on
274
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
the sister of the deceased woman, and she believ- ed, lived in Ohio, U.B.A. Such were the details he had to unfold of this ghastly tragedy, the motive for which apparently was clear. It was perhaps a sordid action, as could be easily ima gined. The unfortunate woman was strangled to death purely for the purpose of plunder. He would not hazard a guess as to the lines of the defence. The prisoner had the advantage of the inestimable services of his learned friend, Sir Henry Berkeley who would lay befoer the jury everything that could possibly be said on his client's behalf, and Counsel invited jurors' close attention to the evidence as a whole, and;if it appeared that the facts were as he had detailed them. then there was only one verdict it was possible to bring in. The law of most civilized countries determined that for murder there was one punishment only. Regarding that punishment, it was the duty of the jury to investigate the €850 28 whole, and unless some defence of a practical character was put before them; unless his learned friend in the exercise of his ingenuity created some donbt in their minds, then it was their duty to find the prisoner guilty of one of the foulest and basest murders that ever staiend the annals of crime in any country.
8
J. H. Oxberry was the first witness. He said be was a runner employed in the Hongkong Hotel. On August 3rd he went aboard the 8.8. Eastern from Australia via Manila. He brought four passengers ashore, one a Mr. Ross, and other two were Mr. and Mrs W. H. Jones. Witness identified Adsetts as Mr. Jones. When witnes took the passengers to the hotel he saw the accused book a room for Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Jones. Witness previously saw prisoner here last year. He was then on the 8.8. Taming. The book produced, Was the Hongkong
Hotel launch book.
Cross-examined-Witness was speaking from memory as to the identity of the prisoner. He brought four passengers ashore on the day in question, but could only remember the names of three. He saw Jones register at the Hotel, but did not inform the manager that he had registered under a wrong name. Witness brought from 35 to 40 pas-engers ashore to the Hong- kong Hotel a week, but he was not prepared to recognise all of them.
remonstrated with him for nearly capsizing the boat. All the occupants had to get to starboard when the trunk was put over the port side. Having made this attempt, the acous d instructed the two women to proceed to the Monteagle. If he had succeeded in sinking the trunk the ghastly discovery which was after- wards made might never have been effected. It was received on board about 6.30 p.m. by the quartermaster, who said the prisoner, whom he identified, requested that the trunk should be put in the hold. It was, however, put in the baggage room by direction of the officer. If the track had been put in the hold it was possible that the tragedy would not have been discovered at the early stage it was. The pri- soner remained on board some 20 minutes, and left his victim's body in the trunk on the steamer. He landed in the same sampan at a stone wharf, and was identified as having the following day gone to a pawn- brokers in Queen's Road and pawned two loose diamonds for $25. He then signed the name H. Jones, Room 184, Hongkong Hotel. The theory for the prosecution was that those loose stones came from a ring belonging to deceased. On August 6th, the following day, the accused left the Colony by the Tosa Maru, having booked a first class passage to Shanghai under the name of Jackson. On August 7th the police were sent for on aboard tha Monteagle, and from information received they proceeded to the baggage room. There the corpse of 8 Woman was found in a Saratoga trunk and removed to the mortuary where the doctor held a postmortem ex- amination. He found a lady's belt knotted firmly round the neck, and twisted tight with the assistance of a hair brush. There was also in the box two Hongkong Hotel towels, a man's night dress and a glove. The body was in such a state of decomposition that it was impossible to say what had caused death, but the medical opinion was that death could hav been caused by strangulation by the band round the neck. No other possible cause could be found for the death. The body was duly buried, and the police removed the contents of Room 184. In it they found some luggage which was identified as part of the property of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Jones. The mattress on the bed was found to be blood stained, presumably from bleeding from the mouth or nose, which the doctor would say might have been caused by strangulation. The mattress had been turned over, apparently to conceal the stains. Spots of blood were also found on the table close to the bed, and these had the appearance of finger marks. The camphor wood box was also in the room. With reference to that, the theory the Crown put forward was that the prisoner bought the box with the object of placing the body of his victim in it. Probably he found the box was not so suitable as he imagined, and selected the Saratoga trunk. A hat and suit of clothes were also found in the room, and the clothes were identified as those worn by the accused when he took the trunk on board the Monteagle. A bat and a quantity of clothing, ident fied as belonging to Gertrude Dayton, were also found As a result of these discoveries telegrams were despatched by the police, and on August 13th the prisoner was arrested at Chefoo and taken to the United States Consulate there. He was found on his person a quantity of jewellery includź of thlady's watch, also a number of Post Offerders. Nearly all this jewellery was identified by Miss Josie Marshall, who arrived in the Colony from Manila on August 9th. This woman was an old friend of the deceased, and knew all about her belong ings. The priser was afterwards shipped on board the U. & cruiser Galveston to Manila, and as a result of extradition proceedings he was brought here ander arrest. The woman, Josie Marshall, kne Gertrude Dayton and the prisoner, and she saw them together at Manils, and would sperk of their leaving on May Hempstead, who resides at 52, Holly. July 31st. When Miss Marshall arrived here wood Road testified to knowing Gertrude she was taken to the cemetely, and she identified Dayton. On August 3rd she called at witness the body of the deceased, ich was exbamed house, accompanied by a man, about ten or for that purpose. She also identified all, or half past ten. She had never seen the man who practically all jewellery found on the prisoner, accompanied her before. He was about 28 or as being the property of the deosas being found Dayton entered the hon a she said "I feel sed. The P. O. | 29 years of age and clean shaven. When Miss on the prisoner were payable to Mr. Margaret tipsy." She introduced the man with her as Happer who, Miss Marshall won ld say, was Jones, but said it was not his proper name.
Orders to which Council referred
[October 28, 1907. The visitors stayed at her house for about two hours, and bad nine pints of champagne, for which Gertrude Dayton gave a obit. Witness tore it up after she heard of the woman's death, as she did not wish to be mixed up in the affair. She saw the Post Office Orders which the man produced, but did not have them in her hands. The deceased was wearing some rings the night she was at witness' house.
Cross-examined-Gertrude wanted to bor- row money on a Post Office Order. She asked the man with her to give her the Orders. Witness could not recognise the prisoner.
By the Court-When the woman arrived she said she was tipsy, Did she appear tipsy to you ?-Yes,
And when they left the house after the champagne did she appear tipsy ?-She appeared all right.
The Attorney-General-I have just had a that she is unable to attend. I require her medical certificate put in by Miss Leavitt stating attendance, and do not consider a certificate signed by a doctor is sufficient.
His Lordship-There is another course: take the doctor's evidence.
Chun Wo identified Adsetts as having bought a box at his shop on 4th August and tendered an American gold coin in payment.
Cross-examined-He remained a short time in the shop, paid for the box, and went away in a riosha. On 25th September he indentified the prisoner. He had never seen him before 4th August. Asked if he could recognise all the Europeans who came to his shop between 4th August and 25th September, he replied that there were few Europeans who came to his shop. He could not recognise them unless they were taken to the Police Station, Witness identified the box be made because it had two small holes.
Re-examined-The box was made by another carpenter but he fixed the hinges.
Young Cheung, room boy at the Hongkong Hotel, said Ronin 18 was under his charge. He remembered 3rd August last on which day two Europeans occupied the room. He saw the
o'clock. He recognised prisoner as the man. man and the woman enter the room about 11
On the following day he saw the man after 11 o'clock a.m. Witness went up to the Hoom 184 in response to the bell, and prisoner told him to get two coolies to take a box below. Witness told the coolies and they went up to the room. saw no one in the room besides prisoner. He
While in the room he had noticed the trunk
that two towels were missing from the room. The place where he slept was close to Room 184.
R. 3oonderam, sworn, said he was a counter clerk employed by the Hongkong Hotel Co. On the morning the ss. Eastern arrived one of the passengers entered the office and registered the names of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Jones. Wit- ness assigned him Room 184. The Hotel reproduced in court. That day witness noticed gister was produced, and witness pointed out the signature of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Jones. Witness failed to identify the prisoner as the man who had registered at the Hotel.
Cross-examined-The man who registered as W. H. Joues was not accompanied by a lady. It was a fact that witness failed to identify the prisoner, and picked oat another man.
A. R. Soonderam, another counter clerk em- ployed by the Hongkong Hotel Co., said be knew the accused, whom he saw at the Hong- kong Hotel on August 4th. Accused then asked him for a loan of $10. Witness a ked
him his name and the room he occupied. Wit- ness then gave him a chit to sign for the money; he compared the signature with the signature in the register and then handed over the money. It was customary to advance small loans to boarders. After receiving the money accused told witness to get him two outsid coolies. He wanted them to carry a sample case to a certain firm, and would with them. Witness did see the sample case, but he was sure the prisoner was the man to whom he advanced the money. to the best of his knowledge the chit had not been met.
not
go
Cross-examined-Witness had never sesa the person for whom he got the coolies before. He recognised the prisoner, but could not say how many persons he advanced money to at the Hotel.
Cross examined-He had no conversation with the man on 3rd August, and on the 4th with regard to sending up the coolies. The the only conversation he had with him was
next time he saw prisoner was on 25th Sept., when he identified him. He had never seen the man before 3rd August,
Re-examined-He identified prisoner on the 25th September from among a number of other
men.
Hotel, said he worked with the last witness Wong Cheong, room boy at the Hongkong
a woman coming to Room 184 on 3rd August on the same flat. He remembered a man and
because he was given some dirty clothing by the woman to have washed. He entered the room and saw a maʊ, the one who came with her at 11 o'clock. About 4 o'clock that day he was asked to make tea, and on taking it to the room
man and the wom 'n saw both the
there. About a quarter to ten that night he saw the couple go up by lift, enter the room where they remained for a quarter of an hour, and then went out,
He did not see them again that night. Next morning at 6 o'clock he saw the man standing outside Room 184. He was fully dressed, Witness saw him again at 8 o'clock
leave the room and pass him. Prisoner made a
statement to him.
•
The Attorney-General submitted that the statement made by the prisoner to witness was evidence provided the Court was satisfied that the witness identified the an.
His Honour-I am not satisfied.
in the room on August 3rd.
Witness then spoke t› seeing the box produced
Cross-examined— ost of the visitors to the hotel had Saratoga trunks like that.
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