February 27, 1896.]
SUPREME COURT.
18th February.
CRIMINAL SESSIONS.
BEFORE HON. W. M. GOODMAN (ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE.)
THE QUAREY BAY ARMED ASSAULT AND ROBBERY.
Ng Mun was charged with burglary and larceny, and with committing an armed assault with intent to rob.
Hon. H. E. Pollock (Acting Attorney-Gen eral) prosecuted on behalf of the Crown, being instructed by Mr. Johnson (Crown Solicitor).
The following gentlemen were sworn on the jury Messrs. C. Perkins, E. M. Robarts, H. Maclehose, W. H. Day, J. M. P. Tavares, T. B. Powell, and M. J. Aquino.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The jury returned a unanimous ferdict of guilty on the second and third counts. His Lordship sentenced the prisoner to two years' hard labour on the second count, and one year's hard labour on the third count, the latter sentence to take effect after the expiration of
the first.
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four Chapters, one of which is under the Scottish constitution; two Mark Lodges and a Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners; B Preceptory of Knights Templar, Rose Croix Chapter, and another Chapter of the same degree working under the Scottish rite. Within the last few years a Benevolence Fund has been stablished for the relief of
of Masons.
THE JUBILEE OF FREEMASONRY indigent brothers and the widows and orphans
IN HONGKONG.
GRAND BALL AT THE CITY HALL.
On Monday evening, 17th February, a ball was given at the City Hall by the Masonic Zetland Lodge and the introduction of Free- Fraternity to celebrato the Jubilee of
masonry into Hongkong, The occasion was and no effort was spared to make the celebration justly deemed an important one by Masons worthy of it, the result being one of the most brilliant and successful functions the City Hall has ever seen. The decorations were most ef- fective and the arrangments for the comfort and enjoyment of the guests were all that could be desired. cold and wet, which probably deterred some The weather was unfortunately from attending, especially residents at the Peak and Kowloon, but the large number of guests present showed once more how rapidly the Chan Sam was sent to gaol for two years for afforded by the City Hall for gatherings of this community is outgrowing the accommodation committing an assault with intent to rob.
The prisoner, accompanied by other men, entered a house at Quarry Bay, gagged the inmates, and stole what property he could com- fortably carry away. The jury found a verdict of guilty, and a sentence of three years impri- sonment and a flogging of thirty strokes was passed.
ASSAULT.
19th February.
DRUGGING AND BOBBING.
Chun Tsu Tong was charged with adminis tering a stupefying drug called datura with intent to enable him to steal the goods and chattels of Chun Tsat; also with administering a drug, the name of which is not known, with a similar intention; and also with stealing three pairs of gold bangles, eight finger rings, a set of gold tooth picks, a piece of jade stone, a gold hairpin, a pair of jade stone drops, a small ivory dressing case, and $4 in money, the pro- perty of Chun Tsat.
Hon. H. E. Pollock (Acting Attorney General) prosecuted on behalf of the Crown, and was instructed by Mr. A. B. Johnson (Crown Solicitor). Prisoner, who spoke Eng- lish, pleaded not guilty.
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The following jurors were sworn--Messrs. E. J. Ellis, V. A. de P. Collaco, E. C. Ray, W. G. Humphreys, T. E. da Silva, G. Eckley, and
F. A. dos Remedios.
nature. Upwards of twelve hundred invitations were issued and the attendance was between eight and nine hundred.
Before describing the ball in detail a brief glance at the history of Freemasonry in Hong-
kong may not be without interest.
The members of Zetland Lodge decided that the jubilee of the Lodge should be celebrated in a fitting manner, and a desire having been evinced by the other Lodges to cooperate and make the celebration commemorative not only of the foundation of the mother lodge of the district but also of the introduction.of Masonry into the colony, the idea was gladly adopted. A ball was considered the most appropriate form of celebration and a strong committee, com- posed of representatives of the various lodges and other Masonic bodies, was appointed to carry out
arrangements.
the
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The decorations first call for notice. temporary portico had been erected, which was hung with coloured Japanese lanterns. In the hall the spaces between the pillars leading to the staircase were filled in with arches of evergreens and the floor was carpetted with canvass painted to represent the Masonic staircase were the two golden pillars from tesselated pavement. At the foot of the
the Lodge room, bearing the terrestrial and celestial globes. The staircase was car- potted with red cloth and the balustrade was covered with foliage and flowers. On the first landing, facing the stairs, was a large mirror,
in front of which was a pedestal, bearing the volume of the sacred law, flanked on each side by the rough and perfect ashlars. At either side of the mirror were shields bearing the
arms
On the 31st December, 1845, nine members of the craft then resident in the colony, being desirous to establish a lodge here. forwarded a petition to the Grand Lodge of England for a warrant giving them the necessary authority and the figures 1846-1896. On the side walls of the colony and of Zetland Lodge for so doing. The petition was recommended by the Master and Wardens of the Royal Sussex of the cardinal virtues, temperance, justice, were life-size tracings of figures emblematic Lodge, No. 735, then meeting in Canton, but prudence, and fortitude. A profusion of ex- now domiciled at Shanghai. The petition quisite ferns, palms, and other plants and flowers was granted and the warrant, dated 21st March, bedecked the staircase and the square and com- 1846, having been received, the new Lodge, passes and stars worked in flowers or tinsel were meeting on the 24th June of that year, Brother which was named the Zetland, beld its first introduced with pleasing effect. In the ante- Goldsmith being appointed the Worshipful Grand Master of the craft, surmounted by room was a portrait of the Prince of Wales,
Master. For some years the Lodge met in hired His Royal Highness's crest. Royal Arch ban- ent, and changes were rather frequent. Other hung round the walls, and the time-honoured rooms, which were found more or less inconveni-ners and other Masonic regalia and devices were troubles also attended the early working of the portrait of the Hon. Mrs. Aldworthy, the only Lodge and at one time its very existence seemed lady ever admitted to the craft, was in evidence. The Acting Attorney-General explained the in jeopardy. In 1852, however, it received a large At the head of St. George's Hall was a splendid facts of the case, and said that the prosecutrix accession of strength when Right Worshipful masonic trophy with the banner of the District was a prostitute, and on the evening of the 6th Brother Rawson, the District Grand Master of Grand Chapter in the centre and those of the November she and the prisoner and another South China (as the district was then named), District Grand Lodge and Zetland Lodge on couple were in a brothel in Possession Street. consented to fill the chair. An era of prosperity either side, various other masonic devices and They had dinner, and prisoner produced two dawned on the Lodge with Right Wor. Bro. regalia being introduced with excellent judg bottles of stout. He emptied one bottle into three Rawson's assumption of office and to the foun- ment and taste. Over the doorways were the glasses, and poured some of the contents of the dation then laid the craft in this district is names of the various virtues held in special re- other into prosecutrix's glass, at the same time indebted for much of its present; well-being.gard by Masons, and on the pillasters were shields saying, "It cools the system and expels poison."Right Wor. Bro. Rawson was succeeded by with various appropriate devices. The most Soon after drinking the stout she became dazed, Wor. Bro. Mercer, a distinguished member of striking feature in the room, however, was the and prisoner pushed her on to a bed in the room, the Civil Service of the colony, and the chair magnificent "blazing star" in the centre, formed and gave her a cup of black looking tea to drink.
was afterwards successively filled by a number by electric lights, which diffused ja pleasant but This made her worse, and she was rendered un- of able and distinguished Masons. Having not excessively brilliant illumination through- conscious. The next thing she remembered was moved about from place to place the Lodge at out the room. The band was placed in the seeing the prisoner strip her of all the jewellery length decided to build premises of its own and eastern doorway leading from St George's to she had upon her, with the exception of two the site now occupied by the Masonic Hall was St Andrew's Hall in a very tastefully con- finger rings, which were doubtless too difficult acquired by lease from Bro. Tarrant. The structed stand wreathed with evergreens to remove. She was too weak to offer resistance, foundation stone was laid on the 1st February, and hung with masonic aprons, etc. and she remained in this helpless condition until 1853, with fall Masonic honours, the occasion walls of St Andrew's Hall also displayed daylight, when she gave information to the being made the greatest Masonic function a wealth of masonic devices, and at one police, and the prisoner was afterwards arrested. which has ever been held in the colony. end was a figure representative of a Knight Mr. Browne, the Assistant Government Analyst, The craft, however, rapidly outgrew the Templar, while at the other end the regalis of had analysed the contents of some of the vessels accommodation afforded by its new home, that degree was exhibited. Supper was served and he would say that he had discovered traces and in 1865 the building was reconstructed, in the Theatre, and the stage, where the prin of a stupefying drug which is known as datdra. another storey being added. In the mean- cipal table was laid, was pronounced by every- Dr. Atkinson had also experimented with the time more satisfactory arrangements were body one of the greatest triumphs of the decor- drug, and he would say that when he applied it made with regard to the tenure of the site, ator's art they had ever seen. The proscenium to the human eye, the pupil of the eye dilated, which is now held direct from the Government was covered with evergreens among which showing the poisonous nature of the drug.
on a Crown lease. At various times other glowed numerous white and rose electric lights. lodges have branched off from the Zetland, as the The scenery at the back represented an oriental number of members increased, but there has never been anything in the nature of unfriendly separa- picturesque costumes of the band of the Hong- scene, the effect of which was heightened by the tion. At present there are in the colony fire kong Regiment, which supplied music during craft lodges, working, with the exception of one supper. At the front part of the stage a cor- belonging to the Scottish constitution, under the nucopia formed a pleasing feature in the de- District Grand Lodge of Hongkong and South corations. The front of the dress circle was China, whose jurisdiction extends as far north hung with Master Masons' aprons and festoons as Foochow; & Lodge of Instruction; a District of white and colonred bunting with a silver star Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masonry and hanging from each festoon. On the pillars at
Several witnesses were called to bear out the Acting Attorney-General's opening statement, and in his defence the prisoner made a speech of over two hours' duration. He finished just before seven o'clock, when his Lordship said he would prefer to adjourn his summing up until this morning. The jury, however, asked for the case to be concluded before the Court rose, and his Lordship acceded to their request, and after a brief adjournment he summed up.
The