"Tt is common tea-shop gossip that there is a big conspiracy ea foot against the forces of law and order in the Settlement. The authorities are well aware that Chinese constables are being bribed by opium vendors," said Inspector C. Young when Tsong Ah-tien, a tailor, of No. 943 Miller Road, was on Tuesday charged on remand at the Mixed Court with delivering a bribe of $280 to C.P.C. 1152.
giving evidence of arrest, C.P.C. 829 said he was accompanied by the constable to whom the bribe was offered and both of them took the money from defendant and afterwards reported to Capt. Martin, who said he would issue a warrant for the arrest of the man. Instructions were also given that if seen in the streets, he should be taken into custody.
Cross-examined by Mr. F. J. Schuhl, defending, witness said he did not know why defendant should have singled out himself and the other policeman to take the bribe. Witness admitted that he had never seen the man before and that after being stationed in the Hongkew district for three years had never arrested a person engaged in opium trafficking.
Where Ienorance is Buiss.
Mr. Schuhl—Can you give the names of any shops, which carry on an illicit trade in opium?—No.
Mr. Schuhl—You have been receiving bribes in Hongkew for keeping quiet during the last few years.
Mr. R. -C. Faithfull (for the police) objected to the accusation, but Mr. Schuhl asserted that the two police witnesses were on the point of being caught accepting Fribes, and accordingly fixed the blame on an old man. There is tio doubt that the men had received $280,"' counsel went on. "but not from the defendant. Why did the defendant come up to the witness, as alleged, and offer him a bribe 280, when the C.P.C. was per-unknown to him? Both the witness and C.P.C. 1152 have previously been in trouble." According to the constable the defen-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.