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August 12, 1905.)
but I have never seen him under the influence of liquor. Men ou patrol duty enter public houses when they are required to restore order, or they might go in to search for absentees. There is no rigid rule against a military patrol entering a public house. I do not; "know whether deceased had any drinks on duty (n the night of his death. I know of nothing against deceased's character as får as women are concerned
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W. J. Woodham sworn, stated-I am a private in the R. W. Kents, and am at present performing military police duty. Deceased was on the same duty. On the 16th July we had just finished a week's term of duty on the Meance. I think deceased went ashore once during that week. On the evening of 16th July I went on patrol duty with gunner Sampson. We arrived home at 12.10 a.m. and I reported to the Sergeant that all was cprrect. During | the time we were on patrol duty gunner Samp son had a glass of beer at the Praya East Hotel. Between seven and eight o'clock he had two pints of beer in my presence. He was cober when he went off duty, and returned to barracks.
CHINESE BOY'S STORY.
The bearing of the charge of manslaughter preferred against Aaron Bilis, tailor's cutter. in connection with the death of Guuner Richard Sampson, R.G.A., was continued before Mr. F. A. Haz-land at the Police Court on August 9th.
Mr. F. B. L. Bowley, Crown Solicitor, prosecuted, and Mr. P. W Goldring (of Messrs. Brutton, Hett and Goldring) appeared for the defendant. Major Parry, R.G.A.. watched the case on behalf of the military authorities.
name.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
the day of the soldier's funeral I was standing under a verandah of the second floor of the Soldiers' Club and asked Mr. Blake what was the matter. He replied "The soldier who died on Sunday is being buried." I then said- I saw some man hit a soldier some where." I did not see a man bit a soldier. This was the first occasion OD which I dis- cussed the matter. I have never spoken to any soldiers about it, and they have not spoken to me. I next spoke to the police and Mr. Bowley about it. I am quite certain the ticshas in which the women were came from Wanchai. I stopped to see what the soldier was going to do to the girl I did not see any chairs passing, neither did I see the sllier push the shafts of the ricsha on to the ground. One of the women started to run up the hill with the Europeau, but stopped at the entrance to the Path. I did not see the woman slip. When on the ground the soldier did not speak to the woman. I did not notice whether the light was shining on the soldier's face, or whether his face
was marked.
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I told the constable to get a chair, and we took him to the Central Station by way of Icehouse Street. From the time I found the man until the time he was removed would be about five minutes, during which timɔ nob dy passed along Battery Path. On arrival with the ma at the Central I handed him over to the Sergeant in charge, and returned with Sergeant O'Bullivan to Battery Path.
In cross-examination-The night of the 16th July was a bright night, and the streets were clean. Deceased's body was lying across the path slanting downwards. There was a slight vomit about 15 yards up the path, and the man smelt of liquor.
Indian Constable Tara Singh said-On the night of the 16th July I was on duty in front of the H.K. and S. Bank, where I remained until 2a.m. next morning. The previous witness called me from Battery Path at one o'clock, and I went to him and saw a soldier lying across the path. After the soldier had been removed, I saw two women and one man in ricshas coming from Wanchai. They stopped at Thomas' Hotel and went up Battery Path to the spot where the soldier had lain, and looked for about one minute and then went down the hill again. About five minutes after three soldiers went up to the same spot which they examined and left. When I saw these different people going up Battery Path I was standing in front of the Hongkong Ban'.
In cross-examination-When I joined Ahmed Khan. I thought it was a case of drunk and incapable as the man smelt of liquor, but I did not kick him to rouse bim.
Lance Sergeant Adlington, sworn, stated-I was in charge at the Central Police Station on the morning of the 17th July. A soldier was brought up in a chair by Indian Sergeant 569 at
C. Burmakin, a Russiau Pole, through the interpretation in German of Mr. L. Comar, stated-On Sunday, 18th July. I was working as a waiter in the Owl Grill Room. Defendant came in at 10 p.m. that evening accompanied by two girls. I do not know their names. The defendant and the girls had peppermint and beer. (Wilness identified the girls in curt). The girls left again at eleven o'clock, and Ellis about 11.30 p.m. After the closing of the Grill Room the trio returned together. Mr. and Mrs. Slater. a Chinese boy and myself were present. The door was closed but not fastened, and they opened it and entered. The defendant again went away and the girls stopped about half an hour The taller girl held a handkerchief to her lips, which were bleeding. While the two girls sat in the Grill Room they were talking to Mr. and Mrs. Slater, and Miss Dexbien showed smething to them. Ellis returned about Constable Ingham said-Ou the 17th July one o'clock when the girls were still there. Heat 1.15 a.m. I was on duty at the Central Charge said to the girls. Girls, rome on I gave him one and he's had enough." They then went out together. Next day I saw Ellis about nine o'clock in the morning, when he told Mrs. Slater not to say anything of what had happened the previous night. She said- "You had better leave the Colony."
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Tang King was the next witness. Ha declared I am a cook to Mr. Horley, who has quarters over the Soldiers' Club. I have been in Hougkong ten years. On Sunday, the 16th July, I went to Kennedytown, and afterwards called at a house in Zetland Street, which I left at 12.30 a.m. As I was going along Queen's Road towards my hom I saw twu Enropean women in ricshas coming from Wanchai, near the New Victoria Hotel. I also saw a soldier holding the second ricsha and walking with it, talking to the woman. I did not hear the soldier say anything, but heard the woman say Go away." She also asked the soldier his The rioshas then went to the Grill Room and stopped. The soldier still held the ricsba and the woman again asked him his In cross-examination, Inspector Hanson was Dame, but he went up Battery Path. I did sworn in as interpreter, and witness continued not see the soldier strike the woman. Не I left the Owl Grill Room two days ago, of my carried a stick. When the soldier went up the own accord. The defendant first visited the bill a European came in a ricsha from the Grill Room at 10 p.m. on the 6th July. Central District. He saw the women and went on at nine o'clock, so cannot say whether stopped the ricsha at the Grill Room, asking defendant took his dinner there at 8 p.m. I them what was the matter. The woman said- can swear that defendant came to the Grill Room "One soldier (something) to me?' I did not bear at ten o'clock and remained till 11.30. The exactly. Accused then asked-" Where is the two girls remained there till about eleven soldier The woman replied-" Right up the o'clock. I do not remember one or both of the hill," pointing in the direction the soldier had girls going with Mrs. Slater to the Metro- taken. Then the man ran up, and after five pole Hotel that evening 1 had been hard minutes returned. When the man ran up the at work all day at Kowloon and on return women got out of the ricshas and stood waitinging had a beefsteak and a liqueur glass of by the big tree near the Icehouse Street corner. When the man returned the woman asked him why he did not get hold of the soldier. The man replied "It is of no use to get hold of him; we had better go away." The woman said "I must see the soldier, as I want his name.' One woman then went up to see the soldier. followed ber up and saw him lying on the path opposite the Chartered Bank. When the woman got to where the soldier was lying she asked him his name. He couldn't say anything, and she pulled his shoulder. I went past him and down the steps opposite the H. K. and S. Bank. The soldier was lying on his chest with his face oa one side.
He did not show any signs of con- sciousness. I saw some blood on the ground near his face. The two women I saw looked like Europeans; they were dressed in white. (The women were called into Court, and wit ness recognised Miss Desbien as the one the soldier had accosted). The man who went after the soldier wore a dark coat and white trousers. I have not seen the defendant b fore. In cross-examination-I went to Kennedytown at 9.30 p.m. and visited a brothel, after which I called on my friend in Zetland Street where I remained for an hour and a half. I did not have anything to drink there. Since the 16th July I have not discussed this matter, but on
brandy. The last visit of the defendant and two girls was at one o'clock. When the girls returned at 12.30 am. they remained under the veraudah and called the defendant out.
Re-examined-Half an hour after midnight the defendant was sitting in the Grill Room and was called out by the two girls. After that all left, and later returned, the women first and shortly afterwards the defendant. They only remained two or three minutes.
Indian Acting Sergeant Ahmed Khan de- posed-On the night of Suuday, 16th July, I was on patrol duty in No. 3 Section. which includes Battery Path. At 1 pm on the 17th I found a man lying across the Path about opposite the Chartered Bank. The man's head was about half a yard from the granite kerbstone on the Queen's Road side. The right side of his face was on the ground and he was lying on the right side of his body. A snoring sound drew my attention to the deceased, who was not conscious. There was blood on the head and the right side of the face, and his eyes were swollen. Deceased was in uniform, and I noticed that one of his initial plat s was on the ground. I also found his cap behind his neck and the stick he carried below his feet. I called another constable, and together we tried to pick the man up. Being unable to hold him up.
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1.15 am. He was unconscious, and 1 sent him to the Government Civil Hospital in charge of P. C. 7. The soldier was in the chair at the station about five minutes.
Room when a gunner of the R.G.A. was brought up in a chair. and I escorted him to the Government Civil Hospital,
Dr. John Bell. Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital, gave the follow- ing testimony-On the morning of the 17th July, the last witness brought Gunner Sampson to hospital. I examined him. He was quite unconscious and had 21 cut over the left eyebrow about an inch and a quarter long, and parallel to the eyebrow. He was also vomiting badly, and died at 9 p.m. the same day. never recovering consciousness, The vomit was a dark looking fluid like bile, and showed no signs of food. At noon on the following day I held a postmortem and found immediately under the wound on the left eyebrow a fracture of the skull, extending down to the base. On the opposite side, also at the base and on the surface of the brain, there was a large clot of blood. The man died, in my opinion, from this injury. The large clot of blood would be caused by the rupture of a blood vessel, and the same cause would produce the fracture and the clot. The vomiting was due to cerebral disturbance. I noticed no other injuries, but the cartilage of the nose türned on one side. All deceased's internal organs were healthy. The symptoms I noticed would all be traceable to the wound over the left eyebrow. The fracture was a very bad one, and I do not think it could be caused by a blow from a man's fist It could be caused by a fall on a concrete path, and probably was. I know the granite kerb on the edge of Battery Path. This injury could have been caused either by striking that kerb or the path. I do not think a blow with this (the soldier's) stick could have caused the injury, but it could have been caused by a blow from a heavy instrument. It is possible, but not probable, that had the injury been occasioned by a fall the man might have walked after receiving it.
was
In cross-examination —In а natural and straight fall, such a fracture as the one men- tioned could be produced, but the man would have to pitch right forward. There was nothing in the condition of the cut to lend me to say how it was caused. Deceased's was an ordinary skull, and the fracture was unilateral. A slight concussion would cause vomiting, but liquor would not affect the case.
If a man were