March 26, 1898.)
struction was received at a totally different period-60 years ago (Hear, hear.)
The motion was carried and the COMMODORE having returned thanks for the same the pro- ceedings terminated.
PRINCE HENRY OF PRUSSIA. H.R.H. Prince Henry of Prussia was warmly received on his arrival in Canton. He dined with the German Consul on the evening of the 17th and a Chinese banquet to H.R.H. was given by the Viceroy of Canton on the after- noon of the 18th. In the evening there was a grand display of fire works.
The Prince returned to Hongkong from Canton on Saturday last and was present at Mrs. Bell-Irving's At Home in the afternoon.
A Ball in honour of H.R.H. will be held at the City Hall on the 29th March. The general committee of the Ball is constituted as follows-Sir John Carrington, C.M.G. (Chairman); G. C. Anderson, F. Augustin, Hon. J. J. Bell-Irving, C. Beurmann, G. Boning, Hon. E. R. Belilios, D. E. Brown, P. Brewitt, G. M. Bain, H. Bird, A. Babing- ton, Hon. C. P. Chater, D. R. Crawford, Ğ. de Champeaux, R. Cooke, G. C. Cox, G. A. Caldwell, V. H Deacon, W. Danby, N. J. Ede, J. J. Francis, Q.C., Fung Wah Chuen, C. Ford, J. M. Forbes, D. Goh, D. Gillies, M. Grote, F. A. Gomes, Commander Hastings, H. Humphreys, A. Haupt, Hon. Dr. Ho Kai, F. Henderson, T. F. Hough, T Jackson, J. H. Lewis, J. Lauts, J. J. Leiria, D. Laudale, R. K. Leigh, E. W. Mitchell, H. N. Mody, R. M. Moses, St. Michaelsen, D. Macdonald, J. McKie, Hon. F. H. May, H. C. Nicolle, A. J. Raymond, H. A. Ritchie, A. J. Rozario, W. H. Ray R. Shewan, C. S. Sharp, N. A. Siebs, G. Stewart, Hon. T. Sercombe Smith, L. Suidter, A. Schelihass, A. G. Stokes, J. Thurburn, J. Y. V. Vernon, Hon. T. H. Whitehead, E. S. Whealler, G. Wider, Hon. Wei Yuk, D. Wood, W: H. Wickham, G. H. Wheeler, His Honour Mr. Justice Wise,
CHARGE OF BLACKMAILING A CHINESE DOCTOR.
A CIVIL HOSPITAL STUDENT IN THE DOCK.
At the Police Court on Monday, before Commander W.C.H. Hastings, Mok Lai Sun, student apothecary at the Government Civil Hospital, was charged with demanding, with menaces, the sum of $170 from Lai Ying Hon, a Chinese medical practitioner, on the 19th June, 1897.
nor worse,
295
to gaol." I replied that the complainant was a friend of mine and asked the defendant to re- duce the amount, Defendant said he would taken $300. Witness then gave an account of the conversation that took place between the complainant and the defendant at the hospital in witness's presence.
dant be said to me,
By Mr. Hastings-When I saw the defen- The Chinese doctor has mistreated the man and now the doctor at the hospital wishes to punish him. The Chinese doctor has prescribed poison. $600 are now re- quired to compensate the patient and for us." He added that the patient was going to makė a claim against the doctor for mistreating him. I heard the complainant tell the defen- dant to settle the matter by giving him some money. That was on the 19th June. Defen- dant told me that part of the money would go to the patient and that he would speak to the doctor, and the trouble would be finished.
Hon. F. H. May, Captain Superintendent of Police, said a warrant was issued against the complainant for procuring abortion, and the reason it was not executed was that the evidence on which the warrant was granted was not available. Witness had tried to find the woman. He had no suspicion that the com- plainant had got the woman out of the colony.
The defendant was committed for trial at the Criminal Sessions, $1.000 bail being allowed.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. and must give him a present. He added that all the Chinese doctors in the colony were under his supervision and the $600 would be divided between the doctors, apothecaries, an- alyst, and coolies at the hospital. If I did not make the present defendant said he would have my shop shut up. I said I had no money, I had done nothing wrong, and he could do what he liked. He said, "You must make a present; every doctor in the colony had to make a present once. I asked him to decrease the amount and I would pay $8 or $10. Defendant said he would decrease the amount to $400 as it was getting late. I asked him to further reduce the demand, adding that I was willing to pay $20 or $30. Defendant then came down to $300. Chen, who had been present all the time, said, "Pay as much as you can." I said I could only pay $100 and that with great difficulty. I also told him it was getting late and I wished to go away. Defendant said, "You may go away, but I must have $300 by: 8.30 B.m. to-morrow, otherwise I will examine the prescription again and send you to gaol." I then left. On getting home I thought over the matter and next morn- ing went and 88w Mok San Nam, to whom I told all that had occurred. Не went with me to the hospital, where we saw the defendant, who said,
Have you brought the money ?" I said, "No, I have come again to ask for a reduction." Defendant replied that he must have at last $200. I begged for a further reduction. Defendant said that as Mok Sau Nam was present he would take $170. He threatened me that if I did not pay the money by 4.30 p.m. that day he would have me arrested and put into gaol, as my prescriptions were not proper, but if I paid him Mr. Frank Browne, Government Analyst, $170 he would put my prescriptions all right. said-On March 10th I received from Dr. Defendant also told me that my patient was in Lowson the contents of the deceased's stomach. the hospital and he would induce him to run away if the money was paid. I left with Mok contents and I separated one and a half grains. There was a strong odour of chloral in the San Nam after the defendant had told me to I also examined a resinous substance, which hand the $170 to Mok San Nam, who would I found to be benzoin. On March 11th, I re- take it to the hospital. At 4.30 the same day ceived a number of bottles from Sergeant Gidley. Mok San Nam came to me and I handed him One bottle contained 7 ozs of liquid taken $170 in bank notes, telling him to get a receipt from a spittoon in the deceased's bedroom. The from the defendant. Mok San Nam went liquid contained 48 grains of chloral and also away with the money and returned between five and six o'clock. I afterwards went to other bottle contained tincture of benzoin; some brandy: it appeared to be a vomit. An-
duced. About the beginning of July I saw the his house and he handed me the receipt pro-another contained a liquid which was a solution defendant in a shop in Stanley Street. He said the patient was all right and I must pay him $20 or $30 to go home. I refused, saying dant replied, "You may refuse to give it to me, that the $170 was to cover everything. Defen-
not allow you to carry on your business in but I will get you out of Hongkong and will Hongkong. I will dispose of you later on." then went away and on the 20th August swore an information against the defendant.
The presecutor said-I am a Chinese medical practitioner and a partner in the Tak On Tong druggist shop, 118, Queen's Road Central. I know the defendant. In June last year I was consulted by a man who was a stranger to me. I prescribed for him. I attended him for-three consecutive days and at the end of that time he informed me that he felt no better I told him to consult another doctor. On the 17th June last a man surnamed Chen came to me and told me he was employed in the Government Civil Hospital, and he asked me to go to the hospital on the 18th to see the doctor. I went there with Chen between eight and nine p.m. on the 18th and saw the defendant. Defendant said, "The doctor says you have prescribed for a patient and made the disease worse. The Apalyst has Baid that patient was bad on account of your having prescribed 'pak po,'" which is a medic- ine to cure cough and is not a poison. De- fendant further said, The doctor now wants to know what you propose to do and if you will undertake to cure the patient." I said I would not guarantee to cure the man. Defendant said, The Analyst says you have prescribed poison: do you want to get into trouble or not? If you wish to avoid trouble you had better make a present to the Analyst and then you will be all right." I said, "What sort of a present do you wish me to make-liquor or cigars ?" De- fendant replied, "I want neither. -I want $600," I said I had not got so much money and asked why I should give him $600. Defendant said, “If you do not give me $600 you will get into trouble." This conversation took place in the office. Afterwards defendant took me down to his sleeping room, where he scolded me and said I must have saved some money
11
I
fended-I left Hongkong between the 20th and
Cross-examined by Mr. Hastings, who de 28th June. I did not leave because there was a warrant out against me for procuring abortion. I was away between twenty and thirty days. I did not send anyone to arrange matters for my return. I did not procure abortion. enceinte. I did not administer a drug to her. woman I attended did not tell me she was She told me she had not seen her husband for twelve months. I do not know if the doctor
The
at the Government Civil Hospital advised a prosecution. That was not the reason I ran te tell me the man I had attended had a claim away from the colony. The defendant did not against me, nor did he say the man was going to sue me. I did not tell the defendant to settle matters. The man has never made a claim against me.
By Mr, Gedge, who prosecuted-When I re- turned to the colony I consulted Mr. Francis, who sent me to see you.
Mok San Nam, godown keeper in the employ- ment of Carlowitz June complainant saw me.
Co., said-On the 19th pital and said to the defendant, "Why do you I went to the hos-
want money from the doctor?" Defendant ro- Because the doctor instead of curing a patient made him worse. plied, poison. The patient is now in the hospital and He has given him the European doctor in the hospital is very angry with the Chinese doctor, and
16
the the
doctor wants $600 from him
to pay patient and ns, If he has not the money to pay he will be arrested. and sent got
THE DEATH OF MR. II. CUOK. On 18th March Commander W.C.H. Hastings resumed the inquest respecting the death of Mr. H. Cook, late secretary and manager of of the New Club.
of chloral and water. I examined the other bottles and the two tamblers which were found on the washstand, but nothing was found.
Dr. J. A. Lowson, medical officer in charge of post mortem examinations, said On March 10th I examined the body of Harry Cook. especially at the cardiac end. The kidneys I found the stomach considerably inflamed,
were extremely congested, the brain was congested, and the membranes were also considerably congested. There were patches of intestine. I sent the contents of the stomach inflammation in the upper part of the small to the Government Analyst. All the signs found in the stomach were certainly those of an irritant poison; it might have been strong alcohol. Raw brandy, if taken in considerable quantities, would, it is possible, have produced the same signs. A continued tipple of strong brandy might have produced the intense con. gestion of the kidneys present. Benzoin was quantities, and undiluted, might have caused tincture of benjamin, and if taken in large
inflammatory signs in the stomach. My idea is that the man died from an overdose of chloral, exceedingly bad state to excrete. There were which, under the circumstances, he was in an 48 grains of chloral in the vomit and 14 grains in the vomit, or 50 grains in all, and he would probably absorb more. He had been drinking for some considerable time and a large dose of obloral would, in the majority of such cases, kill a man sooner than a healthy man. I suggest. that enquiries be made as to the time and date that the bottle of medicine containing the chloral was bought at Watson's Dispensary, because the whole of the contents may have been swallowed immediately after it was issued. The bottle was labelled " cough mixture," and The heart was normal. the chloral might have been put in afterwards.
Henry Humphreys, partner in the firm of John D. Humphreys and Son, said The deceased's accounts were fairly satisfactory. He $250, but he had put into the safe 1.0.U's had overdrawn his account to the extent of