Canton, Aug. 9.
It was a case of suicide and not of murder. This is the suspicion of. the magistrates who examined the dead body of Lai Hang; and gathered all available evidence tending to throw light on the cause of Lai Hang's death. The magistrates believe that worries brought on by relations which the decadent had with the accused, Chang Laaptso, lend the latter's to shoot himself through the head. 'A formal statement of the findings came out yesterday, but the detailed report will not be made public until some time later, All Canton was aghast at what] Jooked then to be a foul murder.
Chang Laap-tsai who was thought to have fired the fatal shot wa arrested, and speculation was fe fas to what would happen to the Ka 'Nan Tong, the society of which he is the president, For/it. was popularly supposed that the society's finances, were in bad shape, and that'
altercation between Lai and Chang because of this had resulted in the killing of the: manager of the Tungshan Branch, About twelve. years ago, the Ka Naam Tong was started There is! a Ka Naam Bank, and the society. has erected several large office buildings. Most of the investors went in, not as shareholders, but as lenders, and before long their money shoul be returned with interest, and plus) whatever the share of the carnings come to, But it is well known that profits are non-existent, and have question investors can be paid when their money falls due, On June 13, Lai Hang under most extraordinary circumstances. It was not known at the time from what he had died, but it was known that something was rotten in the state of Denmark, Most of his family was away at the time, but daughter was in Canton, studying in the Pui To School in Tungshan. She tried to see her father's body, but permission was denied her, and yet, according to the news reports Chang Laap-tsai, who assumed charge of the funeral arrangements, had urged the daughter to sign a statement that Lai Hang died from natural causes. A policeman patrol-Jing in the neighbourhood had heard pistol report, and knocked at the house where this man died, but was: told that nothing out of the way had occurred, so he had not investigated further.
Such a sensation was raised by: these queer circumstances that the local court took it upon itself to probe into the matter. Lai's body had been hastily interred, but was soon thereafter exhumed, and then it was seen that a bullet had passed through the brain, and that was the cause of death.
It is understood that the magistrates came to the conclusion that it was a suicide and not a murder Invgely because of the course that the shot travelled. Had Lai Hang been killed by the hand of another, the route of the bullet would have been about parallel with the ground, while it actually took a slanting course, the place of exit being considerably higher than the hole made by the shot in entering the skull.
'Due' to the magistrate's decision, it is almost, certain that Chang Laap-tsai will shortly be formally exonerated on the charge of murder, The request. sent by the Canton cigarette dealers to the Centrall Government by cable for the repeal of the order requiring that they pay an-added 20 per cent. tax has} not drawn a reply. But it is heard that the Treasurer, Fan Ki-mo, is about to return to Canton, and that he will be under. instructions to settle-this cause of friction, One of the dealers whom your: correspondent interviewed stated that the average of the houses holding agencies for Shanghai manufacturers has a capital of $10,000. The biggest of them all is capitalized at $50,000, and some agents have no more: than $1,000 at their command. "If $1,000 worth of goods-is ordered from Shanghai, besides the customs duty and likin tax, $200 must now be invested in government bonds, and about' $100 as to be paid for revenue stamps. Putting it all together, the tax may Ky! exceed half of the purchase-price: the shipment, Objection is not Holiday makers in Peitaiho cut, off being offered to the stamp tax I but, these merchants do not want to have to affix revenue stamps }20 per cent. has to go out for bonds. fas well.
Business is so bad, the writer was told, that even a slight increase in ithe retail price may keep the public from buying. These houses have not the capital needed to pay the extra 20 per cent. While they can: get it back@from their patrons, their money will be tied up for quite a period.
For' seven days now, no new stocks have been coming' into port. The cigarette handlers say they will not order new cargoes until this Jcontroversy has been settled.
Canton's Customs Commissioner has to-day published notice that there is to be an increase of 20 per Jcent. in the import duty on flour. This too is because of the bond act.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.