February 25, 180777
of the victims almost
comrade
doctor
another deputed to the coup de grace by firing a round into most lifeless body This must indeed very demoralising effect on the rank file The conduct of the doctor who pushed body of the victims with his foot in order Stect signs of life should also be recorded as another instance of brutality. One of friars who performed the mockery of im- parting the last consolations of the Church to the condemned men actually raised the ory of Viva Lipana immediately after the fall of the Could cynicism be carried to any
greater lengthe!
If any one in Manila. should inadver. tently make in his letters the slightest reference to the present troubles he may be almost certain that they will never reach their destination. The Post Office, officials must indeed have their hands full if they are obliged to read every letter that passes through the post.
The case of Mr. Collins who was imprisoned for four days on a charge of inciting the present rebellion will still be fresh in the minds of your readers. The case never came to a trial and the United States Vice-Consul claims that he procured Mr. Collins's release after friendly chat with the powers that be and that not even the exchange of a single despatch was rendered necessary in the settlement of such an important question, in- volving it does the life of a citizen of the States. However, the off-hand method of the American Consul in the transaction of business of a purely diplomatic nature does not seem to have commended itself to the Department of State and it is an open secret that the American Government is moving in the mater and that the American Consul has been instructed to fully report upon the incident.
SUICIDE OF CAPTAIN WARD,
R.M.LI.
INQUEST.
'On Tuesday morning Commander Hastings held an inquest on the body of Captain John Harry Ward, R.M.L.I of H.M.8. Grafton, who committed suicide on the 22nd inst.
The jurors were-Messrs. R. T. Wright, Charles Attock, and D. W. Craddock.
Commander Arthur Ewart, of H.M.S. Graf- ton, said—About 1.20 p.m. on the 22nd instant I was in my cabin when I heard a rifle shot on the starboard side of the ship. I was struck by a few splinters of wood and saw that the shot had come through the after bulkhead. I im-
me
went into the next cabin abaft mine that the deceased was severely the head with a rifle shót. The alongside him. He was bare- of his legs was bent, and it
had pulled the trigger seno for medical assistance and rence to my captain. The captali of Marine Light joined the ship in August
He was appointed from dgar By the captain's orders I at once the cabin closed and a sentry and the jury viewed the cabin they were when I entered. ved on board from shore about Land was placed under arrest of an hour after. He had gone on the previous day. I have ve he was in serious pecuniary He had never been under arrest hen he was absent in the morning I des and heard that the deceased was
ame
One
€ 11.20 p.m. on the pre- Hongkong Club, I as not of sober habits. deceased making any had the deceased's yesterday morn- The rifle rack cabin door of inst. the
party. idge in les in case been used.
It
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
was on the recommendation of Staff Surgeon Crowley that I had the deceased's razors placed in security. I noticed nothing wild about the deceased; on the contrary I thought he was wonderfully steady before the captain. After the visit of the jury Surgeon Crowley and I visited the cabin and decided to secure all the papers. Amongst them was the following letter which is in Captain Ward's handwriting;—
66
·
"To the Detachment, Royal Marines, H.M.S. Grafton, Good bye all! I am leaving this world through no fault, of my own. Good luck to you all.
"J.H. WARD,
“H.M.S; Grafton. Mind you fire decent volleys over my grave or I shall rise up and extra parade som b
Joseph Crowley said, I am Star Surgeon on HM.S. rajton. On the 22nd inst., about 1.10. p.m., I was in the wardroom. Fheard the report of a rifle. I went to the deceased's cabin. I found him lying on his back and left side on his bed. "He had shot himself through the head. He was not dead, but unconscious and dying. The cause of death was compression and laceration of the brain and fracture of the skull and hemorrhage. He died from five to seven minutes after the shot was fired. I had been a shipmate of deceased since last August, About 9.30a.m. on the 22nd inst. I was sent ashore by Captain Jones to visit the deceased at Surgeon-Captain Watson's house. On ex amination I found him to be in a condition fit to be removed without danger to his health. I could find no signs of disease; he was prac tically well. He was excited and nervous, having broken his leave. I accompanied the deceased on board. Directly I arrived on board I spoke to the last witness and advised that the deceased's razors should be removed. I did so because I thought he was in such a state of nervous ex- citement that he might take his life, Some months ago I do not remember the date deceased remarked that if he ever got into trouble he would rather take his life than be tried by court-martial. No attention was paid to this throat at the time I know nothing about his monetary affairs. I know nothing of the family of the deceased, I am of opinion that the wound was self inflicted. The rifle was in the hands of the deceased.
Comr. Hastings Captain Lethbridge Hugh McCallum Frank Browne
P Power, Hoihow N 8. Levy
Mrs. Mahomed.
Respite
Sanitary Board Staff
Staff
Public Works Department
Harbour Office Staff Civil Hospital Staff. Post Office Staff Gaol Staff
Treasury Offlos Staff Magistracy Staff Observatory Staff C. 8. O. Staff
***
139
10
10
39
36
35
271
25
22.50
15
10
$43,210
A second remittance of Rs. 20,000 has been wired to the Honorary Secretary, Central Com- mittes of the Indian Famine Relief Fund, Calcutta.
•
ARMED ROBBERS CAUGHT IN HONGKONG.
AN EXCITING SCENE, Six men were brought up at the Police Court on the 22nd Feb. charged with participating in an armed attack and robbery at a shop in Queen's Road Central. The guilt of some of the pri soners is fortunately beyond dispute, as not only have they been identified but stolen pr "perty was found upon them at the time of their arrest. The police have had a most anxious time lately in dealing with the repeated and attacks in the colony, and the foots Last no clue could be obtained of the arm naturally caused much danger to exist in the minds of Chinese apprehension of shopkeepers. The arrests that have just been made will, it is hoped, tend to remove all fears, as it is most probable that the robberies have been committed by one dangerous gang of ruffians, The circumstances of the capture and the events leading up to it are unusually exciting. About 9,45 on Saturday night four armed with revolvers went to 141;
The jury returned the following verdictmen "Suicide by shooting through the head whilst Queen's Road Central. One part of the in a state of mental aberration."
INDIAN FAMINE RELIEF FUND. The Honorary Treasurer of the Indian Famine Relief Fund begs to acknowledge receipt of the undernoted subscriptions
Already acknowledged Per Chairman Tung Wa Hos-
pital Committee... Hongkong Land Investment
Co., Limited
...$32,429
8,980
200
Foreign Staff, Kowloon Cus-
toms
120
C. J. Gaupp & Co.
100
Lai Yuen Opium Firm
100
Hon. W. M. Goodman
Geo. Fenwick & Co., Ld.
F. Leyburn
Dr. P. B. C. Ayres
W. Lysaught A Friend F. Q.-Seaton Sidney Hancock P. Edulji E. P. J.
C. P. R. Office Staff...
:
H.E. Sir William Robinson,
K.J.M.G.
Second Prize for Tug-of-War won by the Scotch Police at
Willison's Cirous ..."
Half of 1st Prize for Tug-of-
♣
War won by the Asiatio Artillery at Willison's Cirous A Friend
50%
388888825822 8
20
10
100
shop is used by a money changer and the other by a Chinese druggist. Just as the men were entering by the street door a little bey who was in the kitchen caught sight of them, Natural instinct probably led him to conclude that the visitors were bent on robbery, as the youngster at once escaped by the back door and explained his fears to an Indian constable whom he soon afterwards met. One of the robbers saw the rapid exit of the boy and shouted to his companions "Some one has gone out," whereupon the men hastily and Unietly left the house, and when the Indian constable came upon the scene they had cleared right away. Not more than a quarter of an hour. later several armed men-it is not certain whether there were four or five or but it is supposed they included the fir gang-entered a shop at 264, Queen's Road Central, one side of which is a goldsmiths store and the other a store owned by a dealer in jade stone ornaments and jewellery. At that time several men were at work in the shop: and no sooner had the thieves entered when the workmen and also the shopkeepers were com manded to keep silence under penalty of being shot. They were all taken to the kitchen rear of the premises and a guard was. over them, and a few men who were upstairs were also rudely awakened and to join the other men in the kitchen. premises were then ransacked, the boxes forced open with Jemmy While engaged one of the shopmen who absent when the robbers
front door and pushed
open as usual. But thei
75.
62.50
50
Hon. J. H. Stewart Lookhart
Hon. F. A. Cooper
20
when the tap, was
E. Bowdler
20
drowback the bolt
*
*
20
20
10
10
J. F. Boulton
GStafford Northcote
Hon. A. M. Thomson Hon. R. M. Rumsey JR. Crook
with the question.
desperadoes were not
their character. The
the shop
And told
one