Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-03-08
FACTS ABOUT CHINA,


Why the People of the Flowery Kingdom are
Truly Good
New y orh World
Taking into consideration the millions
and millions of people who inhabit the
Flowery Kingdom, people often wonder
why so few crimes are committed in the
empire, and why people live such qOiet
neighborly lives. Petty thieviug is the
most common offense but the culprit
seldom repeats the crime if caught the
first or second time.
Highway robbery is never repeated if
the highwaymaD gets caught, because it
needs head TO plan such thing and once in
the clutches of the Emperor's magistrate
the bad mans head Is taken away from
him pretty quick. This is what makes
crime so unpopular 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,
together with the penalty that follows
discovery as surely as the sun follows the
moon.
For the drst offense of larceny the cul-
prit receives fifty lashes on his bare back
with bamboo rod 5 feet long and 8
inches vide. For the second otfense he
gets 100 lashes, and a wooden collar
weighing 100 pounds is put around his
| neck. This he must wear ninety days
and ninety nights. The wesrer can not
stclude himself but must make calls upon
! his friends and walk in the streets. This
| is compulsory, For all future offenses
! the penalty increases at the above ratio
until the prisoner il reformed
| In sim pie assault and battery cases the
plaintiff must prove injury by showing
! blood, otherwise be will be spanked for
making trivial complaints. For breaking
a head the penalty is similar to that for
! petit larceny, and for manning it Is life
imprisonment. If the prisoner is rich he
can escape imprisonment by transfer
ring as much of his wealth TO the injured
man as would secure him q life compe-
! tence without work In all cases bail is
not accepted except from men of great
literary attainments, or degreed scholars
of local or national reputation. These
men seldom give bail in criminal cases,
unless they are satisfied Of the prisoners
innocence, and then il is equal to au
honorable acquittal.
An appeal tor pardon on behalf of any
criminal must be made Though men of
education holding diplomas from the
various colleges. In this way the wishes
of the people reach the throne.
For misunderstanding or blackmajl the
offenders mouth is spanked" so hard
that he can not use it for some time.
Women are the principal recipients Of
this punishment Any kind of highway
robbery is punished by cutting off the
head of the offender, while forcible en-
trance with intent to do injury TO person
or property is punished by exile,
There are no breach of promise cases,
ard if single man Assaults an unbes
trothed girl he can compromise by marry.
ing and supporting her, no matter if he
be a beggar and she a princess. If a
married man is guilty of the crime under
any circumstances, Re is Uehcaded and
if single man assaults a married woman
ne, too, ia beheaded. II the woman's
hush and makes the discovery he can cut
off the heads of his wife and the man.
+! For thl5 the authorities will reward him
because It shows his manhood.
Under no circumstances will the soribes
or silent lawyers, of China, allow their
names TO be known in courts. the duties
Of tie judges being to find oUt for them
selves who is right and who is wrong,
No matter if he is a lawyer or not, any
man who aids another to eyade the law is
guilty of treason. IN al cases plaintiffs
and defendants plead their own causes.
Where Sunset Cox's Jokes Come From.
It is said, probably falsely, that Mrs.
! Cox, wi 4e Of the brilliant congressman,
has ways been reading every paper,
I al.
of clipping out the jokes. Every joke,
however frail, she clipped out, and then
she pagted them IN book under appro
pirate headings. Every bon mot, every
witticism, even every pun, however sickly
his indefatigable helpmate arranged in
] its proper class. Then the genial Sunset
would read up his iokes-not study them
by no means, for be is too clever, too
witty, too original for that; but BE- would
read these pleasantries until he had thor
oughly absorbed them-until they had
permeated him. And then on the first
occasion, when he wanted TO say bright,
clever thing, he Is so thoroughly imbned
with ali this huge mass OF fun that the
Jokes drop from mis- rudy lips ike pearls,
20 that Mr. Cox has won his reputation
by his good vife's earnest, esget search
tor happy words, and BIZ own bright
originality these good sfeecNes 70 ac-
eount AZ the proper times ana "a the pro
per place.
A Western Judge has decided thai a
man Is in duty bound 20 tell his wife
where he spends his evenings when be is
away from home. lie generally does
but nine times ont II ten be hasn't been
there. And vhec ne tells her the truth
she thinks DO hes been somewhere else
anyhow.