Two boatmen and lao lab und an engineer employed by Messrs, Farnham, Boyd and 1 Ca., Ld., were charged with sterling coal froma launch, the property of the complainants, at Chang-ko-pang, on the 18th inst.
Mr. Senicker, wharfinger for Messrs. Melchers and Ca., stated that on the night of 18th inst. he was proceeding towards his hatf when he noticed a launch moored to a junk, with two cargo-boats alongside, into which the accused were shovelling, coal from the launch bunkers. The funnel the launch was covered so as to prevent recognition. About one tou of coal had {been transferred at the time he came on thes scene. He at once detained the boat and launch, and communicated with the Dock Company. It was not the first time he had seen the launches lying alongside cargo-boats, but he never previously found out the reason, It was very desirable to put a stop to the practice. He had a laodah himself who used from 18 to 20 tons of coal per week, but in face of those cases it was impossible to be sure it was all consumed on the launch, Inspector Mellows, of the River Police, said that the accused postmen were of a clan of Kompo men wh" had quite a fleet of dra:-bolts on the river, probably a hundred, and they were nothing but a let of river thieves of whom one of the accused was the leader. The only practical way to punish them would be to confiscate their boats, but it was no uss forfeiting them to ixed Court, as after a few days they wou d be recovere(from the runners for few dollars. If the Court would order the hea's to be forfeited to the Ri he would undertake ty have the cut two and exposed on the foreshore.
The engineer and the laodah were ordered to receive 500 blows each and to becangued at the Old Dock for one month, and the two bosmen were awarded 300 blows apiece ani one month's cangue; the bouts were ordered to be confiscated to the River Police.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.