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{ THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
amongst the witnesses at the Court of En- quiry
Did I speak to any of the witnesses?—I could not say?
This closed the case for the prosecution and the Court adjourned to allow of the prisoner getting up his defence.
On the Court re-assembling the witness Freeme was recalled. He said that on the morning he was called aft the Commander asked him if he saw Rice go into the Admiral's cabin, and he replied "Yes." Upon this Rice turned to him and said, "You did not see me go into the Admiral's cabin; you saw me go into the Admiral's pantry." He said he would not be certain, as he did not know whether the Ad- miral's pantry was on the starboad side or not. The Commander told him he had better go down and make sure. He went down the ladder on the starboard side and looked for the Ad- miral's pantry. He saw the sentry and asked him which side was the Admiral's pantry. When he told him it was the port side he (wit- ness) turned and pointed to the door that Rice went into on the starboard side. He then went on deck to tell the Commander that he was positive that Rice went into the Admiral's cabin as until then he did not know where the Admiral's pantry was.
A statement prepared for the defence was then read. In this statement the prisoner denied the charges brought against him, and contended that no satisfactory evidence had been brought forward to prove that he entered the Admirals cabin while the Court of Enquiry was being held
Edwin Windsor, coxswain of the Admiral's galley, said he was standing outside the Ad- miral's cabin with the witnesses of the Court of Enquiry on the day in question when Rice came to him for orders. He replied that he had got his orders. Rice said the Flag Lieutenant had sent him to look for his servant. After that Rice went into the pantry and that was all he saw of him.
Witness was standing outside the port door-between the door and the pantry. He was there from the time he was called until the Court was `over. He did not take particular notice where the sentry was standing when Rice was aft. He did not see any Chinaman with Rice. If Rice had gone into the Admiral's cabin he would have seen him from where he was standing.
The Court-Why did Rice come to you for orders? From my being coxswain of the galley and telling him at dinner time to take on as coxswain, as I had to go to the Court of Enquiry; and he came to me for orders to what to know do.
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Could the prisoner have entered the Admiral's cabin without you seeing him No, sir.
Michael Collins also deposed to seeing Rice enter the Admiral's pantry but not the Ad- miral's cabin, adding that from where he was standing he could not have failed to see Rice enter the Admiral's cabin, had he done so. In his opinion. the prisoner could not have entered the Admiral's cabin without the sentry seeing
him
Charles Buddell, who was sentry at the Ad- miral's cabin on the day of the enquiry, and George Evans, also gave evidence which went to show that the prisoner did not enter the Admiral's cabin on the day in question.
The Court was cleared while the decision was considered, and on the Court being thrown open again,
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POLLARD'S LILLIPUTIAN
COMPANY.
The following is the cast
President of the Young Men's
[January 19, 1901.
Rescue Master Willie Pollard League and Anti Cigarette Society of
Cohoes:
Harry Bronson... His son, a young
THE BELLE OF NEW YORK." Hongkong residents have read much about Ichabod Bronson the phenomenal success which has attended The Belle of New York at home, but until the visit of Pollard's Lilliputian Company they had not had the opportunity of witnessing it in this part of the world, it being performed for the first time in Hongkong at the City Hall on Fri. day night, 11th inst. The Belle of New York was first placed on the stage some four years ago at the Avenue Theatre, London, having a con tinuous run of close on four years. It was first performed by the Pollard's Company at Joliannesburg in May, 1889, when it had a run of five weeks. Other places in South Africa were visited, including Pretoria, where Oom Paul was among the auditors. Since then the company have delighted huge audiences in In- dia, Java, and Australia.
•
Like most pieces of the kind, The Belle of New York has nothing much about it in the way of plot or story. Harry Bronson, the son of Ichabod Bronson, President of the Young Men's Rescue League and Anti-Cigarette Society of Cohoes, is sent to New York for the purpose of finishing his education. His father, being of a philanthropic turn of mind, supplies him with a sum of money with which to build a school at which the street Arabs of the great American city might be trained in the way they should go. Young Bronson, however, completely loses his head on his arrival in New York. He squanders the money entrusted to him by his fond parent in riotous living, and gets himself into a quan- dary by falling in love and proposing to almost every girl he meets. When his father comes to New York on the occasion of an
spendthrift... Miss Lily Thomson Karl Von Pumpernick (A Polite **
Lunatic)...Master Harold Hill "Doc" Snifkins... The Father of the Queen #36
of Comic Opera Miss Emma Thomas "Blinky Bill" Mo, Guit. A mixed Ale
Pugilist... Miss Irene Goulding Kenneth Mugg...Low Comedian of the Cora An-
gelique Comic Opera Co... Master Fred. Stewart Count Ratsi Ratatoo Porta Master George Mooro
Patsi 1
guese
Twins Master Willie Thomas Mr. Twiddlos... Harry Bronson's Private
Secretary. Master John Murphy Mr. Snooper A Newspaper Reporter Miss Myrtle Trott Mr. Peeper Photographer... Master Bennie Musgrove William.. A Butler Master William Thomson Violet Gray...A Salvation Lassie (The
Belle) Miss Minnie Topping Fifi Fricot A Little Parisienne Miss Madge Williams Kissie Flitsgürter: A Music Hall dancer... Miss I. Trott Cora Angelique... Queen of Comie Mamie Clancy......A Pell Stroot Girl..... Misslyy Trott Opera... Miss Agnes Turner Myrtle Mince
Miss May Topping Queenie Cake
Miss Ruby Moore Miss Alice Bennetto Birdie Seed Gladys Glee
Miss Daphne Trott Miss May Thorn Dorothy June
Miss Bella Thomson Marjorie May Little Miss Flirt
Miss Ethel Bennetto
2
Cora's Fridesmaids.
HARMSTON'S CIRCUS.
As announced in our issue of Monday, Harmston's Circus-troupe, which had arrived excursion in connection with one of the goody- from Bangkok on the 12th inst., pitched their goody societies with which he is associated, he marquee on the Recreation Ground, and the size discovers the life his son has been leading and of the audience which gathered within its spacious : disinherits him, declaring his intention later on interior on Wednesday night on the occasion of leaving his money to The Belle of New of the initiatory performance, must have been York-to wit, Violet Gray, a Salvation Lassie. gratifying to all concerned. Quite a sea of Adversity beings out young Bronson's better faces, mounted tier upon tier, encircled the qualities. He becomes assistant in a candy whole place, and the general verdict undoubted- store, and having served a probation thero, marly was that the performance right through was ries "The Belle," who had previously refused him, and presumably settles down.
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1.ap
genuinely commendable. There was not an act upon the programme submitted last night that The individual performers must now claim did not call for favourable comment. There some attention. The three leading parts are other circumstances pertaining to the were admirably taken by Master Willie Pollard general appointments of the tents that will and Miss Lily Thomson, as Ichabod and Harry peal to the patrons. For instance, the arrange- Bronson, and Miss Minnie Topping, as the ment for the illumination of the "house" were Belle. The first named of these acted as well admirable, the seating accommodation of the as in the part of Wun-Hi and managed his whole area was excellent, and there was a general voice better on Saturday, especially in the cleanliness and comfort observable which are..., second act. Miss Lily Thomson sustained the
not seen at ordinary circuses. It says much for role of the young spendthrift with commendable the management that within a few hours of spirit and looked well. Miss Minnie Topping their arrival the colossal marquee with all its has an opportunity, which she did not get in varied appointments, should be erected and fixed, the Geisha, of displaying her really excellent complete in every detail. Entering the show on the right and left is the menagerie, of which, abilities, and she sang and danced with con- siderable taste and grace, making a very good without doubt, the chief feature of interest is impression. The palm in dancing, however, the Royal Bengal tiger Duke, which is claimed to was carried off by Misses Irene Goulding and be without any exaggeration the largest tiger in Ivy Trott, who gave evidence of admirable captivity anywhere in the world. It was born in training and twice gained several encores for Tokyo ten years ago in the very cage it now oc- pas de deux. Miss Ivy Trott, who doubled the cupies. The two Sumatra tigers and two Jara parts of Mamie Clancy and Kissie Flitzgarter, leopards are interesting specimens of the animal again showed herself a clever little actress all kingdom, while there are also a large and highly round. Master Harold Hill as the "polite luna- trained Burmese elephant, and a smaller one - tio" was very amusing and displayed much obtained a few miles from Rangoon, where he was agility. Master Fred. Stewart made the being trained in stacking timber for a large › most of his chances as Kenneth Mug, but Chinese and Siamese syndicate. There are two his best moment was as leader of the sailors of India's sacred cattle and a sugarbear from in the third scene of the first act, when Mandalay. The smaller cages contain monkeys, his singing of the Anglo-American patriotic squirrels, wildcats, and wildbirds, while almost ↑ Mr. E. Cousins, who during the troubled song was very good indeed and the singer was every species of ground game is represented. -
The programme opened with some fine French months of June and July at Tientsin gave deservedly encored. We must also mention the shelter to several hundred Chinese refugees in singing of Miss Alice Bennetto in the Coon-vaulting, in which Gilbert Eldred proved him--- Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co.'s godowns, was Song, and the performances of Miss Emma self a complete artiste. It was an exhibition on the 25th ult. presented with a testimonial Thomas (Doc Smifkins), Masters Moore and of skill seldom ever seen so far from Europe, by the grateful Chinese. The latter subscribed Thomas (the Portuguese twins), and Miss Agnes those who excel in the art preferring to remain and had made two large piens, or laudatory Turner (Cora Angelique). Little Miss Madge where their efforts meet with better reward. tablets, on which, with an accompanying hand- Williams in the part of Fifi charmed the whole The trick-riding by Mdlle, le Blonde was a great some silk banner, were inscribed in gold charac-house, and her Teach me how to love' was attraction. She fairly won her audience as she ters appropriate mottoes together with a few
ran with wonted gaiety into the ring, and the word, marking the occasion and names of those
connection was maintained till she left the arena, who participated. These were carried in pro-
at the last enthusiastic plaudit The Bube Bur- cession by about 300 native Christians with
mese elephant and the educated horse Aden singing and music to Mr. Cousins's house and
were put through some astonishing feats- ex- there with felicitous expressions presented to
hibiting the remarkably high instincts of the animals, and unmistakably showing the avo-}}
Captain Scott said the Court thought the charges against the prisoner had not been proved, and the prisoner would accordingly be discharged.
him.
received as well as anything in the course of the play. The high-kick dance by those two small wonders, Daphne Trott and May Chester, was also among the best things on Saturday evening. Nor must we omit to mention the very pretty Shepherd's Ballet on Narragansett Pier in the second act, admirably mounted and danced.
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