Chief Justice Mistaken

The Lord Chief Justice of _ England, Baron Hewart, heard last week in London the appeal of one Chung Yi-miao, a Chinese law student whom a lower English court had sentenced to hang for murdering his Chinese wife, also a young student.

Murderer Chung pleaded his own appeal before the Lord Chief Justice. When judgment was about to be pronounced, Chung Yi-miao leaned forward and cupped his hand behind his ear, in order not to miss a word.

Imposing in great wig and majestic robes, Baron Hewart said: "It is impossible to say that there is not ample evidence to find that this appellant committed this crime. Miao is guilty of a diabolical, calculated crime. This appeal is dismissed."

As Murderer Chung Yi-miao was dragged protesting to his cell, meticulous observers noted that the Lord Chief Justice had mistakenly referred to him as "Miao"--apparently supposing that to be his surname. Of course Chinese surnames or "last names" come first, and the Lord Chief Justice should have said, "Chung is guilty," unless His Lordship desired to refer to the prisoner familiarly by his given name, which was Yi-miao, not Miao.