Page
May 26, 1900.]
of the left shoulder blade, almost an inch above the angle. The left side of the chest was full of blood. I produce the bullet. The cause of death was hemorrhage internal and external, duo to a gunshot wound of burning of the skin. The muzzle of the weapon must have been at least several inches from the wound. The bullet marked "A seems about the same size as these marked B now shown to me.
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Samuel F. Tierney, captain of the Royalist, said-I was on shore in Hongkong at about 10.30. a.m. on Friday when I received certain information. I returned to the ship and saw the second officer lying ou the floor in my room with the Medical Officer in attendance. He had a shot wound in the left breast from which he expired about noon. I keep this rifle, which is a repeater. loaded upon the wall of my cabin with a revolver, which is also kept loaded. I always clean the rifle myself. I have never allowed the steward to touch it. I could not say if the second officer or if the steward knew that the rille was loaded. The steward looks after my room and makes the bed. The second officer has no right to be in my cabin at all ex- cept to put the chronometer there and go away again. The second officer was on watch from a.m. top.m. that day. I know nothing of any enmity or thig ems for ill-will hotwo n deceased on!.
Mi, conel offer was named Atinler Kel He was. I think 26 years obl The steward, Charles Black. I believe to be 24 years old.
In answer to Black witness said-Last time I cleaned the gua was just before I got to Singapore. Up to they it lay in the locker. After cleaning it I loaded it and put it on the bulk head. I am quite sure the rifle was loaded in Singapore.
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B. J. Pinkham. third officer of the Royalist. said-At 19:30 am. on Friday, 18th May, I was standing at No. 2 hatch looking after cargo,
I was from 20 to 30 feet away from deceased. heard the report of a firearm, and 30 or 40 se- conds later I went to the door of the passage leading to the Captain's cabin. I met there the steward. Charles Black, who said to me, "I have 1 put my head into the Captain's cabin and saw the second mate lying on his back upon the flour. I immediatly tele- phoned from the godown at the end of our wharf to call a doctor. On my way to the gangway I
shot the second mate.)
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
11 a.m., I was standing outside the door of the passage leading to the Captain's cabin. I heard a report and looked round. Seeing nothing I then looked in at the Captain's room. Mr. Reid lying on the floor, with his left hand on his left breast. He said, Call the mate."
I saw
I immediately called out to the first officer, who came up in about half a minute. I then had to go on deck to my work. I did not hear the deceased say anything about what had happened. I did not see the steward at all till he came up with the mate. I did not hear him say anything. As far as I know deceased and the steward were always on friendly terms. I have heard of no ill-feeling between them. I was standing quite close to the Captain's cabin when I heard the report. I did not hear either deceased or the steward Black say anything before the report. their voices been roused I must have heard them.
Had
Inspector Gould said--At. 12.45 p.m. on May 18th I took the clothing produced from the floor of the cabin in the Royalist where deceased was lying. The clothes, which were stained with blood, appeared to have been cut off the deceased. The deceased was dead when I arrived. I took defendant to Tsimsatsui Station, and entered against him a charge of wilful murder. I read over to him the usual! caution and asked him if he wished to say any thing. He made a statement which took down to him and he signed it in writing. I then read it as correct. I produce it now. I broughtaway from the cabin the rifle produced which I found on a rack in the Captain's cabin. In the station I examined the rifle and found therein the empty cartridge shell produced and the nine unexploded cartridges produced. I sent the body of deceased to the Mortuary by P. C. Faherty.
James Reginald Morton. first officer on the Royalist, said :-On Friday morning last. at about 10.708. I was talking to the engineer in the officers cabin when I heard a report. and someone called out "* Send for the mate." I im- mediately rushed out and saw the deceased lying on the floor of the Captain's cabin. said. How did this happen " He said. The steward was showing me the gun and he was fooling with it." I told the third officer to telephone for the doctor. I cannot say with certainly whether the steward was present when
**
met the chief officer and told him what had hap-deceased made this remark or not. I then went
pened. When I looked into the cabin I saw the rifle in the rack, but not quite in its proper place. It was at a cant. It looks as if it had been put up in a hurry, When I came back I found the steward attending with ice and water and wanting to know if there was anything he could do. I have shared a cabin with deceased for about two months a half. The steward occupies We have always been on friendly terms, and to the best of my belief
the next cabin to ours.
the steward and the deceased were on the best of terms. I have never heard of any ill-will or cause for ill-will between them. Shortly before we got to Singapore I offered to clean this rifle for the Captain after he had been shooting por- poises. He said that no one on board touched the weapon but himself. He declined my offer with
thanks.
or
1
up on deck attending to the ship's business. Deceased and the steward were on very friendly terms. I cannot say whether the Captain's rifle was usually kept loaded or not.
Charles Black having been duly cautioned by the court said. I am steward on the S. S. Royalist. I have nothing to add to my previous
statement. The second officer asked me for the key of the Captain's room. I gave it to him and went in with him. as I am not allowed to let any one in there alone. He looked round the room and wanted to know about the gun. I did not know the rifle was loaded.
I had no
ill-will against the deceased. I have never before had one of these rifles in my hand. That is all I have to say. I stayed speaking to the deceased after he fell down. I have nothing further to add.
His Worship, addressing Black, said he was ar- rested by the police on a charge of wilful murder, which was afterwards reduced to one of man- slaughter, the punishment for which might have been imprisonment for life. But after hearing the evidence, he had come to the conclusion that the death of deceased was the result of an accident. Hethought Black must feel he was guilty of great foolishness. He had been the cause of the death of another person. He was sure it was a matter he would regret all his life. The charge would be dismissed, and Black could go.
Arthur William Ringrove, chief engineer on the Royalist, said-Between 10 or 11 a.m. on Fri- day last I was in the cabin amidships talking to the chief officer. I heard a noise like the report of a firearm, and a shout. either Call the mate.
Where is the mate?" went into the Captain's bed-room and saw the second mate lying on the floor there. I remained there with the second engineer until the second mate died. The steward, Charles Black, stood by getting as whatever we required. The deceased said once. That was a silly trick. Those were his words as near as I can remember. He said nothing else which might have referred to what had happened, but he asked for water, which we gave him. I did not hear the steward make any statement referring to what had happened. I could not say where the The death is announced at Peking of pleurisy of Père Louis Gaillard, S J., author of Cross steward was when I got into the cabin nor where the rifle was.
all Care
attention and Swasitka in China and the Plan oe Nan- my to the wounded man. There was no ill-will or king in the Varietés Sinologigues." He was ill-feeling between the steward and deceased. born at Paris in 1850. He was, says The N.C. They were the best of friends. I did not leave Dilny News, a man of great talents, charming the cabin from the time I saw the second mate manners, and refined and cultivated taste, and lying wounded up to the time that he died. vas entirely devoted to his work. In his prema- John Joseph Haynes, apprentice on the s.s.ture death the Kiangnan Mission to which he Royalist, said-On Friday last, between 10 and belonged suffers a very marked loss.
The verdict returned was, "Death from mis- adventur.e"
865
BURGLARY IN BEACONSFIELD ARCADE.
The coolie found the
MR. MUMFORD'S OFFICE RANSACKED. On arriving at his office in Beaconsfield Ar- cade at about 12 o'clock at noon yesterday Mr. Mumford, Lloyds' Surveyor, found his staff in s state of great excitement in consequence of the place having been visited by burglars during the previous evening. door burst open when he arrived at about eight clerk appeared on the scene shortly afterwards, o'clock in the morning. Mr. Mumford's Chinese
ford was expected to arrive any minute. He but the police were not informed, as Mr. Mum-
was, however, later than usual in consequence of his having gone straight to Aberdeen to do some surveying.
The burglars had evidently spent some con. siderable time in the office, and were preparing to make a big haul, when they were apparently addition to his office furniture, etc., Mr. Mum-. disturbed and had to hurriedly decamp. In
ford had a considerable quantity of household goods stored in his room, including clothing, silverware. wines, and spirits, which Mr. Mumford proposed to remove to his residence at the Peak. The burglars had got a quantity ready to of silver. cigars, etc.. packed up in boxes take away, and had demolished a Genoa
cake which had been left in a drawer. The drawers of Mr. Mumford's desk had been forced, but fortunately no money had been left there except in the form of cheques, which were not interfered with, termined attempt had been made to open the Everything was, however, upside down. A de- safe but without success.
The burglars had made use of some tools left on the premises having removed the brass work of the safe and prized open some half-dozen inches of the top of the safe. We understand that nothing has been missed but a clock, a musical box, two new hats, a razor. and an umbrella. This is the third time Mr. Mumford's office has been broken into. On the second occasion the sum of 880
was stolen.
INDIAN FAMINE RELIEF FUND.
The Honorary Treasurer (Mr. R. T. Wright) begs to acknowledge with thanks receipt of the following contributions to the above Fund.
Further contributions will be thankfully re- ceived.
Already acknowledged Entertainments in City Hall Officers and Men H.M.S. Undaunted
Hongkong-Singapore Battalion, R.A. Sergeants 2nd Batt. R.W. Fusiliers First Presbyterian Church. Canton Second Presbyterian Church. Canton.
Ladies Seminary 840 Second Presbyterian Church, Canton,
Other members $31 Third Presbyterian Church, Canton Additional True Light Seminary,
Canton Additional Second Church, Canton Young Kong Church and "Mission-
aries. Canton A.B.'
K. Edulji Vaid D. H. Vasania
$34,831.03 1,293.66 275.48 154
79
22
71 18
10
3
20
$36,812.17
It is announced that a new section has opened in the Tung Wen Kuan, Canton, for the study of French, and that Mr. Martel, formerly of Hongkong, has been appointed teacher by H.E. the Viceroy Li Hung-chang,
The Straits Times of the 15th inst. contain as very vigorously written leading article on “ Muni- cipal Extravagance," referring to the decision of the Municipal Commissioners to buy part of the present site of the Hotel de l'Europe for £30,000, working out at 117,000 feet at $24 per foot. The Supreme Court is to be temporarily housed there. Our contemporary points out that about a year ago the Commission refused to sanction the spending of $120,000 on a Diamond Jubilee Memorial Hall, because $20,000 extra might be required for alterations, and characte- rises the present action as extravagant, immoral, and a breach of good faith.
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