THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 27, 1937.
CHARCOAL MURDER CASE
LENGTHY OUTLINE OF CROWN'S EVIDENCE P.W.D. DRAUGHTSMAN ON TRIAL
“SAVE LIFE”
through the peep hole of the vacant flat and saw accused who in reply to her question said that they were burning charcoal to prepare a food party for his mother.
another
Tang Shiu-cheuk, Crown witness, would testify that accused tried to prevent him from entering the flat, explaining the fire
ran
THE "CHARCOAL MURDER CASE” IN WHICH A 24-YEAR- OLD P.W.D. DRAUGHTSMAN, CHIU YUK-FAI, IS ACCUSED OF in the kitchen by saying that he THE MURDER OF A WOMAN, CHEUNG YUK-CHING, 27, COM-was only burning opium. Tang, MENCED THIS MORNING BEFORE THE CHIEF JUSTICE, SIR however, pushed past him, and go- ATHOLL. MACGREGOR, AT THE SUPREME COURT.
ing to the kitchen door, saw that there was a fire burning fiercely The accused, represented by the Hon. Mr. Leo D'Almada, Jnr.,
Deceased left her house at about on the floor. He promptly entered á plea of not guilty, noon on February 28, giving her back to the verandah and raised The following jury was empan-amah $100 and a gold bangle for the alarm. elled: Messrs. J. L. Robinson safe keeping. She went for Mah Mr. C. W. Brand, Officer-in- Station, (Foreman), C. R. Wilson, Yew Jongg at No. 43, Kiloong Street, Charge, Mongkok Fire Man-chiu, B. W. Simmons, M. B. where she played until about 2 p.m. would say that when he entered Reyes, E. A. Kinsey and F. J. H. when a man, alleged to be accused, the kitchen, the accused tried to Jenner.
shouted out for her from the street prevent him, saying that it was all The Crown was represented and took her away. There was right as the fire was out.
DISCOVERY OF CORPSE by the Assistant Attorney Gen-evidence, added Mr. Williams, that
Lying on the heap of eral, Mr. E. H. Williams.
deceased returned to her flat for a few minutes after this, presumably and firewood, witness say a green- a According to the Crown case, the to get the promissory note and the painted shutter and ordered
Chinese fireman to remove it. He did so, and witness saw what seem- Shortly after 2 p.m. a woman Jervois Street. She was staying at Wong Hop, residing on the second ed to him to be an animal being roasted. He lifted up a red en- No. 400, Portland Street, where she floor of No. 323, Reclamation Street,
amelled basin of was the principal tenant
at one end of the the who was nursing her child in the floor.
been saw that it had visited Her husband
heap and her passage way saw a woman and a monthly to give
a human her allowances. man going up the stairs to the va-',
covering the head of She became acquainted with ac-cant top flat.
corpse. He turned for accused, but This witness, con-
he had disappeared. cused while staying at No. 79, Lai-tinued Mr. Williams, will say that chikok Road. Accused visited her the woman's hair was bobbed and frequently, but usually in the com- that she recognised the man as the pany of two friends, Ho Wing and accused. Ng Kau-tip.
CONFIDED IN ACCUSED
victim was the concubine of Chan false documents. Wun, master of a leather shop in
This witness would tes-. tify further that she heard a wo- Being ignorant of the legal pro-man's voice shout out four times cedure to recover some money "Save Life" soon after the couple which was owing to her, she con- entered the flat, but she paid no fided in the accused who introduc-further attention as she heard no ed her to a firm of solicitors. Ac-further noise.
of summons.
"BURNING' OLD IRON"
charcoal
The Police found that the hands
and legs had been tied with electric flex, the mouth being gagged by a girdle. Flex had also been tied around the throat. Police search-
der.
GOLD TOOTH
STOP PRESS
TEL. 20022 or 33993.
he could causing
ed the accused's cubicle and found ing smoke was one called To Wai- a ladies' handbag and wallet con- man. He claimed that he had stupefy- taining article of jewellery which ing smoke with which were later identified as belonging stupefy anybody without to the deceased. They also found danger to life. He said it was neces- tion was taken in due course, but Another witness, Wong Lai-chan.
a hammer. the principal debtor had absconded, residing on the floor beneath the
sary for him to apply (the smoke) Accused did not return to the with his own hand and that if I it was believed, to Macau.
vacant floor, would say that she
house but his movements were wanted to stupefy anybody he could During early December, accused heard a woman shout "Safe Life"
to planned a pleasure trip to Macao but also paid no further attention traced. He went to the house of do it for me. I promised
a woman, Chan Fong-shan, who give him the sum of $30 as at the expense of the murdered as no one-else appeared to be in-
"tea. was formerly an. amah of a rela- money" for the recovery of the woman, and in the company of Ho terested. She also heard a noise
tion, at 409, Shanghai Street, -se- Wing, introduced her to another upstairs.
written proofs. So he promised to cond floor. He stayed there the do it for me. When the incident man, described as dark, and believ-
Chiu Chi-fong, brother of the ac-night saying that he was sick and took place that day it was beyond ed to be an Indian or a Portuguese. Deceased was led to believe that cused, would say that at about 2.15 had a headache and the following
my expectations. Instead of using the man was a Government Official p.m. he saw accused standing at the morning got the woman to cut his
the stupefying smoke he strangled hair and shave his head. He re- from Macao. He produced some doorway with a stranger of the
her by using force and threatened mained there all day. The next me with menace. 'papers, on which accused had writ-coolie type. Witness spoke to them
I was compelled morning, about 2.15 am. Detective-
had to submit to what he
done. ten meaningless words, and inform-and then left.
Inspector Carey arrived and plac- He actually committed ed her that one document was a
Ng Cheung, an amah employed ed accused under arrest for mur- and robbery. With a view to des- a murder summons for her to go to Macao, by accused, was washing clothes in where the absconding debtor had the bathroom of No. 319, Reclama-
troying the dead body he set fire to been arrested, and that the other tion Street, between 2 and 3 p.m. Dr. R. S. Begbie, Assistant Gov-burn it. The reason why I did not make a noise was because the in- document was a receipt, for service when she saw accused walking along ernment Bacteriologist, 'who per-
the passage with something about formed the post mortem, would say cident had taken place in my own 15 inches wide held in front of that the body was identified by fraging up to the floor in company with house and people had seen me go- PARTY AT MACAO
She could not say what it ments of clothing and a gold capped the deceased. That was the reason The company, including the de- him. ceased, accused and his friends was, but the Crown would say that tooth. The skull was cracked in why I did not dare to make a noise. went to Macao on December 13, all this was the box in which the body several places from the heat expenses being paid by deceased. was placed. Accused's mother at there was a fracture which had life" and tell him to refrain from They stayed at a hotel and had a about 3.50 p.m. went along to the occurred during life, by a blow from so doing. Unexpectedly he threat- party during which a considerable kitchen of No. 328 to feed some a hammer.
ened me with amount of drink was consumed and chickens which were kept there,
a knife saying Death had probably occurred be- thus: "If you make a noise at which a quarrel
(I occurred be- but accused stopped her and said he fore burning.
will) stab you to death as well. tween deceased and the accused. would feed them. A strange man
For this reason I did not dare to Accused wanted the false docu-also came forward and volunteered Accused's statement in answer to
make (any more) noise. ments and blows were exchanged to feed the chickens. Witness said the charge was a follows: “I do
Concluding, Mr. Williams stated He snatched deceased's handbag she would feed them herself where not admit having killed this girl that there were witnesses to the and tore up the documents. The upon the strange man went to the because I did not kill her with my fact that accused did not shout for Macao police later patched up the kitchen and came out with the own hand. I can admit having taken help as he maintained in a state- documents and gave them back to chicken coop which he placed in the the deceased, Cheung Yuk,ching, up ment to the police. No one heard deceased...
rear cubicle.
to the floor. When the deceased was a man shouting. Following their return to Hong
and Kong, deceased threatened legal kitchen, and asked what it was. Ac-witnessed (the murder). The rea- an offence either of them, he add-
The witness noticed a fire in the murdered I was also present
If two persons set out to commit action, but a settlement was even- tually reached whereby the accus-cused replied that they were only son I took deceased, up to the floored, was liable to suffer the conse- He burning old iron” and witness went was because I desired to get back quence of whatever might occur ed agreed to pay her $250.
certain written proofs, belonging to during the committing of that of- paid her $150 and signed an 1.0..back to her room.
"BURNING CHARCOAL”
me, in order to prevent her from fence. Therefore, added Mr. Wil- The amah employed by the ac-taking legal proceedings against me.liams, the accused was guilty of used's wife, saw the accused carry-The way in which I intended to get murder on his own statement.
for $100. From that time, tinued Mr. E. H. Williams, up the day of the crime, there
con-
to
was
ing
evidence to show that deceased con- tinually pressed accused for pay-
ACCUSED'S STATEMENT
and
ng something into the vacant flat back the written proofs was to make She could not say what it was, but her 'insensible by blowing upon her
At that time I did call out "save
ment of the promissory note. It the Crown's case was that this was stupefying smoke, and to get back Printed and Published for the Pro- probably the box in which the body the written proofs without causing prietors, The Newspaper Enterprise Ltd., by Gordon Cade Burnett, at 8A, was placed. Later, as smoke was com- any danger to her life. The per- Wyndham
Street, Victoria, Hong ing into her sitting room she looked son I employed to apply the stupefy-] Kong.
was the desire to obtain the false documents, stressed Mr. Williams,
that led to the murder.