settled at once. The boat had been taken out of the Settlement limits, Prisoner had denied all knowledge of the affair, but the book found on him, and two witnesses who were able to identify him, were surely sullicient proof. The Assessor, after listening to a statement made by the prisoner, said he had no doubt that the likin had been farmed out as in a previous case, where a prisoner was fined $1,000. He lasked if that money was paid. The reply was in the, also that it had already been distributed to three charitable institutions. The Assessor said that the Magistrate had mentioned that the money when paid should have been handed to. him (the Magistrate). Capt. Boisragon replied that an Inspector had collected the receipts. These were ordered to be sent in, for station to the Magistrate. On resuming ase in hand, prisoner said the amount in collected in a month was only $40. Capt. Boisragon pointed to the fact that $100 had been demanded. The cargo in the boat was worth Tls. 500. The foreign firm's representative mentioned that there difficulty in getting their cargo from inland without paying the various small sums demanded. If in this case, twenty or thirty dollars had been demanded it would probably have been paid, but $100 was too great a percentage. ' The Magistrate thought this case was not quite 50 bad as the previous one, as no office was kept within the Settlement, and suggested a fine of $200 and 500 blow: pointed out the gra She changes one Capt. Boisragon
of which was stealing " boat containing, cargo. Prisoner wax fined $200 an sentenced to three months' imprisonment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.