The two Chinese sons, Chou Ching-chi and Chou Ching-hsiang, aged 24 and 2t respectively, who electrocuted their father Chou Yung-chieh, a former Chinese dispensary manager in Mukden while he was in bed and dismembered át 228A Avenue Haig on October 6, were sentenced tô death by strangulafion yesterday by the First District Court. The execution of the sthtencés temaing to be seen because at present there is no execution ground provided by Chinese judicial authorities in Shanghai. Formerly; executions took place in the Tsao Ho Ching Prison in the Chinese territory. The boys' mother was given a sentence of two years and six months charged with aiding and abetting in damaging the corpse.
The sentencing of the trio comcludes the trial of one of the most sensational cases in the police record here since it is a rare thing in China that the sons should have their father in a country where filial piety has always been the traditional ard guiding principle iñ a family. The case has been the general topic of household di us, and the great interest shown in the case was evidenced yesterday by the big crowd öt people who thronged the court and the street in front of the court in order to learn the results of the last hearing.
Chungking's Instructions Awaited It was learned that excepting the two death sentences passed yesterday, the same court has, since the withdrawal of Chinese troops from Shanghai area, passed 33 death sentences. Formerly, for executing criminals, a firing squad was provided in the Chinese territory but now the executions must await new arrangement and in this respect instructions from Chungking are necessary.
Looking very much more disappointed than before and pale the two youths -received their sentences calmly and were led away quickly by the judicial police. Their mother, a 48-year old woman, is probably the one who suffers the most from the family tragedy. She has rè- peatedly expressed the hope that the lives of her sons might be spared while disapproving of their cruel acts.
The crime, it will be recalled, had a deeply-rooted cause. The father was said to be of very bad nature ahd he il-treated his wife so often that the sons finally déčided to get rid of him ili otdér to save their mother. Finding fault with her in very small matters he often beat the woman and would turn his attention to his sons when the latter inter-velled. He stopped supporting his sons through school despite the fact that he was a well-to-do man.
The brothers soon held discussions in a Concession park and finally they electrocuted their father while the latter was sleeping in bed. They stole his pass book and some cash with which they bought a screwdriver, a hand saw and sulphuric and nitric atid trying to make it a clean joo
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.