A coolie, with some semblance an education, was charged in the Provisional Court on October 30 after he had appealed and after the Kiangsu Provincial Government had ordered a re-trial, with demanding money by means of threatening letters, and with kidnapping.
Accused originally was sentenced to three years' imprisonment but he 38 not satisfied with this and appeal was lodged, this being Gismissed. It was stated in Court that all the correspondence relating to the activities of a kidnapping gang were found in accused's possession. He admitted kaying writes tone of these but denied that the other was his. These two letters were compared and the Court was of the opinion that both were written by the same hand and Uecided to increase the sentence by 15 years (or 17 years in all).
The case was then sent to Nanking for approval but it was returaed with an order that it should he retried. This took place and the 17 years' sentence was upheld, two days of detention to count as one in gaol.
similar ease came before smother Court, when the sentence was reduced from 16 years to six. Mr. R. T. Bryan, representing the Police, said that accused was con-viered on two charges, on each of which he received 12 years, or 15 years in all. The Nanking Govern. iment ordered a re-trial on the ground that, as nobody had been injured, the ease should have been heard under the ordinary criminal Jaws and the bandit laws should not have applied.
Accused said that he simply delivered the letter. He did not write it nor did he collect any money. He denied meeting complainant and asking him if he had brovglit the money demanded in the letter.
Mr. Woo Ching-yue, defending, said that the sentence. was too heavy Mr. Bryan remarked: that, thou the ease was but an attempt accused's part, the matter was a most serious one, The only reason that it did not succeed was the successful intervention of the police. It was unfortunate, he said, that the bandit law could not be enforced but counsel would ask for a sentence of five years each on both charges, of 10 years in all.
The Court imposed a sentence of four years on each charge, or six sears in all,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.