SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 1930.
POLICE STATION TRAGEDY.
Indian Evidence Unsatisfactory.
FURTHER STRONG COMMENTS.
No Motive for, the Shooting.
One, Indian Lance-Sergeant and three constables live given evidence in the Lok Ma Chau tragedy Inquiry, and the Coroner and Jury have failed to elicit from any of them an inkling as to the motive of the shooting.
THE
ing but Jewan Singh was unable to throw any light on the subject. He said he could not think of any motive and had never heard Dalip Singh complain of having been, unjustly punished.
The Tai-O Tragedy Recalled. Mr. A. L. Shields (Foreman of the Jury): Have you ever heard of a case of a Sikh runding amok and killing himself before?-No.
never
Coroner What, you've heard of the Tai-O case? Yes, 1 heard of that ease on two occasions. Mr. Shields: Do you think seven shots could be fred in the passago
without waking you? Yes, I was
in a sound sleep..
Would the alarm bell wake a sleeping man?-Not if he were as tired as I was.
Has it failed to wake you before?
Jewan Singh, the Lance-Sergent, came out of his examina- tion in, no better light than the constables under him, the Coroner remarking, that the witness's suggestion that the "amok" tookYes, once before.
When you were roused were you
the Lewis gun before the shooting started was impossible, and the told that Mra-Madgwick was witness had suggested it in order to save his own face.
Phuman Singh, a constable who claimed that he saw Dalip Singh fire shots in the passage was sternly rebuked by the Coroner who asserted: "That's a lie When the Foreman of the Jury suggested trying to elicit from this witness, a reason for the shooting, the Coroner said that Mr. Shields could try if he thought it was any use; but personally he was not hopeful! “
TAI-O TRAGEDY
The Indian Lance-Sergeant, Jewan Singh, was the first witness called when the inquiry was resumed. le said that he had been on duty from the night previous to 4 a.in, on July 21 (the day of the tragedy), At 3 p.m. he went to sleep, and did not awake until he was aroused at G "pum. by the station guard. He Ind slept on even though the alarm was going and shots were being fired.
On learning of the shooting wit ness obtained his rifle and manned
the barrack room door opposite.to the charge room, this being bis allotted post in case of emergency. The others were all ordered by wit- ness to go to their alarm pusts, but the station guard, who should have gone to the charge room, disobeyed the order.
Coraper: He deliberately dis obeyed your order?-Hu might not have heard it
You did not repeat it then"--No. Did you see anyone go into the charge room?-No,
Then how do you suggest that B54 was able to go into the charge room and take a Lewis gun on- observed?—In my opinion he might have taken it before the shooting started.
"It is Impossible"! No one else would think that except you Police, trying to save your own face. It is impossible!
Continuing, the witness said that he fired 25 shots, although he did not see anything at which to fire.
Coroner: Whatever good would that do? We could not see any target. We fired when we heard a shot.
What good would that do, do you think, to let off your rifle when you heard someone shoot?-No reply from witness.
Can you suggest any good that that could possibly do?-I cannot explain that.
You admit yourself that you never saw anything to fire at?-No.
Speaking of the telephone mes- sage witness intimated that he
communicated with Taipo at about 6.15 p.m. and when told that evid- ence would be given that the mes- sage was not received until 5.45 p.m. witness explained that the charge room clock was probably slow. I was only 13 or 14 minutes after being aroused that he telephoned.
Witness Hengreed that it was not until three quarters of an hour aftor being awakened that he tele- phoned to Taipo,
Station Clock Correct. Mr. T. H. King said that with regard to the clock in the charge room at Lok Ma "Chau Police Stn-
tion he could produce evidence to prove that
was correct when the rescue party entered at 11.80 p.m.
Further questioned. by the- Coroner, Jewan Singh said, that after the firat shots upstairs he heard 16 or 16 more fired at in- tervals in the next two hours. The Aring went on until about 7 p.m. In addition to the ahots fired up- Rizira some were also fired outside. Witness WAS convinced that B548. (Dalip Singh) was firing upstairs.
Coroner: Who did you think was fring outside, then?-The Sergeant and the constable in the Married Quarters.
They were firing at him?-Yes, at B643.
|
RECALLED.
You went there yourself? Yes, and I also saw that the Lewis gun
was not there.
"You Were Afraid"? Then you were afraid, in fact? if he had the Lewis gan 50 or 60 men would not have been able to overpower him."
He was not one of the Lewis gun team, was he?—Noj but hô knew a little.
Was B315 one of the team?--Yes, Did he make any attempt to get the Lewis gun when the alarm went?-Yea, he went to the charge room to get it, but it, was not there. He went immediately after he was raused ?—Yes.
He told you the Lewis gun was not there?—Yes.
Then why did you mention 1722 first?-He was the first to tell me about the Lewis gun.
Then on your own showing B315 dkl not go on his job until 15 minutes later?--Ie wout imme- diately after he was roused, but he did not tell me of the Lewis gun until 15 minutes later.
How in the world can you expect
anyone to believe that!
Did you believe, in fact, that B543 could fire a Lewis gun?-Yes,
Did you hear the sound of machine gun fire?-No.
fupstairs?--No.
Have you any reason why you or your men did not go upstairs to protect the building? I knew that four men would be insufficient to go If Dalip Singh had a Lewis gan! up.
Corner: Did you go outside to reconnaitre between 5 o'clock and 7.307-Yes, I went on to the front rerandah at 6 pm. but saw nothing.
CHINA
MAIL.
this affair and we agreed that he has done a very bad thing.
Can you give any reason why he shot 897-I can suggest no reason. Foreman: I am afraid we can- not go any further than this, your Worship.
Sergt. Gardiner's Evidence. stated that he had been eight Lance-Sargeant, A95, Gardiner, menths at the, Lok Ma Chau Police Stution, doing river patrol work. Ile-hud no fixed hours, having to ever, to do three night patrols work with the tides. He had.how- every week.
On July 21 he was on day patrol,
ZIMBALIST.
UNIQUE DISTINCTION FOR ARTISTE.
FOURTH ENGAGEMENT.
For the fourth time Efrem Zim- balist will return to the Orient, an within memory having ever been unusual distinction, no artiste
re-engaged that often for the Far East. Zimbalist .will leave
leaving the station at about 3 p.m. America in August and will be
He could not be precise as to times could more or as his 'watch was broken, but he less judge by the speed of his motor-bout reacting
to the state of the tides.
1
away until November. His first visit was made to the Orient in 1922, his second in 1926. His third was in the course of a world tour which opened in the left the station. He did...about Everything was normal when he
spring of 1028 and ended fifteen four-and-a-half hours' patrol that
months later, during which time the great violinist travelled over when he returned to his buoy.lia, New Zealand, Java, India, afternoon, and it was pretty dark 50,000 miles and played in Austra- which was due north station.
of the China, Japan, Hawaii, and throughout Europe: While in Japan last time he had the rare opportunity of being invited by the Emperor to listen to his private orchestra. He is one of
this imperial body of 35 players. few Europeans, he says, to hear who never appear in pablid, and who.constitute the sole means by which 2.000 years old Chinese music, introduced into Japan 700 years ago, is perpètuated.
from the village came up and told As soon as he landed a Chinese
Kim that there. was trouble at the station. He returned to the motor. boat, and coming ashore with am- munition, mustered his crew and made up a small party with which he proceeded to the station.
A Fourth Indian Witness, P.C.. 315, Phuman Singh, who "Get Back, Get Back"! was the next witness called, said At a point to the south-east of he, had been three years in the the building, the party was greeted Police Force, of which one had by two shots which whistled over- been as a member of the Indian head, coming from the station squad attached to the Lok Ma which, however, did not show Chau Station.
signs of life. At about the same On the day in question, having time, he heard shouts from the gone on duty the previous night, Indian Married Quarters. These he was sleeping in the barrack wère interpreted by Indian Con- room at the Station when he was stable B4 who was with him na aroused by the station guard. "Get back, get back"! This was at about 4 or 5 minutes to five o'clock.
Working round, witness came into contact with the European Sergeant
The alarm was then ringing, but
In charge of Autao he heard no shots fired. His first Station who was in ambush. The duty on an alarm like this, was to latter explained to witness what ar himself and proceed to the had happened, and witness retrac front verandah upstairs, taking ed his steps to the west side of the Lewis gun with him,
the station, his ides being to inter- He went straight to the charge cept any retreat made that way. room after putting on his boots, When he finally got into his but the Lewis gun was not there. quarters, he found it intact, noth- He went back to the barrack rooming having been touched. and reported the loss to the Station guard, afterwards hearing the latter pass on the news to the Indian Sergeant.
The charge room door was open and he could look right into it, later he went on to the verandah and patrolled the two points be- tween the charge room and the barrack room. Altogether he fired
22 shots.
Nothing To Fire At. Coroner: Anything to fire at? I did not see anything to fire at Why did you fire then?-When About 7.30 you vacated the bar-ever we heard a sho; fired, we fired rack room? Yes.
in return.
west
What led to that?-As there was
Question by Mr King, witness too much firing outside. I peeped said that the Lewis gun was in the through the
window and charge room that morning, on a shouted: "Don't are into the shelf behind the door, that being ground floor, some of us here might the place he usually left it after get hit!" Then someone at the he had cleaned it. other side shouted: "Mr. Sparrow says to come out if you can!"
What do you mean "if you can't don't know," those were the words used.
Then you made your way out one by one to the compound through the door by the kitchen?--Yes.
No Succour For Dying Comradel
Did you see B9 dead?-Yes, he was just outside the door.
You knew at the beginning that to was shot-Yes.
Yet for two hours and a half you made no effort to assist him?--- There was too much firing outsido and if anyone went out he would have been hit,
The day after the tragedy, he again cleaned it, and found the bolt in the mechanism displaced and it did not look as if it had been fired. It could not havo boen fired in that condition.
The gun was always kept ready assembled for instant use, al- though it was not loaded.
In answer to the Foreman of the Jury, witness admitted that he slept through the firing and was not aroused by it. It was the After he got up he heard shots station guard who awoke him.
fired in the passage.
"That's A Lie!" Coroner: Did you see him fire There was not much firing, at
the shots? Yes. least, there were intervals of quiet? That is a lie!
You saw him fire the shots? -We did not know he
You could not was just outside,
possibly have seen him fire the You admit that you made on,
shots! attempt to succour him?--Yes.
Did anyone go out between 6 and 7.307-Yes, the station guard.
By which way?-I only came, toi know that he had been out when he returned. He went on his own, and I did not see him go.
Did he come by that door? Yes. Did you not know then that B9 was dying?-No.
He never told you?-No.
Mr. King hore took over the examination of the witness and asked: *
A Fully Loaded Revolver. When B722 came back did he give you anything?-Yes, a revolver..
Was it loaded or empty?-Fully loaded.
Witness averred that he was standing near the door and could look through the passage. Foreman: Did you
Aed B722 (the station guard) go into the
charge room to get the Lewis gun? No. I did not see him at the time. It was on his return from the charge room that I'saw him.
Did you see B563 fire out of the barrack room?
■
tive. He said that B663 fired first, Witness replled in the affirma-
an interval of only a few seconds elapsing before the station guard fire any shots through the west also fired. He (witness) did not,
wirdew..
Coroner Not Hopeful. The Foreman asked the Coroner
The station guard and he gave if it was any use endeavouring to 39 some water did he tell you clicit from the witness an explana about that?,
tion as to the origin of the
The Coroner said that he could tragedy. not take that question because the witness had anid that he never told him about B9 being outside.
The Coroner said if he thought ho could. elicit the infor- mation required Mr. Shields go. ahead. He (the was personally not
Mr. King: You-fired 25 shots?— could Yes. ***
Coroner)
Did you at any time look up the inner staircase! Yes, I looked up at. about G p.m., and saw that the grille at the top was down. ...There were four of you all armed, What time did you fire the last hopeful on that score. It was ob did you not think it was your duty one?-I can't remember,vious, that every one of these In- to go and look for B543 and try to You all left the place at 7.80, diana, was trying to save his own kill him? Yes, but as there was how long before that did you are face, and it was next to impossible firing outalde, we had the Imthe last shot?-About 7 o'clock. pression that B543 had the Lewis
to get anything Hiko, a true story gun.20
How did you get that Impression? B722 (the station guard) told me when he returned from the charge. room, after. seading the telephone message that the Lewis run was not there,
What time was the last shot fired from then from inside? At 7 p.m.
Did you hear any shots from upstairs after 7 p.m.7 No.
The Coroner, and the Jury put the same questions to Jowan Singh they had to the previous witnesses in regard to a motivo for the shoot
Foreman (to witness): Can you suggest any reason whatever
geat nothing. I heard nothing for this trouble? No. I can sug from B643 (Dalip Singh) himself.
You didn't discuss this affair after the shooting 7 We reviewed
Dalip Singh "Quite Jovial". Coroner: Did you notice any thing strange about B543 (Dalip Singh) --Nothing at all. He was quite jovial, very athletic, always good at games, He is a champion at putting the shot. I have noticed nothing strange about him. appeared to be quite normal.
Did he ever make any complaint to you about treatment by Ser- geant Madgwick or by any other European officer?--Nothing at all. Foreman: Did you hear any
He
the Orient will include the main Zimbalist's forthcoming tour of
musical centres of Java. Straits Settlements, Indo-China, Philippine Islands, China, Japan and Hawaii. After which the famous will
master
proceed to tour South Amerien. "Now in the noon of his rare powers," said the Boston Transcript after Efrem Zimbalist's Boston concert in Symphony Hall audience," reported in March. "A most enthusiastic "Ilstened to a superlatively line the Fast, exhibition of violin playing."
Noah's Worms.
Harry and Sam were discussing how Noah spent his time during the year he was in the ark.
Harry: "I guess he put in most of the time fishing."
Sam: "Get out! Don't you know he only had two' worms."
thing at the station after this tragedy, any reason given for it? -Nothing.
The enquiry was adjourned at this point. Further sittings will be on Wednesday and Friday of next week, commencing at 2.15 p.m. on each day.
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