A Block Maker in the Settlement Handed Over to Chapei Li Ts-zung, of 696 Park Road, last Friday appeared before Messrs. Martin and Kuan at the Mixed Court, charged with being in possession of a.32 Browning Colt pistol and seven rounds of ammunition. He was further charged with manufacturing false bank-notes, purporting to be those of the Provincial Bank of Kiangsi.
Det.-Sgt. Robinson, of Sinza Station, gave gave evidence of the arrest and said that the charge of being in possession of the pistol was regarded by the police as very serious, especially in view of the number of armed robberies that had of late taken place. The accused, however, had not incurred any suspicion in this direction. Witness further stated that he found 23,000 forged banknotes of $1 denomination, as well as zines, dyes, types, etc., for the printing of the notes.
Mr. R. S. Haskell and Mr. J. E. Lemitre appeared for the defence.
Accused said that the pistol belonged to his father and had been left in his charge some time ago. He knew that it was wrong ro have the pistol without a permit, but he had' never made use of it. He even forgot that it was in the house.
With reference to the forged notes, accused said that he made half-tone blocks and copper plates and these had been taken to a house in Chapei. He had been engaged by another person to make the blocks for the notes, but it would be noticed that the name of the bank did not appear on the notes. He admitted having made the small wooden block of the picture in the middle of the note, but stated that he intended no criminal] action in xo doing as the man who had given him the work was engaged in a local bank and witness took his word for granted. He accepted the work in good faith, because he had been promised all the bank's business if he did the work satisfactorily. He was under the impression that -the order for the notes was genuine, and forgery never for a moment entered his head. His books would prove that the transaction had been entered up.
Questioned further, accused admitted that he had sent a note to his family in a pair of dirty socks, to let his family know that he had been arrested. He did not tell his family to bribe the police.
Det.-Sgt. Robinson said that ai-though the notes were in an iacomplete state; they were nevertheless to all intents and purposes bank-notes, the manufacture and circulation of which had' never been authorized.
The Court, after consultation, found the accused guilty of the first charge, that of having in his possession the pistol and the am-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.