PIRACIES - (Contd.)
The "Spec" must have had an inkling that foreigners were involved, was boarded by an armed party from Her Majesty's brig "Childers," and on being questioned the captain is alleged to have admitted to piracy; and there was also a Chinese witness whose evidence was material to the prosecution but who had disappeared, and was never traced despite the offer of a reward of $200 for information leading to his arrest. On Captain Cole's alleged confession, a prize crew under Lieut. Graham, R.N. was put aboard the schooner, which was brought into Hong Kong and handed over to the authorities, the captain and his followers being placed under arrest. This was in July 1848. On the Grand Jury at the Vice-Admiralty Court Sessions being unable to "find a true bill" against the accused, the prisoners were all discharged, and interest in the affair lapsed.
The case of the Englishman who commanded a Chinese lorcha, William Fenton, however, excited the greatest interest because it involved the death of a Portuguese officer, Lieut. Miranda, of the armed ship "Adamastor," which had set out from Macao to search for piratical craft. The Portuguese vessel came up with the lorcha, which flew the British flag, in company with several others anchored near Ningpo. There were no proper papers on board the craft, and the circumstances were in general so suspicious that Fenton was arrested and taken aboard the "Adamastor." He obtained permission, by a pretext of getting his clothes, to return to his lorcha, and was accompanied back by Lieut. Miranda and a Mr. Caldeira who had a knowledge of English and acted as interpreter. When they again boarded the suspected pirate ship, the Chinese crew "rescued" Fenton by attacking the Portuguese, Lt. Miranda being killed and Mr. Caldeira badly wounded. The latter was driven back into his boat, and the officer's body was thrown overboard. Under fire from the "Adamastor" the lorcha then set sail and escaped. This affair occurred in the summer of 1851.
However, Fenton fell in not long afterwards with some armed Chinese craft who proved more than a match for his forces, and while he was attempting to pirate them his followers were overcome, and he was obliged to leap overboard to escape being killed. Fished out of the water by the Chinese traders, he was made a prisoner and brought to Hong Kong in December, 1851, and handed over to the authorities. At a special Criminal Sessions in January, 1852, he was tried in connexion with the death of Lt. Miranda, the charge being "accessory to murder," but was adjudged "not guilty" by the Jury; and naturally enough this verdict led to much adverse comment, particularly on the part of the Portuguese. Probably under pressure, the authorities framed a new charge against Fenton and in April following he was arraigned for "consorting with pirates," found guilty and sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour; a term considered inadequate at the time, though there was much satisfaction at his being punished.
The case of Eli Boggs, an American, was the next instance of sensational character in connexion with foreigners engaging in piracy. In July 1857, Boggs appeared at the Sessions on a charge of piracy and murder. Against him there were several cases of freebooting practically proved. The American Consul, Mr. Keenan, was permitted to address the Jury for the defence, and a merciful view being taken of the case, Boggs was found guilty only of piracy, and was sentenced to transportation for life; but after a long period of ill health in gaol here, was released, a very sick man, in April 1860, and sent back to America.
Considering the times, we cannot but think that these foreign pirates were leniently treated: the Chinese themselves dealt summarily with all freebooters who fell into their hands. The wholesale beheading in the case of the "Namoa" piracy, recently referred to fully in this column, is a case in point. These executions took place at Kowloon City in April 1891, the men being made to kneel in a line, down which the executioner advanced doing his horrible work.
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