A dispute between Indians, leading to the discovery of opium, brought Nathu Khan and Mohammed Sherafi before Mr. G. G. W. King at H. M. Police Court, on Monday, charged with importing and dealing in opium.
Chief Inspector O'Toole gave evidence that the accused were watchmen under police supervision, employed by the American Products Ca., Yulin Road. Witness was called there by telephone on Saturday morning and found Mohammed Sherafi in the manager's office..It was explained that a piece of opium lying on the table had been found in a box in his hut, and an Indian informer stated that arms and opium would be found in the box of the other accused if a search were made. Nathu was called in, did noi demur when asked to open his box, and himself forced it open. He simply shrugged his shoulders when opium, was discovered inside.
Sherafi's explanation was that he bought the opium on board the str. Macedonia, for his own uso, and he declared that the story of trafficking in arms and opium had been told to the manager by another watchman because accused had reported him for being asleep on night duty.
Nathu Khan said he did not know how the opium got into his box.
His Worship, observing that the case would never have been reported to the police had not the Indians quarrelled among themselves, said they must understand that they were not allowed to bring opium into China. Mohammed Sherafi would have to go to prison, for one month, and Nathu Khan, who had most of the opium, for three months.
Mr. Cxana Cuien, the wealthy Nantungchow industrial leader, was host at_a. dinner given on Monday night in honour of Sir Robert Ho Tung.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.