272
ADSETTS PLEADS FOR MERCY.
TO H18 EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNO7.
William Hall Ads-its, found guilty by a special jury of the wilful murder of Gertrude · Dayton and sentenced to death, has appeal d to His Excellency the Gororur for pard 19, He had received letters from his family who were in great distress, especially his mother who was fering from heart failure, and on that accout he sought clemency at the hands of his Excellency the Governor. Adsetts, it appears, has an old and decrepit mother and a young brother in
merica who are supported by the exertions of a young sister. A letter from his sister reads as if he had previously confessed his guilt to fer. She wrote that when Adsetts' mother received the news of her son's arrest on a charge of murder sho collapsed, and he pleads that the shock oỀ learning that ber son is In
execu'n t will prove fatal to her. Strictly speaking, Adsetts has made no confession. His state;
درا
ment is that after the dead woman and he had visitet many hous s of ill fame and drunk a large quantity of liquor, they returu- ed to the Hongkong Hotel and quarrellel, Adsetts alleging that the woman continually provoked him. On this ha struck her in the region of the heart and kucked her down.
He says he thought she was dead, and bis reason for putting the band round her neck was to check the bleeding, aud to make sure that life was extinc'." It amounts to a plea of manslaughter, and through the chaplain, has gone to His Exc-by the Governor. Adsetts sobs and weeps in his c-ll,
We understand the date of the execution has been fixed for November 13.
AJPOINTMENTS.
Bis Excellency the Govern has been pleased to appoint Mr. H. H. J. Gomp-riz to act as Paisne Judge during the absence on leave of His Honour the Chief Justice; or until farther notice. With the approval of the Secretary of State for the Colonies he has also been pleased to appoint the same gentleman, who was assistant Colonial Secretary, to the post of First Police Magistrate in succession to Mr. T. Sercombe Smith, who has been transferred to the service of the Straits Settlements. His Excellency has also, with the approval of the Secretary of tate for the Colonies, appointed Mr. Cecil Clementi, Assistant Registrar- General, to the post of Assistaut Colo·ial Secretary, in succession to Mr. Gompertz, promoted. Mr. Clementi's promotion causes a vacancy for an Assis'aut Registrar-General, and it has pleased the Governor to appoint Mr. 'E. D. C. Wolfe, cad it, to that position.
THE CHINESE FESTIVAL AT
1
i
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
and carriel with due solemnity to one of the most plague-stricken districts of the Colony where it was enshrined in a matshed, while flags and other relies of the Joss were carried to other stricken parts of the city. As if in response to the prayers of the devout (if we blot out of the picture the drastic measures tak-n by the Portuguese Sauiary Authorities) the city 8000 became reliared of the se virge. But the popla who had fled did not return in any considerable į numbers. Local trade continue in a bad way and it was this, apparently, which inspired the happy idea of a f. s'ival which should com- bins thanksgiving to the Joss with advertise. mnt of the attractions of Macao as a place of residence and trade.
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We are as little able to estimst the success of the advertisement as we are able to form idea of the devotion 1 sentiments of the crowds which gathered in the streets to witness the great procession. Tug signs of devation were certainly not abʻrusiv. The proc ssion itself was ons well worth seeing, but had it been better marshailed the pigotat woul! have appeared much more imposing. morning d day the starting of the procession The rain on Sunday
y a couple of hones, but towards midday the weather improved and the sun shone fierc-ly in the afternoon. Starting from the waterfront the Inner Harbour the procession i mide 2
of the city. The dense crowds in the narrow four of the principu thoroughfares
streets made progress very difficult and slow and the view fitful to those who were unable to see it from an elevated po-ition. It was when the procession debouched
the Praya Grand- tint the best view of it was obtainable, but, as it came straggling along in section, the spe'acle lost something of its magnificence and empressm...n'.
110
on
to
l'o ad-quately describe the procession, profound knowledge of Chinese ancient history and gndary Ire is nonded, and to that the writer can lay claim. He has to fall back on the phrase that the spectacle must be seen to be properly appreciat· d. Ia the est. mation of the Chinese crowd its most at- tractive feature evidently was the enorm ›us dragon which had beu brought from Fatshap. If the foreign spectator were asked by what feature of the procession le was most impressed,
l.p--and especially she would probably mention the great varity of pictures. que costumes, male as well as female, and the exquisite specimens of Chinese embroidery work repre-ented among the bauners, In this respect at any rate the word maguificent can be used without exaggeration. A note- worthy feature of the procession was the number of little girls in
il. Many were gorgeously arrayed and mouat d on very small ponies; others forming groups of "living stat uary" were carried ou platforms by coolies; others again for and walking groups, distinctively attired in most picturesqus costumes an other young ladies were as ride of large paper cocks and other birds of god omen in the legendary lore of China. Of the man one retains a picture All last week crowds of Chinese from Houg of many groups in all sorts of picturesque head- kong, Canton and the neighbouring distric's dress and robed in fiue silks of many hues. One were pouring into Macao for the great festival group, conspicuous among the rest, curried the which began on October 20th, was contiuned | a cient arms of Chinese warriors and marched 21st and 22nd. Never in its history has the Colony of Macao bren so crowded. For three or four months past a committee composed of four or five hundred Chinese residents had been engaged making arrangements for a festi- val of thanksgiving to the Plague Joss for his merciful delivery of the Colony from the scourge of plague early in the year. When the epidemic broke out, thousands of Chinese flo! from the Colony, and did not return when Macao was able again to present a clean till of health. Local trade was most injuriously affected; and s in order to recall the Chinese who had left, a festival of thanksgiving to the Plague Joss was conceived, a festival embracing spectacles of unparalleled magnifience which the dwellers in neighbouring ports and the oountry districts would come in their thousands to witness.
MACAO.
It scarcely needs to be mentioned that the popular belief of the Chinese is that to the Plague Joss alone is due the honour and the glory of having rid the Colony of the terrible scourge. When the epidemic became severe the Joss was taken from his accustomed abode in the Pagoda
behind a dragon before whom danc à a men occasionally throwing into the air a large ball, which apparently served to draw the monster on when he had caused gyrating before houses from which crackers were explode 1.
No attempt, however brief, at describing the procession would be complete if it dil not mention the feature which is charecteristic of all such Chinesu | displays the noise!
The ro Werd sonorous gongs, au clanging cymbals, blowers of trum- pets and of horns and the qualing of the stringed instruments. To all this has to ba added the noise of exploding cracters in the Chinese s'reets, bat on the Praya the air was free from the fames of sulphur.
In some of the Chin se
streets the occupiers had decrated the fronts of their houses in 2 most tasteful mayner with flowers, and here and there the streets were arched with those gaudy but picturesque structures which form an essential feature of erery Chinese scheme of public decoration. One of the finest of these was erected not far from the steamer wharves, where also there were
open shows.
At night when these
[October 28, 1907.
structures were illuminated by many lights, and when delighted crowds were assembled to witness the plays the scene was most interesting.
Sir Frederick Lugard visited Macao on Sunday to witness the procession.
HOUSE-BOY'S EXTRAORDINARY
IMPUDENCE.
CHIEF JUSTICE'S RESIDENCE USED AS AN INN. During the last few months the Chief Justice, Sir Francis Piggott, has been on holiday in Japan, and during his absence it occurred to his No. 1 boy, who is in charge of "The Eyrie," that, he might considerably increase his earnings by turning the grounds of the judicial residence into an open air restaurant. On Tuesday local Chinese celebrat d the Chung Yuen festival, quite a number of them ascending the highest points of the Peak as is customary on this occasion. En route their attention was attracted by notices which had been pasted round the fence of Sir Francis Piggott's residence to the effect that there was a shop inside at which could be obtained coffee, milk, tea and meals at all hours; also
Seven cool water, etc. large tables were laid on the lawn in front of the hous, at which visitors were seated, while the cooking was carried out in the kitchen. The No. I had provided a special staff of waiters to attend to customers, and it would appear that these were busily engaged when
olice Sergeant Gordon called, and was very considerably surprised to witness the garden party on his Lordship's lawn. Knowing that the family were absent from the Colony, it curred to him that they could not be entertaining Chinese, so he proceeded to make
quiries which resulted on the arrest of the No. 1 bay, who was charged before Mr. F. A. Hazeland at the Police Court yesterday with keeping a common eating house at the Chief Justics's residence. Chan admitted the charge, and his Worship adjourned the case until the return of His Honour to the Colony.
in
THE SWATOW REFORMER.
ANOTHER PETITION FROM THE STRAITS.
Mr. Otto Kong Sing, solicitor, has received a Palition signed by sixty Chinese merchants Singapore and Jonore which is to be presentol to His Excelle cy the Governor in the event of the appeal against Mr. Hazeland's decision regarding the extradition of Ju Kai-shing being confirmed. Formerly Io Kai-shing was a merchant in Singapore and Johore, and it will be remembered proceedings
for his extradition were taken in the Police Court by the Chinese Government on a charge of armed robbery within the jurisdiction of China. The proceding‹ against the prisoner, accrding to the petitioners, are connected with the reb-ilion in South China, and they further slate that the Chines› Government has preferred the charge of armed robbery against him in order to secure his extradition.
KULANGSU (AMOY) MUNICIPAL
COUNCIL.
Minutes of a meeting of the Council held at the Board Room on the 24th September 1907.
Present:-Messrs. W. N. Wallace (Chair-
Tsau-chew, W. Kruse, W. Wilson, the Health man), C. A. V. B›wra, A. F. Gardiner, Nuang
Officer and the Secretary.
1 The minutes of the last meeting are read and confirmed.
following cases have been dealt with at the The Superintendent of Police reports the
Mixed ourt since the last meeting :-
SUMMONSES.
Breach of Municipal Regulations 5, Assault 2, D-bt, Contempt of Court 2, Allowing pigs to stray S, Illegally removing stones 1. k
SUMMARY ARRESTS,
▸
Committing a nuisance 5, Thett 5, Obstruc- tion 1, Assault 6, Contempt of Court 1, Removing material from the publi roads 1.
(Sigued) W. d. WALLACE,
Chairman,
By order,
C. BERKELEY MITCHELL,
Secretary,