According to the "Sinw pao," on the night of the Ist instant, a portion of the ity wall on the Eastern side of the South-Gimtance of nearly sorority yards, encomof Nanking suddenly collapsed for a] Magist passing the deaths of some hundred and twenty persons in the ruins.
The Caged Rowdy, Chu Ab-san, made good the prediction of the writer of these "Notes" that bribes would perhaps be used by that des-parado's friends and relatives to induce the yamen "runners" in charge of him to pat him to death in order to lessen his sufferings, for the youth—he was only eighteon—died on Sunday night and probably disappointed number of persons who were anxious to snapshot him yesterday. A brief sketch of the young Gesperado may be of interest to show that in his case, any way, the theory of ly" must found a practical home in his physi ture almost from his birth. tender age of thirteen Chu Ab-san had already identified himself with gang of youthful ruffians much older than himself in such a way that despite his difference of age he was easily recognised as their leader. Robbing in broad daylight country rustics who had come into town to bay things, or who, having sold the products of their farms, wore returning to the country, were matters of almost every day occurrence with Chu Ah-sen and his youthful follow. ruffians who bade fair to outrival th deeds of their elder brethren of t ilk. At his point fire years ago, or 80, the youngster's evil career was cut short for the nonce by his arrest by yamen "runners," for the Shanghai magistrate taking into consideration Chu Ah-extreme youth wished to reform him so had him sent to the "Kai Kuo-s0," or Reformatory, in the native city. Total depravity was, however, so deeply ingrained in the youngerer's character that the usual tence of three years' incarceration in such cases was lengthened to five i the Reformatory, after which "s it was thought he might have repented somewhat of the errors of his ways, Chu Ahsan was liberated by the Shanghai magistrate at the earnest prayer of the youthful ruffian's unfortunate mother, timid-looking woman with a sad, wan face. This was just a fortnight ago. Once at liberty Chu immediately rejoined his erstwhile rowdy companions, by this time grown up to be men of from twenty-five to thirty years. of age and all "wanted" for some evil deed or other by the authorities. One can easily it what a band like this would do—reinforced as it was by the leading spirit of its former years—a host himself, As a natural sequence wit ton days of his liberation Clu Ab-san was found to have been guilty of thirteen cases of outlawry, by means of which he was able to clothe himself from head to feet in expensive fur robes and silk inner clothing; ainplay half-s-dozen heavy rings of pure gold on his fingers, and have unlimited funds in hard cash and banknotes in a large baglike silken purse. The result was that he was rearrested last Saturday morning and once more brought before the Shanghai magistrate to answer for his sins. The magistrate. still pitying the youth on account of his age, told the young desperado that he would have to return to the Reformatory for another five years, whereupon' Chu Ah-san cried out—" Oh yes! after five years I will come out again, but where will you be, old fellow I can guarantee you won't be chihsien here when I come out again." "Than I will have you incarcerated. twenty " replied the istrate. "All right," declared Chu Ah-san, "I will try to break gaol the first chance I can get and-theb you may be sure, Inot'ou'th (old fellow), that I will kill you for it. It will be either your life or mine, that's all." 'The look of determination in the young desperado' face showed the magistrate that he need expect no mercy from the former should he obtain his liberty, and as it was 8 case of "your life or mine," the magistrate, afters pause, said: "Since you say 80 Thad better make away with you, after all." "That will not make the slightest difference," quoth Chu Ab-san; "if die how, in twenty years hence I'll be a hero on earth once more"—alluding to the ist belief in the transmigration of The Magistrate then ordered Chu Ah-san to be placed in the fatal standing cage, but just before doing so the unfortunate mother of the young ruffian prostrated herself before the magistrate End prayed that she should be allowed to take hor son's fur clothes and pawn them to purchase a coffin for him. Permission was given her to do so, and the man, after a while brought one to the ping into show it tothe magistrate. The di seeing it the unnatural young ruffian cried out to his weeping mother, " Here, you Iao-t'ai-p'o (old hag), I won't have that flimsy and cheap old coffin, My fur clothes must have brought more than $12 from the pawnshop. I must have a Detter one, or vone at all." Chu Ab-+ would have said more, but at a sign from the Magistrate he was hustled into his euge, and under the escort of soldiers, several of the newly-organised Japanesoi ice, and some was hurried te for the public gaze. n prospective death the youn, said to have sung ribald songs and made remarks en passers-by, especially women, which need not be repeated here.
5th April.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.