[ XXIX]
When he sent them to the Hospital he sometimes merely told the inan who took them to the "I-Ts'z," to say they came from the Kwong Kee. Two men out of the seven who were sent into the Hospital recovered, and five died. If the keeper of the Temple said six died he may have included deceased. A man named CHEW-SOW was the man who usually took men to the Hospital.
The master of the "I-Ts'z" recognised CHEW-sow as having been at the Hospital before, but he was not the man who brought deceased.
At a few minutes before six, the Coroner, accompanied by Mr. LISTER, Jury, &c., started for the Civil Hospital, and, on arriving there the Coroner and Jury entered the sick man's room.
The unfortunate, who was in an almost insensible state, said that he was a brick- layer, and lived in Saiyingpoon. He fell ill and was recommended to go to the "I-Ts'z." The landlord of the house took him there, and paid 200 cash with him for tea. The witness said he never got that unless by shouting out for some time. When he first went in, he found an old woman in the room. She afterwards died, and a dying opium-smoker filled her place. He had conveniences in the room, but becaine too weak to use them. The opium-smoker was perfectly helpless from the time of his admission. He was not well treated.
The witness was so weak that he was not pressed further, and the Coroner an:1 Jury retired.
The inquest now stands adjourned until Thursday, the 29th instint, at two o'clock when it is believed the enquiry will be finished.
ADJOURNED INQUEST.
(29th April, 1869.)
The adjourned inquest on the body taken from this hospital was resumed before the Coroner and same Jury.
The master of the "Kwong Kee" was further examined, and he gave further evidence touching the way in which the coolies were treated after they entered the "I-Ts'z,” but the replies which he made have all been fully reported before.
Dr. MURRAY said before he gave evidence, he would observe that in 1866, in his report, he mentioned that 29 Chinese were found dead or dying in the streets in that year; he knew the establishment called "I-Ts'ž," and he had known it for ten years. It appeared to him something like what is called in Canton the "city of the dead," as he always knew the place had no pretentions to be a hospital. He had only once visited the place officially, and he could not exactly recall the time, but it was when the Police suddenly discovering the place, and he was then desired to say if it was injurious to the health of the Colony. He then stated that he had known it for years, and as it was kept clean, and the coffins well chunamed, and emitted no odour, it was not in- jurious and it was right that some place should be provided for the purpose. Once, afterward, he went to the place accompanied by an old Inspector of Police. He found a dead body, and was told it was only awaiting a coffin. On another occasion one of the Inspectors of Nuisances informed him that a bad odour was coming from a coffin. He gave instructions that the coffin was to be chunamed or removed. This was the only complaint he ever had, and he had no idea that the place was being used as a hospital. Had he been aware, he would certainly have had the sick removed to the Civil Hospital
at once.
By the Jury. He had never instructed the Inspector of Nuisances to the place. Inspectors could not go inside houses without the permission of the "owner."
By the Court. He never knew that the "I-Ts'z" was a place where people went to die.