January 17, 1895. Į
Cases of this kind but to prevent the indis- criminate sale of morphine, but the actual letter of the law by insisting upon the morphine being administered by a medical man. Dr. Stedman was telephoned for, and administered the first dose out of the bottle of morphine solution snp. plied. I will now proceed to call the evidence.
Mr. A. C. H. Potts, olerk, Canton, stated-I was noquainted with the late Barou de Grand- maison. I had known him for ten days. I was with him on Monday night, 24th December, We called at Messrs, A. S. Watson & Co. about midnight. He said he was in such pain that he must have some morphia. I asked him why he must get it, and he replied because he was suffer. ing from his kidney. He said nothing abont a doctor, but said he had been in the habit of tak ing it and had left his syringa in Saigon. We asw Mr. Stevens at the Dispensary. Mr. Stevens refused to supply the Baron with morphia. The latter then explained he had been in the habit of using it himself. Then Mr. Stevens said it was contrary to law to give morphis unless it was
prescribed by a doctor. The Baron said he would rather have a doctor to administer it. Mr. Stevens gave us the telephone numbers of Drs. Hartigan and Stedman. Deceased was suffering great pain, so much so that he could not walk from Watson's to the Hotel. We went to
the telephone office in the Hotel. I first tele- phoned for Dr. Hartigan, who was out. I then telephoned to Dr. Stedman, who replied he would come down immediately. I saw the Baron to his room and left him, because he said there was no use my waiting for the Doctor to arrive. Dr. Stedman was next called, and upon enter. ing the witness box he said he refused to be sworn in a criminal case unless he got his fees.
Mr. Eweas-f submit Dr. Stedman cannot refuse to give evidecce in a criminal case.
His Worship asked Mr. Ewens to prove ser. vice of the subpoena upon Dr. Stedman.
Dr. Stedman-As a matter of fact, the con- stable did not serve the subpœna upon me. He left it in my room, but did not serve it on me personally.
His Worship (to Mr. Ewens)-Dr. Stedman does not wish you to prove service. Stedman). This is a criminal case, and you must To Dr. give evidence if you are subpœnaed.
Dr. Stedman said-On the morning of Christ- mas day, early, I received a telephone message from the Honkong Hotel for Baron Something or other. I did not onfch the name. I went to the Hotel and saw Baron de Grandmaison. He was in bed. He said he was in pain. I saw a small bottle standing on a chest near the bed. 1 believe it was wrapped up. It was similar to that now produced. I administered an injection from that bottle to the decessed. I believe it was the first time the bottle had been opened.
By His Worship-I did not rive an order for the morphis to be supplied to the deceased from the Dispensary on the morning of the 25th De- osmber. I used the morphia 1 found there. I took morphis down with me.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
must be taken as having prescribed it within the | proved now. meaning of the Ordinance,
lis Worship-Nobody knows better than yourself, Mr. Ewens, that your position is un- tenable. Mr. Potts had only known the Baron de Grandmaison ten days and could not say morphia had been prescribed for the deceased; he could only tell us that the Baron de Grand- maison told him he had left his morphia behind. This is the lowest Criminal court in the colony, and if you are not satisfied with my decision you can appeal. I must administer the law as I find it,
Sentence confirmed.
STRAITS INSURANCE COMPANY, LIMITED.
in the Straits Insurance Co, Limited, was held On the 8th instant a meeting of shareholders at the office of Mr. R. Francis, Shanghai, to consider the circular issued by the agent of the Company under date 24th ultimo. Upon the motion of Mr. E. J. Hogg. seconded by Mr. A. Burman, Mr. R. Francis was voted to the chair. The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said-Gentlemen. I suppose you have all received a circular dated the 24th of December from the mentioning an offer from the Commercial Union Agent of the Straits Insurance Company, Insurance Company, and this meeting has been called to afford the shareholders in Shanghai an opportunity of expressing their ideas upon the subject, and whether they wish the Company wound up, or whatever stop they would like to take instance, I had better ask Mr. Dudgeon if he in the matter, and I think, perhaps, in the first
sircular. can supplement the information given in the
Mr. C. J. DUDGEON –Well, gentlemen, as this meeting is called in consequence of the oir- cular which I sent out to the shareholders in Shanghai, I think it desirable that I should ex- plain what I know of the matter and explain my action. When I know that there was a telegram received in Shanghai-and I may say it was a thoroughly authoritative telegram-to the I know that a telegram had been received effect such as I published to you, and when
in Hongkong, and also, I suppose, in Singa- pore, considered it my duty, for the pro- tection of the interests of shareholders in Shanghai, and to prevent them from being caught, as I may say, in a sheer gamble,, to give them information of the fact. That I conceived to be my duty in the circumstances, and I did it
received a telegram from Singapore saying that ou my own responsibility. Since then I have the offer is denied, but, I understand, at the same time-in fact I know-that telegrams bave been passing between Shanghai and London, force, so I did not deem it necessary to sent out which point to the offer being still in full another circular to explain the position to the shareholders.. I know no more of the offer than is contained in my circular and can give you no more particulars. If there are any questions you may like to ask which may throw any light on the matter I am quite prepared to answer them. Mr. Hoee-Do I distinotly understand, Mr. Dudgeon, that the head office denies an offer has been made?
Mr. DUDGEON—Yes.
Mr. Ewens-My contention is, first of all, you must look at the preamble of the Or dinance and consider what the objects of the Ordinance are, and next you must take the sec. tion and put a reasonable construction upon it. It was never intended to interfere with the discretion of the chemist in the exercise of his profession. He would not sell morphine to a person who was not qualified to use it. M. de some Grandmaison had been in the habit of taking morphis for a certain complaint from time to time and well knew what he was about. He was in great pain at the time; and if the chemist had refused to supply the morphis he might have been severely blamed. If a man is in pain he wants the morphia administered at once; and M. de Grandmaison got it only on condition that t was administered by a doctor. No useful purpose could be served in insisting on
a pro- secution like, this.
Surely the public have rights in the matter to be considered. It would be very inconvenient if a man wanted to get imedicine urgently, and before he got it he had first to get an order from a doctor, and then, in | the middle of the night, had to get a doctor to administer it. Not only did Mr. Stevens act with common humanity, but he fulfilled the let ter of the law, because he gave it only on the condition that it should be administered by medical man. It cannot, therefore, be argued that it was not prese When i
adantai
Mr. Hode-I am myself aware an offer has been made and I believe this offer. in. Whether you
shape or way, is still outstanding. oan throw any light on or correct the view which I take of the telegram which is embodied in your oironlar I do not know, but I think the meeting would feel ob- liged if you could say whether you agree to the interpretation which I have put upon it, and which I take to mean that there is a cash offer of $25; that the names of the liquidators are to be approved by the Commercial Union; and the balance of the assets after the expenses of the liquidation are paid are to be divided amongst the shareholders. It seems to me that is some thing like what might be expected, and 1 think such an offer as that would commend itself to all shareholders. From what I have learned of the position of things now, the Straits Insurance Company is a house divided against itself and the inevitable result is likely to follow unless share holders take advantage of the position in which they now find themselves, which is a satin- fastory position. The position of the assets medical max. / st the and of 1898 was not bad. It is to be pre. morphine he sumed that they have somewhat further im
I think Shanghai has learned that the Commercial Union is an honourable company with whom we can deal satisfactorily and fairly. to take any improper advantage of us, and that We need not apprehend that they will attempt we may deal fairly with them, and if this offer sion as the shareholders present here may deam is accepted I think, in the end, after such disous- desirable, we may somehow or other form some committee which would endeavour to deal with the shareholders at other places, so that we might be able to enforce the liquidation of the Company on satisfactory terms. It looks to me extremely un- satisfactory that the head offre, or, it is inexplie- able anyhow, that the head office denies the offer has been made. There must be something wrong when such a thing as this can happen. I should like to ask Mr. Dudgeon if he can, and is will- of the Company as regards its management, its ing to, inform us something as to the position direction, and its staff. I should like to ask Mr. Dudgeon if he will kindly tell us if mr. Sohat is now in any way associated with the Board of Directors in the recent course of action which has brought about the existing state of affairs in the Company. His was a name on the Board which gave us confidence in the direction. I think those who know Mr. Schst will bear me Board as it now exists, if Mr. Sobat is not there out in that statement. (Hear, hear.) In the still, I. for myself, think that we cannot have a shred of confidence. (Hear, hear.) So far for headquarters. I should like to ask Mr. Dudgeon what is the state of affairs in London. Who is managing now in London ? I have heard that Deputy-Underwriter have resigned, have left the Committee, the Underwriter, and the the Company, and that the Underwriter will probably take away a very considerable amount of business. I should like to know if these are facts or not. One other question I should like to ask is with reference to this circular. It is a little bit difficult to make it out. I should like is it otherwise or is it unconditional? If Mr. to ask if there is anything beyond this circular Dudgeon will kindly give us information on these points I think I will ask you, gentlemen, to join in recognising the principle upon which we shall act. Would it not be a good thing to accept a principle that we should liquidate upon some such terms as the interpretation I have put apon the circular P
A Shareholder-Certainly.
Mr. Hoog-I will defor for a moment that proposition to see if anything more advisable than that may arise from anything Mr. Dudgeon may have to tell us.
Mr. DUDGEON-Mr. Hogg has asked me long series of questions, and I am afraid I do not altogether remember the sequence of them. The first question I remember was What is the stated I know no more about the circular than interpretation of the circular ? I have already you do yourselves, and it is literally the tele- gram which was received I may point out that the telegram said that the offer was to the share- holders and an offer of $25 cash. That seems to me to mean it was a cash offer. Probably the interpretation which Mr. Hogg has put upon the telegram is the correct one, and any surplus would be divided amongst the shareholders; but, as to that, I have no anthority to state, and I know nothing about it. Mr. Hogg made an en- quiry whether it was an unconditional offer. The offer was unconditional, or rather, I should say, there was a condition attached to it, that was that, during the negotiations between the Commercial Union and. the Straits Company. the business of the Company should be carried were the words. on, on the ordinary business lines I think Mr. Hogg has referred to Mr. Sohat. Mr, Sohat, I may mention, left Singa pore for a rnn home some six or seven months ago, and in consequence of leaving Singapore he resigned the direction
of the Company, so consequently he cannot be connected with the management of the present time in any
e Company at the Hogg, I think, further referred to events
way whatever.
Mr. which he had heard had taken place in London, and he is there correct in saying that the Lon- don Committee have resigned and the Under- writer and Deputy-Underwriter also. I may also mention that Mr. Crawford Kerr, who was very long connected with the Company, was dis- missed, and these resignations occurred subse- quent to and almost in consequence of that fact. Mr. Hogg asked me who is managing in London now. The Chairman of the Company, Mr. Jolas