The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-03-01
The FIowerY Kingdoms Morals.

! Taking into consideration the mill
ions and millions of people who in
habit the Flowery Kingdom. people
often wonder why so few crimes are
committed in the Empire, and why
people live such quiet, neighborly
lives Petty thieving is the most COM
mon offense, but the culprit seldom
repeats the crime if caught the first
or second time.
Highway robbery is never repeated:
if the highwayman is caught, because
it needs head to plan such things,
and once in the clutches of the Emper-
or's magistrate the bad mans head.is
taken away from him pretty quick
! This is what makes crime so unpopu-
lar in China. So that the readers of
the World may know how the various
offenses, so lightly punished in. New;
York, are treated in China some of the
more common crimes are given, to-
gether with the penalty that follows
discovery as surely as the sun follows
the moon.
For the first offense of petit larcenY
the culprit receives fifty lashes on his
bare back with bamboo rod five feet
long and five inches wide For the
second otfense he gets 100 lashes, andi
wooden collar weighing 100 pounds
Is put around his neck. This he must
wear ninety days and ninety nights.
The wearer cannot seclude himself,
but must make calls upon his friends
and walk in the streets. This is COM
pulsory. For all future offenses the
penalty Increases at the above ratio
until the prisoner is reformed.
In simple assault and battery cases
the plaintiff must prove injury by
showing blood. otherwise he will bel
spanked" for making trivial COM
plants. For breakinga head the PEN
atty is similar to that for petit larceny,
and for manning it is a life imprison-
ment. If the prisoner is rich he can
escape imprisonment by transferring
as much of his wealth to the injured
man as would secure hlm a life COM
petence without work. In all cases
bail is not accepted, except from men
of great literary attainments. or de-
greed scholars of local or National
reputation. These men seldom give
bail in criminal cases, unless they are
satisfied of the prisoners innocence,
and then it is equal to an honorable
acquittal.
An appeal for pardon on behalf of
any criminal must he made through
men OF education holding diplomas
from the various colleges. In this
way the wishes Of the people reach the;
throne.
For notwithstanding or blackmaili
the offenders mouth is spanked" so
hard that he cannot use it for some
time. Women are the principal re-
cipients of this punishment. ANY kind.
OF highway robbery is punished by
cutting off the head of the offender.
while forcible entrances with intent
to do injury to person or property is
punished by exile.
There are no breach of promise
cases, and if single man assaults an.
unbetrothed girl he can compromise
by marrying and supporting her, no,
matter if he be a beggar, and she a
princess. If married man is guilty
of the crime, under any circumstances,
he is beheaded, and if a single man as
saults a married woman he. too, is be-
headed. If the woman's husband
make the discovery he can cut off the
heads of his wife and the man. For
this the authorities will reward him,
because it shows his manhood.
Under no circumstances will the
scribes, OF silent lawyers, of China al
low their names to be known in courts,
the duty of the Judges being to find
out for themselves who is right and
who is wrong. No matter if he is q,
lawyer or not, any man who aids
another to evade the law is guilty of
treason. In all cases plaintiffs and de-.
PENDANTS plead their own causes,
Wong Chin Foo in The Nea0 York World