Two protests against sentences imposed in the Provisional Court, on Tuesday, by Judge Liang, were entered by' Mr. TE. E, Stevens, Senior Consul's Deputy.
The first arose out of the casd in which two coolies were charged, together with others not yet custody, with the theft of two b of flour from a boat anchored near Chapoo Road bridge at 10 p.m, on Monday.
When questioned, the first ace cused denied all knowledge of the theft, and the second said that he knew nothing of the matter; he heard someone call out "thief" and only stood by and looked om, P, C, Tilton said that he was on duty at the corner of Museum Road near Chapoo Road bridge when he saw a man disappear into a public lavatory with a bag of flour. Ha Inter reappeared and joined some others near the bridge, amongst whom was the first accused, Ort seeing witness, they ran away and he called upon the first accused ta arrested him and taken flour, although he did not find anything on his. person, man whom witness saw ta) flour into the" lavatory got away Complainant said that charge of a caro flour, two ba of which were stolen, and that he had assisted to arrest the second accused. There werd five or six coolies who came to steal and they crossed from boat to bent, He saw the second accused on the boat and the latter ran ashore where he was arrested.
In reply to Mr, Chen, counsel appointed by the Court for the de= fence, complainant said that he did not see the first accused carry any jour.
'A Chinoxe sergeant. corroborated P. ©. Tilton's evidence and said further that, when he assisted in the arrest of the second accused, he noticed that there were flour marks oon his clothing.
The judgment was, first accused, acquitted, second, six months? im= prisonment, and' in entering his protest Mr, Stevens said:—The preponderance of evidence beyond doubt ix that three or more persons were concerned in the com~ mission of this offence, The sentence of six months given the second accused is inadequate. The ace fquittal of the first accused is not warranted by any of the reliable evidence given at the hearing."
The Second Case Mr. Steven's second protest wae in connection with a case where an unemployed Chinese and a youth of 13 were charged with the larceny of two watches which were taken from the premises at 121 Nanking Road, at 4 o'clock on the morning: of May 28 A policeman saw a number of Chinese near the window which had been smashed and arrested the youth in possession of the two watches, From information given by the youth the first a cured was arrested later, Judge Liang sentenced the first accused to six months' imprisonment, while the youth was ordered to be detained in a reformatory for six months, Mr. Stoven's protest entered on. the change sheet read "The sentence of six months for the crime of burglary is inadequate under the law: There are no extenuating circumstances connect with the case: of the first accused Justify the reduction of the scute: from the third to the fifth degree."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.