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Mails on wreck no hope recovering." The following later telegram has also been re- ceived:"Foochow, October, 8th Quantity Namoa letters recovered from villagers."
Captain Hall and the officers and crew of the wrecked Douglas steamer Namoa, arrived at Hongkong on the 11th October. Captain Hall returned by the Preussen and the officers and crew by the Haitan.
FIRE ON THE “MONGKUT.”
Information has been received by the Yuen Fat Hong that at 10 a.m. on the 3rd instant fire broke out in the after hold of the steamer Mongkut, on her voyage to Bangkok. The cargo, which was mostly insured with Chinese Companies in Hongkong, sustained serious damage.
The Mongkut left Hongkong for Bangkok on the 26th September.
THE CHARGE OF ASSAULT AGAINST
A SOLICITOR.
At the Police Court on 7th Oct. Hon. H. E. Wodehouse resumed the hearing of the case in which Mr. H. J. Gedge, solicitor, was sum- moned for assaulting Wong Wan Leung, clerk at the Kowloon Observatory, on the morning
of the 2nd inst,
No further evidence was adduced on this
summons and a cross-summons by Mr. Gedge charging Wong Wau Leung with assault was then proceeded with.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
To defendant. The placard was facing Queen's Road. You were walking under the verandah. The placard was outside the door underneath the verandah. To the best of my belief the placard was on the right hand side of Humphreys's office.
Complainant then explained that if instead of putting out his arm he had used the football charge with his hip the defendant would have fallen down immediately. He declined to apologize to the defendant.
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His Worship-When I adjourned the case the other day I expressed the opinion that it was a case that might be settled outside, and that if the different parties did not choose to settle it in that way I would give a decision myself to-day. Since the case was adjourned I have had the opportunity of hearing the defend- ant give his evidence on oath and his description of what occurred. As the result of his evidence and of all the evidence I have taken in the case I am of opinion that the defendant Gedge is in no way to blame for what occurred. I consider that the whole of this unfortunate incident took place in the first instance through the accidental blundering of the Chinese in the street, and in the next instance through his improper behaviour after the commencement. If it is true that he made use to Mr. Gedge of such an expression as "you son of a ---- and also of a filthy ex- tion seems possible to be carried on, I consider pression without which no Chinese conversa-
that if he received any blows in the course of the struggle they were only what he deserved. From the first I had doubts as to what could have made the defendant Gedge strike the Chi- The complainant said—I am a solicitor prac
nese in the way the Chinese described him as as doing without apparently the slightest pro tising in Hongkong. On the 2nd October I had been to the China Traders' Insurance Com-vocation. The account given to-day by Mr. pany's office and was returning along the south Gedgelgives an entirely reasonable and rational side of Queen's Road under the portico. Out- explanation of what happened. I believe en- side the office of Mr. J. D. Humphreys there tirely his story that he did not intend to strike the defendant any blow and that he was merely was a press of people, and when I got opposite putting out his hand as a guard against the de- the office I had to slacken my speed. I was
fendant, who was coming against him in a lum. going east. In going through the crush a man (the defendant) bumped into me on my bering, stupid way by looking in a different right side. At that moment I noticed his head direction from that in which he was going. No was put up in the air and be appeared to be harm would have been done if the affair had ended merely with the collision, but the. Chinese looking over his left shoulder at a placard over Humphreys's door. His body was facing west seemed to consider himself affronted, and that and his head was over his left shoulder. "I was
naturally led to all this row afterwards. I am on a level with him and on the street side of of opinion that the defendant Gedge, who was him. I put out my right arm to ward him summoned in the first instance, is not in the off so that he should not bump into any slightest degree to blame for what has happened, and the summons against him is dismissed. If 1 body. At the same time I put out my left arm
in order to prevent me from being pushed he chooses to press the summons against the defendant in the second case I think he over by the impetus of his body. When I
is entitled to a conviction. If he is satisfied did so the defendant turned sharply round and
with the matter as it nows stands I will seized me by the coat on the right of my chest and said, “What is this, what is this, what is dismiss the summons with the remarks I have this, you son of a ?" I gave him two shoves made. (To Mr. Gedge.) Do you wish to go on with my right hand, in which I held a deed, and said, "Get away, get away." He immediately came straight at me with both hands moving like a windmill and hitting as hard as he could. I guarded the blows with my right arm and at the same time I gave him a back-handed blow across the left side of his face. I again said, "Get away."
He still came up and then his brother came as well and both commenced hitting me at the same time. I retreated backwards ont of the portico into the road and at the same time I gave his brother two blows in the face. Those blows were not what I should consider hard blows; they were not given with the force of the body-with the kick the shoulder. If I had hit with full force I should have knocked them both down. They both used bad language. They stopped fighting and they called for a constable. I took defendant up to the Indian watchman, who told him he had commenced the fight. The defendant took me by the His Worship (to defendant)-I have ex- cuff and wanted to take me to the station.pressed the opinion that you were to blame in I refused to go.
He then wanted me to this affair. I am inclined to give you the op- apologize. I told him I should not apologize portunity of expressing regret for what occurred, to a couple of Chinese cads. I did not in which case I shall let the matter drop. If make use of any bad language. I remem- you are not inclined to express regret I shall ber now that when he wanted me to go to settle the matter myself. Complainant was the police station I said, I'm d if I will." willing to express his regret for what had What annoyed me first was that he knocked occurred, but he would not apologize, and I have against my arm when he was walking slowly not found it necessary that he should do so. In backwards endeavouring to look at a placard. the present case I consider you should express I deny that I struck him first. The whole regret. I consider the whole of the business thing arose ont of a most trivial incident, was due to you. I can quite understand you which occurs every day in the street. When being annoyed if you were of opinion that the I held out my arm it was to keep the crowd complainant intended to strike you a blow when from pressing.
he held up his hand, but is perfectly clear he
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with the summons?
Mr. Gedge--I do, your Worship, most cer- tainly.
The defendant said he wished to ask some more questions.
His Worship-I have already dismissed the summons against Mr. Gedge. If you wish to ask him any more questions with regard to yourself you can do so.
Defendant-I ask for a remand for the case to be further investigated.
His Worship-I shall not grant that. Defendant then asked Mr. Gedge some fur- ther questions. In reply complainant said that when he put out his hand he did not push defendant in the chest, Witness did not strike a blow until defendant attempted to hit him. Defendant caused a crowd to collect by shont ing at the top of his voice, Take him away, take him away."
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[October 13, 1897. bad no intention of striking you a blow, and that he was merely warding off the pressure of Chinese upon him. Under these circumstances I think if you made some expression of regret the matter night drop.
Defendant During the whole time I spoke to Mr. Gedge I did not speak a word of Chinese.
His Worship-Are you willing now to ex- press regret at the occurrence? I do not call upon you to apologize to Mr. Gedge, but are you willing to express regret at the occurrence ?
Defendant-I wish to say that, being a gen tleman, I regret very much this affair happened on both sides.
Arè
His Worship-That is not the kind of ex- pression of regret I looked forward to. you willing to express regret, without any qualification, that the affair happened.
Defendant-I wish to say that I am very sorry this affair happened in the street.
Complainant-Really, I think, in justice to myself, that in a colony like this, where there are thousands more of Chinese than Europeans, if your Worship is of opinion that this man is in the wrong the summons against him ought to be dealt with. I ask your Worship, with all deference, to deal with it.
His Worship-I will do so.
Complainant You see what sort of a man he is. He is a cheeky fellow and thinks he is entitled to the use of the whole street and
that Europeans should keep out of his way. ask your Worship to impose a penalty on him. I think it is only justice to the Europeans in this place that that should be done.
His Worship-It is not a question of Europeans and Chinese at all; that has nothing
to do with it.
Defendant--I was born in a British colony- His Worship-It does not matter whether you are a Chinese, Prussian, Arabian, Turk, Russian, or American. It is not a question of race at all. It is a question of two individuals, both of whom have the same rights in the street. In saying that you are in the wrong I do not mean to say you are in the wrong because yon
are Chinese and the other European. It is not a question of nationality at all. The reason why I say you are wrong is on account of what you did in the whole affair. I was inclined to think that Mr. Gedge was in the wrong when I heard your story. If I thought so now I should have told him and he would have been punished. Having heard the whole story I consider you were in the As you wish to wrong and not Mr. Gedge. leave the matter in my hands and will not apologize I must finish the.case by fining you $10.
EXTRAORDINARY DEALINGS IN FORGED BANK NŪTES.
The man charged with sending a threatening letter to the Captain Superintendent of Police and also with having a forged $50 note in his pos session was again brought before the Magistrate on 8th Oct. The threatening letter congratu- lated the Head of the Green Cloths, Generons Brother (that is, the Captain Superintendent of Police), upon having increased his source of wealth, and then went on to say that his junior (the writer) was in great need of money. The must make arrangements for the payment of Head of the Green Cloths (Generous Brother!) $10,000 to the writer. If the request was not complied with the Head's house would be razed to the ground. The writer wound up by warn- ing the Generous Brother not to decline. A chop corresponding with the chop on this letter was found in the prisoner's house in Chinese Street when Detective Sergeant Scott went there to look for forged notes.
The charge in connection with the forged $50 note revealed rather an extraordinary state of things. Letters were found in the prisoner's possession which showed that there is evi- dently a smart gang of bank note for. gers at work in Hongkong and the neigh- bourhood of Canton, the victims apparently being Chinese ladies who cannot read. The letters were read by His Worship and they all gave the names and addresses of the senders, who reside either in Canton or its immediate vicinity. The first letter was from the Old City and amongst other things it said It you have any $10 notes altered into $100 please send ten at once for my own use because Li
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