New Britain herald., 1930-05-02
Period of Only Several Hours Lapses Between Sentence to Die and Exc CutiOn - D0ckets Are Crowded.

Shanghai May [P)-The Shang- hai special district court which April ] supplantcd the famous Shanghai provisional court, presents q con- stant panorama of sordid misery trailing in and out Of the dIngy rooms where the hearings are con- ducted.
 It differs little from the same pro- ccssion through the courts Of big American cities, The chief distinc- ton is that those convicted of capi- tai crimes have only a few hours left of life.
 Hundreds Of cases are heard each week. and every day the witness stand sees scores Of dirty. frightened faces who tell stories Of thievery, opium deals, kidnapings, lights and killings. They come and go, unlm- portant usually except 10 them selves. and are forgotten in the swirl that swallows them up the minute they leave The court room, whether freed. destined 10 sweat in Chinese jail or to face q firing squad.
 Some Of the cases are amusing, most Of them are tragic, A weeping Chinese boy was brought into court with companion who preferred 10 sulk. Two policemen had seen the pair running franticallN down an alley, and, for the sake Of curiosity, searched them.
 Expectations Also
 The officers found a beautiful gold hair ornament in the sleeve Of the crying lad. But he hadn't stolen if, he insisted. Someone else had stolen it first from the hair Of d beautiful foreign lady and had later thrown 1t into the street. The two boys had come along and seen it lying in the gutter. The b4v who picked it uu had a sick mother who was troubled with q chronic headache.
 He knew, he said. that the design of the ornament had magical powers and that 1t would cure his mother s headache He was racing 10 take II 10 her when the policemen stopped him.' Both boys insisted that they wanted to go straight home but somehow the court couldn't believe their story. They were sent to gail Tor 5o days, while no one appeared to claim the stolen ornament.
 Nineteen men, arrested in q raid on Chinese opium den. were brought before the bench. Each one T. eordid relic Of what was once q man. stared vacantiy at the judge the eyes lifeless and stupefcd, clothes torn and filthy some Of them In tatfers.
 The men listened with complete indifference to the sentence. Those with previous convictions were sen toncad to one month in jail, hrst of- lenders were fined $l0 each.
 Many shop Lifters
 Dozens ot shoplting cases are brought hefore the court during the course Of a week. Boys and girls with love for fnery make up the rank and file Of the offenders in this line Of criminal activity.
 one youth stole two pairs Of silk stockings. He told the court that he dlf II for sweetheart "AO loNe' beautiful things and had no money with which to buy them. Ii appeared he had been stealing silk stockings regularly for his sweetheart and the judge sent him to jail for a month.
 Criminals convicted Of kldnaplng and murder and condemned to death face the court during the morning, 2 few moments before they are taker out and shot, Most of them simply stare at the judges when asked whether they have any last request to make. Some force q Carefree atti. tude and attempt 10 bluff then way through the ordeal, Usually they still have their ap7etites anG their last meal on earth is generally q big one, accom- panied by red anc white wine and a package of cigar. cites