Page
THE
"SUI AN PIRACY COMMISSION.
SPARED.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, FRIVAT, DECEMBER STA. 1992.
A LANDSMAN AS STEERSMAN Mr. J. Ridgeon, a pesconger related HOW THE CAPTAIN'S LIFE WAS that he was forced by the pirates to steer the ship for over two hours-just after the affair began-although he pro- tested that he knew nothing about navi- gation Passing Cheung Chau, the laland was on the right, They went outside Luna, and he saw the lights of Aberdeen,
MORE ABOUT THE MYSTERIOUS WOMAN-PASSENGER,
The Commission appointed "to inquire into the piracy on the Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Co.'s 8.3. Sai An,
" on November 19th, and to consider whether the existing precautions against piracy are adequate and efficient," held another ocasion in the Legislative Council Chamber yesterday afternoon.
"A WOMAN'S VOIDE"
BOMBS IN COURT.
The Chairman: Do you know anything about a warning given by the Police TWO MEN CHARGED WITH UNLAW ZUMFUL POBSESSION.EU, Department to the shipowners or masters
of ships about piracy and about, carrying out the Regulations?
The Witness: Generally1
Two bombs were produced for Mr. Lindsell's inspection yesterday afternoon At the Magistracy and they were des The Chairman Recently Not this cribed by Mr. E. R. Dorey, the Govern
a considerable radius. year, air. I have known of the Pelicement Analyst, as being dangerous within giving officers of ships warning of in. formation that has come to them..
I do not mean of piracies likely to OCCUT, but warnings arising out of Mr. D. R. Kharas gave it as his opinion inspections -I have just seen such a case that the pirates were out, of the control of their leaders during the first half-reported in the Press, but much a case is
not within my knowledge. hour and were greatly azeited. He The Chairman (Mr. J. R. Wood) pre-
beard a woman's voice amongst the sided, and the other Commissioners pre
piratis' party. The pirates would not sent were: the Harbour Master (Com mander C. W. Beckwith, R.N.), The accept silver articles; he was searched Hon. Mr. C. Mel. Messer, Capt. Lake, eight times and later tied up near the earge ports. He feared that it was in
and Mr. H. P. White:
In reply to Commander Beckwith the witnes said that Indian guards were often ex-soldiers, and such mon were chosen as far as possible for the more important ships. He did not know how
The case if one in which two men were discovered in Gough Street at 11 p.m. on November 23rd in possession of the twa bombs and and a tin of kerosene oil
Two charges were preferred against the suspects. Under the Arms Ürdinance
unlawful possession the two bombs, they were charged with having in their Under the Explosives Ordinance they were charged with unlawfully having in their. possession, or under their control, cer- kerosene cil, under such circumstances nat an explosive substances and one tip of to give rise to a reasonable suspicion that The second defendant was also charged they had them for an unlawful object.
Mr.. W. E. L. Shenton appested for tended to take him and hold him to ran. many had carried out musketry training. with unlawfully having in his possession
the Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steam. boat Company, Mr. E. Davidson, under cargo ports ready for removal later. the instructions of the Marine Officers' Guild, for the officers of the Sui, An, Mr. H. K. Hang for the Compradore, and Mr. H. Lyson for Mr. Hawthorne and Mr., Mrs. and Miss Pearson,
som. All the booty was brought to the
WE WILL SHOOT DOWN EVERY
Mr.
FOREIGNER."
N
THE INDIAN GUARDS SURPRISED Mr. Ernest Holmes, chief officer of the Pheum penh, gave a word picture of the beginning of the fair. He heard shots aft and saw the two Indian guards on
the boat dock struggling to get their rifes which they carried slung behind A. Mello, a passenger who could them. They were both standing together speak Chinese, gave the Commission some at the time. Three Chinese came from more information about the mysterious aft, running. He thought it was a case He saw the women passenger. He said (speaking of men pursuing a thiệt. with extraordinary rapidity and anima. Indians fre and saw that the Chinese Lion) that after the pirates took posses were armed. They passed the guards, sion of the ship he was in a cabin from who pursued them. As the men crossed which he could see through one of the to the port side the witness went to cross grills. He saw there, on one occasion, a the alleyway to see what was happening. pirate wearing white silk socks or stock. He found this filling up with passengers ings and a dark-brown fur coat. She" who, were being driven there by pirates had two revolvers, one in each hand. It It was about three minutes before, the was dark, but one of the pirates with pirates arrived, on the heels of the crowd her was holding one of the ship's lan- of passengers. Later, the pirates were terns. She said, Bring the key, or we looking for a steersman and be "more or
She will shoot down very foreigner." was wearing mask-a handkerchief less volunteered with two eyelet holes torn in it. She was about 5 feet 9 inches in height and he thought, by the shape of the body, that she was a woman, In fact, he said to another passenger, "Take notice of that lady." Just then she looked in his direc tion and he was afraid she would shoot
to steer the ship.
ROBBERS MASQUERADING IN STOLEN PLUMES. "Did you ace a woman?? the witness was asked.
Two robbers came on to the bridge him. The pirates at this time were dressed as women," Mr. Holmes replied, intent on finding the purser and getting They had skirts and hats. I thought the key of the safe from him. Some one they had taken them from the passengers. suggested that the key should be given
he could not say who decided their posta during the voyage.
Hon. Mr. Messer: Can you speak a to whether these Firney Regulations are of any use at alll-I think they are of use, as a deterrent rather than RB T remedy,
If these Regulations were carried out properly, would they not deter pirates from attempting to take chipa 7-Yes, in my experience they go to a ship where there are no piracy precautions.
The Chairman: If every ship took pre cautions, you think the pirates would go out of business?
THE DEFENCE OF SHIPS.". Captain Lake: A mariner is "hot neces sarily of a militant nature-are any steps taken by the people responsible for the Piracy Regulations to instruct him and point out the most effective manner in which he can use these defences i-That
I cannot say.
Or whether these defences are in the most effective places-I think that rests chiefly with the Government Marine Surveyor.
Captain Lake: Suppose the Govera- ment Marine Surveyor has no military knowledge1
Hon. Mr. Messer: The Hend of, the Harbour Office is a Naval Officer.
Mr. King Ships vary in construction and it is impossible to lay down hard and fast rules as to where the guards should be, My impression is that it is left chiefly to the Captain and officers of the ship to decide. I doubt whether the sub- ordinate police officers who carry out the
avis
to them, and, when the pirates were not Another robber had a fur coat which Inspections would be the best persong to
passengers.
in the cabin, the key was put on the table. remembered having seen on one of the The pirates returned; and witnces point- ed to the key, and said, "I don't know whether this key is the one." They forced him to open the safe; though I didn't want to do it, the witness 'added.
He did not see the woman, among the passengers before the piracy.
The Chairman: What dialect did the speak?
Witness: I should say. Cantonese. She was pretending to speak Hakka, but ebe could not speak it properly.
Hon. Mr. Messer: Were they Euro pear hats1
Withest :
Yes, straw hats with fea tbera..
Can you support the story that the leader was a woman -I thought I saw some one very much like a woman on the bridge. She was talking to the pirates there.
Did you see
any woman when the pirates left the ship?-No, I only looked over once; and I was fired at, so I did not look again.
fi
Captain Lake: But between them the two might devise something think that might be so.
tivo revolvers, one of which was loutled
in five chambers.
Mr. Dovey's evidence showed that the bombs were made of ordinary sticks of dynamite with fuses and detonatora attached. To the end of each fuse was attached n jos stick which would smoulder for about a quarter of an hour before the fuse would be lighted. A quan." tity of broken glass was found in each bomb:
In searching, two houses in Yaumati, where the two defendants lodged, Ser- geant Roseskwy told the Magistrato ha found a quantity of broken glass in a refuse tin of one of the houses which was similar to the broken bits of glass found in the borghs. In the other house he found the two revolvers.
The Magistrate could not refrain from! smiling when he asked Sergt. Stimson (the Police Officer in charge of licensing of dangerous goods at the Central Sta tion) if the defendants had licenses to carry bombs. The Sergeant replied, trace of such a 'record, amidst laughter, that he could and no
At the conclusion of the evidence his Wor- ship ordered both men to be committed to the Criminal:Sessions for trial.
AMERICAN MARINES AGAIN IN COURT. ANOTHER CHARGE PREFERRED AGAINST THEM.
At the Magistracy, yesterday, Mr. Lindsell resumed the bearing of the case in which 1st Sergeant Joseph Plumadore, Corporal John Joseph Montgomery, Pri Vate Frank Van Ashley, and Privats Marines of the U.S.S. Helena, aro charg Charles Henry Bytheway, all American ed with obtaining three rolls of silk from
Chinese shopkeeper of Jervoise Street, by false pretences by tendering in pay ment Bussian notes which they said were American notes, and with stealing a gold ring from another shopkeeper of 204, Queen's Road.
The Chairman: One of the Regulations says that cargo must be stowed away in holds where the passengers cannot get at 1 without the consent of the Master. Is
The defendants pleaded not guilty" it the responsibility of your Department to see that Regulation carried out?-No, to both charges on the previous day and when the case was called yesterday morn sir, I don't regard it as such.
The Chairman: The Harbour Mastering the Magistrats (Mr. Lindsell) said suggests that you may like to re-consider that another charge had been preferred that answer 7-Buch cargo should be brought to the notice of the Captain.
PIRATES IN POSSESSION OF HONGKONG HOTEL KEYS.
Have the Police Department any responsibility to do so Where they find After this the pirates took him with
SHIPS THAT PASSED IN THE
breaches of the Regulations, certainly. them to help open the compradore's safe.
NIGHT.
Mr. Shenton: It is saking rather a They gave him a lot of keys to try; some of them (the witness added, with a
"Wo must have passed close to at to expect the navigating officer to take laugh) were Hongkong Hotel private revenue cruiser during the night," the over the defence of the ship!-It is a room koys"
witness added. She was quite close to matter of preventing access rather than The witness went on to relate that some the western side of the bay where the defence. of the pirates who were near the pirates disembarked, and we saw her It is left entirely to the navigating compradore's safe took him for the long when we came out. The pristes said we sought purser and sought to do him could carry on" at 7 a.m., and they mischief but those who had brought him had all left the ship by then, although it there spoke on his behalf and said he was their good friend, patting him en took them about an hour to get all their
booty aboard the sampans. the back.
Commander Beckwith:
Did you pass close to Waglan Quite close to it. It He was next taken to Captain Birss was on the port hand. -as the pirates wanted him to give up a How did they take her in to Bins Bay! They had key if he had one. On the way he saw-They seemed most auxious. two human forms covered with matting a light which they flashed from the and four feet sticking out. He took them bridge but I saw no answering igual to be the two Indian guards who were from the landh They fired two shots shot. They then reached Capt. Birss who every now and then.
Mr. Shenton: Did you pass close to was lying on the deck. withca," You shot him?"
going ashore there.
TWO CORPSES.
officers to decide upon the mode of defence, with no assistance whatever from the higher officers in the police?-A sub Inspector outlines their duties to the guarda.
In further answers the witness said that if the Piracy Regulations had been carried out he did not think pirates would bava visited the ship.
Mr. Shenton: Which do you refer to particularly -I am referring to the grills,
More than has been done is not actually called for No, but the grills are there to be shut.
"I said to the pirates," continued the Cheung Chau 3-Yee, I thought we worg You are aware that so far as the grills are concerned, the Regulations were car He shot us first, they replied. We Would it have been possible for people ried out on this ship, so much so that the hot in self-defence. They wanted tho on the land to see you 1-Oh, quits kes of the compradore's safe from the easily We could see the lights of the Pirates could act get through some of the Captain and I translated that to the houses. The junks, at any rate, must grills. According to the Regulations Captain. They shook him roughly to have known there was something wrong there was no call for the others to be lock rouse him. The Captain was only halt-from the fact that we showed no navigated. What other particular Regulation conscious and said something to the effecting lights. We passed at least 100 junks have you in mind -If the Regulations that he had never done the Chinese any quite closely the whole fishing fleet. harm and he did not see why they should Similarly, you should have been seen kill him To save the Captain from fur-from the Castotas House at Bhanmei1- ther rough treatment, I translated this if they had been keeping a good look-out as, He hasn't got the key."?!
they could have seen. Besides, we were in the neighbourhood for more than an hour while the pirates were getting the stuff away.
"TOUCH-AND-GO FOR THE....
**CAPTAIN
"At this time," continued the witness, This witness also gave the Commission still telling his story at almost breath the position on the chart of the Sui An low speed to sa intently listening audi at various times during the night. ⚫ence;
In searchlight on my right,
EVIDENCE BY MR. TE KING
had been carried out, I do not think the ship could have been surprised as it was, Further pressed to name a particular Regulation which had not been carried out, the witnes said he thought it had been proved that the grills between the third-class and the rest of the ship were not locked. Mr,Shenton replied that he did not think that had been satisfactorily. proved.
against the defendante. This related to obtaining four gold rings by false pré- tences from a shopkeeper at 308, Queen's Road Central, by representing that Rus- sian notes were American notes.
The defendants then pleaded not guilty to this additional charge.
The charge of obtaining the silk by false, pretences was first taken
The first witness called was the account-! ent of the piece goods shop, No. 66, Jervola Street, who said that the four defendants came into the shop in uniform and said they wished to buy some rolls one yellow, one grey and one coffee colour. of gauze silk They selected three rolls, ed. They wanted to buy all the yellow roll, 8 yards of the coffee and 10 yards of the grey-880 in all. Two notes were given him by the first defendant which he thought waa850gold. The men left the shop with the silk and a foki went to change the notes. The foki returned with the notes and said they could not be changed. A search was made and the defendants were found in Benham Strand. They had no silk in their possession. This search lasted about half-an-hour. The men were followed and they were seen" to enter an- other silk store in Possession Street, where they tendered some similar noten. Witness warded the shopkeeper and the notes were refused. The men would not go to a money changer's. In the mean- time & Chinese constable had been called. The defendants then walked up into Queen's Road with the constable watch He later blew bis ing their actions. whistle and other police, arrived, and the men were arrested
Other evidence, was subsequently called and the case was again adjourned..
TOOTHAT
Mr King: The reports of people on the ship led me to believe that there was acces all over the vessel Bubber Bod ke the Green Island light. The pirates
KOWLOON KING'S BEGT. lifted up the Captain. For the moment, Mr. T H. King, Deputy Superinten Hob. Mr. Messer The position of the I did not realso what they were about dent of Police, Kowloon, gave an account guards is, 1 hink, important. There
The following have been selected to to do
of the arrival of the S An in Hongkong were two guards down below, which Then I said, What are you doing? Harbour! He we not the officer responsi- should not be the case thing a letter represent Hawloon to-morrow (Satur "He has to die soon, replied one of bid for the carrying out of the Piracy has gone to the Company telling them a day) in this first division match at Sookunpoo, kick-off at 4 zp.m.-Wood- the pirates, coolly, so we might as well Regulations: He examined the ship's In reply to other questions the witneso min Whodie and Knight; Morrison, chuck him overboard. We don't want grille those on the lowest deck showed also said that he first heard of the piracy any corpses about
I urged then not to throw the gn of frequent use, Wit the Tocke' did at about eleven o'clock of the Mondaying and Makelvie Clemo, Mason,
Millard. Captain overboard and said to them that not show arar of use. Those word pad morning, but he believed Mr. Wolfe knew Fasco and Duncan A Coombs. Reserve: locks on them, but they did not appear to of it, sometime before that Mr Wolfe
KOWLOON KING'S REGT.”
he was only wounded in the shoulder, have been used. He did not see any kore was also aware that the ship, was late. You came here to rol, not to kill people, for the padlocks. The grilla on the saloon The Police at Cheung Chau were not I added. Suppose we leave him, what deck showed signs of having been used there is a Naval look-out, but purely for In this 2nd division match on the shall we do with him asked one of the and of having been locked. The grilla on land duty. The police had no furtrue Kowloon ground at 4.16 p.m. to-morrowW pirates. I suggested putting hint in a cabin they agreel and I helped to carry the bridge deck did not show any signs tions to report the passing of the Macao (Saturday) the home team will consist of Rasmussen Blagden and Danean; G him there In the cabin I was putting & of having bean shut or, locked; the paint boatN cushion under his head but one of the was fresh and unscratched: The two After bearing the evidence of some Banner, Olliver sad Hooper; Hast, FET pirates wanted fit na booty and the grille after those were in the same con- Chinese passengers, the Commission robe guson, Spary; Payne and Johns Reserve
for the day Captain had to lie on the bare boards dition..
BY SPECIAL
APPOINTMENT
H.M. THE KING.
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