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HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 1930.
JURY QUESTIONS STATION GUARD.
FURTHER EVIDENCE IN LOK
CHAU TRAGEDY: L.G.P.
TO GO INTO SS-BOX.
WHEN WAS LEWIS GUN REMOVED UPSTAIRS?
The jury, empanelled to inquire into the tragedy at Lok Ma Chau Police Station on July 21, yesterday inquired into the position of Mr. T. E. King, Assistant Superintendent of. Police, who had so far been present in Court at every sitting. The foreman. asked whether," in addition to assisting the Court, Mr. King was in a more or less defensive position, and whether his presence indicated that the conduct of the police officers connected with the case was being inquired into.
The Coroner, said that Mr. King was assisting the Court because he was familiar with practically every detail of the tragedy. He was certainly not in a defensive position and the inquiry had nothing to do with the conduct of the police officers, but merely with the facts of
the case.
it
Two Indian constables, a station guard and another who was off duty at the time, were called during the afternoon. Both stated that they could see the charge-room throughout the time of the shooting by looking through the door of their barrack-room which was directly op- posite the charge-room. That door was kept open.
I will be recalled that at the earlier hearing the station guard gave it as his opinion that the Lewis gun was removed before the shooting commenced.
OFFICERS SLEEP THROUGH RIFLE AND REVOLVER SHOTS.
Jury (to witness): When you went on duty as guard at 4 o'clock, did you know that both European sergeants were out of the Station
Witness: Yes, I know both Euro- pean officers were "out..
In the absence of the two
PROVINCIAL BANK OF
KWANGTUNG.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. Į
CANTON, August 20.
In the absence of the two Europeans, said witness, an Indian Lance-Sergeant, B349, WEA the senior officer and he ordered the witness and others to man the barrack-room windows. There was a door to the barracks opposite the charge-room and that was slightly
The Central Bank of China in opened so that those in the barrank Canton is being reorganized in ac could keep a watch on the charge-cordance with a recent mandate of Witness said that after the the Provincial Government of first few shots, he never saw Dalip Kwangtung. It will no longer be. Singh again. The telephone mes-called sage, according to witness, was sent off at about 5.10 or 3.13 p.m. In all, said witness, he fired about twenty shots.
Foon
"The Central Bank of China," which is misleading, as its notes are not accepted at all but side of Kwangtung. It will now be known as "The Provincial Bank of The Coroner: And prily threeKwangtung." It is the Government wers at any visible target 7-Yes.
Coroner's Scathing Comment, What's the use of firing the other shots Whenever we heard a shot we replied in the direction from which, it came.
The Coroner (to Mr. King): Rather a pitiful picture, I am afraid.
In answer to a question put by Mr. King, witness said that he ran into the barracks to put on his boots as a safeguard.
The Coroner: As a safeguard against what —In any case of ömer gency I have to put on my boots. That is part of my instructions,
If you were asleep and the alarm was heard, would you stop to put on your boots -Yes..
depository, and has been under the direct control of the Provincial, Council ever since the Nationalist Government moved from Canton to Nanking.
This reorganization has been ap-
Mo, Commissioner of Finance, who proved by Neaking. Mr. Fan Ki
recently returned from Nanking, said that Mr. T. V. Soong, the Finance Minister, is in favour of the change. At first the question of redemption of the Central Bank of China notes was raised, whether for not it would not be better to resuscitate the, depreciated bank- notes first and effect the change afterwards, but General Chen Ming Shu and others in a recent confer ence in the Bank said this was im material; the change in name will BOOK as the
necessary arrangements are made.
P.C. B722. Gurbaksh Singh, the
"One of You Must Be Lying." Indian station guard who was on duty when Dalip Singh ran amok,
off duty in the afternoon and to On the day of the tragedy he was was recalled yesterday, when he was
gether with four or five others took closely questioned by "both" "the
tes under a tree. -Between 2.30 Coroner and the Jury. It will be recalled that in the last hearing
and 4 p.m. they played cards. At
In answer to Mr. King, witness be effected "just as last witness went on 4 p.m. the Gurbaksh Singh said that he was European sergeants, who was the duty as station guard and the others said that the station guard was seen on duty as station guard when the senior officer in the Station then went into the Station, witness by him to go into the charge-room, shooting started on July 21. He Indian Lance-Sergeant B349.
himself coming out a few minutes after which the alarm was heard stated tha he saw Dalip Singh, "When the shooting took place, later with his rifle which he pro-
The station guard then came into the Indian who ran amok, firing in did you report to B348 1-I report-ceeded to clean. Witness said that the barracks and roused the other the direction of Sergeant Madg-ed to him after had switched on he was alone at that time and that two officers. At that time the cou wick, who was coming up to the the alarm. Station, Witness then fired 13 shots When you reported to him, did Witness was emphatic
Dalip Singh was not with him.stable Dalip Singh was still on the that top of the slope and had not cross- at Dalip Singh from 23 yards he tell you that he would take
ed the compound. point. range, but in his excitement all charge Yes, he took charge and his shots went wide. Witness later, we obeyed his instructions. ran into the Station, where he fired seven more shots, and then switched on the alarm" beli.
Mr. Lindsell naked witness whe- ther he still maintained that when he rushed into the barrack-room he found the Indian Lance-Sergeant and another Indian constable sleep- ing, despite the fact that the aları was ringing and shots had been fired in the passage
near the barrack-room. Witness said that
that was the position.
Coroner: You still say, despite the fact that the alarm was ring- ing and you fired seven shots near the barracks that the two Indian
officers were still sleeping. You still say that?
Witness: Yes, I woke them up. Did you at any time hear any shota fired upstairs. Yes. I heard shota when I aroused the Indian sergeant. and other constable.
How many shots Two or three Maybe more. I cannot recollect exactly.
Mr. King: In practice alarm drills; what is your assigned post as the station guard --My duty in to lock up the gates and grilles and fall in in the charge room.
Coroner (to witness) On your awn evidence it is clear you did not fall in in the charge room.
"Mr. King: Assuming you were not the station guard and off duty in the Station, and the alarm was rung, what post would you take then?-In that case I would have taken the Lewis gun and have gone upstairs and taken up my position in the front verandah.
Questions by Jury Witness explained that he was one of the four men who composed the Lewis gun team, the other three being B316, Bo and Bi.
་
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The Coroner: Why should the station guard say he was with you! What instruction's did he give-He was not with me. you?-He instructed me to send a telephone message: When I failed to get through on the telephone, he went himself to telephone.
. Did he go into the charge-room himself -Yes.
- ||
The Dying Constable. Did you tell the Indian sergeant that B was lying wounded on the ground "outside 1-Yes, I did..
You said in your evidence that you locked the door nearest to the kitchen and also the back door of
the Station itself.i-Yes."
مجھے
And you later found Bo dead outside the door nearest to the
kitchen 7-Yes.
...
One of you must be lying 1-1 am telling the truth.
Were you still under the tree when the first shot was fired ?— Yes....
With your rifle?—No, I had.rc- placed the rifle at 4.43 p.m.
Witness" said that he heard the The shot came from the direction first shot when it was nearly 5 p.m.
of the front of the Station. Wit ness could not see who fired it and at first took no notice, thinking it was someone discharging a sport ing gun.
The Coroner: Can't you dis. tinguish between the crack of a rifle and the sound of a sports gun after
five years in the Police The sound is very similar.
A 6.30 p.m. he was still alive It isn't, it is very different! Yes.
Coroner (to witness); When you went out at 6.30 p.m. you saw Be in the alleyway still alive. Did you do anything to assist him?
Witness said that the station guard did nothing and remained at shot from the same direction and bis post. He then heard a second observed that the officer in charge was coming up the road leading to Witness: I simply poured some reached his ears and until he saw the station. The third shot then water into his mouth.
the officer run for the, Indian mar- ried quarters, witness had no idea that anything was wrong. Witness said he did not then look to bee who was firing but ran straight for his barrack-room and proceeded to put on his boots.
LI
And left him lying there -Yes. Jury: Did you speak to B07 Witness: He could not speak. In your evidence you accounted for 21 or shots being fired up till the time you closed the door of the passage 1—Yes.
+
Witneas also replied that the type
tree.
The Coroner: Did you see what Biz (station guard) was doing then saw him run towards the of revolver which he used made a corner of the Station near the big loud noise whenever it was fred, and that after firing 21 shots, and As you were running in, did you with the alarm bell ringing when hear any more shots-I heard he ran into the barrack-room, he many more shots. found two Indian officers sleeping.
How many more?-About seven.
In a Panic.
“A Wicked Lie!” Coroner: Do you still say that? I don't think anyone in the world would believe it. It's a most wick ed lie...Shameful!
At this stage, the foreman of the Jury, Mr. Shields, naked for en- lightenment as to how the inquiry Jury: Do you know whether. would be conducted. In particular B543, Dalip Singh, had anything on he sought for information as to his mind which would make him who would be called to give further take this action 1 evidence as the Jury desired to know exactly their position when putting questions to witnesses.
In was intimated that Mr. Wolfe would be giving evidence regarding "the history of Dalip Singh. Mr. King has supplied a list of 23 wit nesses whose evidence would throw all the material light it is possible to throw on the tragedy. The Jury, however, would be at liberty to call for any witness should they so desire.
Jury: Mr. King's position in this inquiry is to bring out the facts and not to inquire into the conduct of the police?
Coroner Mr. King is the repre- sentative of the Police and he is help the Coroner in bringing out Facts,
Witness I don't know. When you saw him shoot at Sergeant Madgwick, did it occur to you there was any reason for it? No.
After the shooting was over, did anything occur to you that might be the reason for it-I had no idea.
You still have no idea of his ac tion 1-No.",
Coroner: Have you and your friends not talked about this affair since 1
Witness: We discussed the affair, but we could not find out the reason for it.
The next witness called was P.C. For Gurdit Singh, who, stated. that he had nearly competed five liberisesvies. He erme, trape the
Can you distinguish between a ride and a revolver shot I can, but at that time, I couldn't because I was in a hurry
When there is firing going on.
Why were you in such a panic ?-
shooting a bird or something - But you thought it was somebody When I saw the sergeant-in-charge run for shelter towards the Indian married quarters, I thought
What did you think 1-I thought somebody was firing."
Witness agreed with the Coroner | that from the first shot to the time of the alarm there must have been some 20 to 25 abots fired. 190 reaching his own barrack-room, witness took his rifle and some thirty rounds, and from a passage reached the bigger barrack-room. From his own room he saw the station guard with a revolver in his right hand go into the charge room.
Witness said that when he reach ed the bigger barrack-room he saw Dalip Singh with bis, rifd poised, on his shoulder running to the Back fo Stationes dalie
in a defensive position I should same village as. Dalip Singh but | Singh fire two shots in the direction
say, not. He is here to enable the was not for that reason a very of the Indian married quarters to Coroner to bring out facts. I don't close friend of the deceased. As think his position in defensive at far as witness could say Dalip all. He has the whole history of the Singh had never any grievance the case, more than I have, natural- either at being transferred to Lok ly. He is here to help yourselves Ma Chau or against the officer in and me.
charge.
which Sergeant Madgwick had pro- ceeded. Witnces said that he fired three shots at Dalip Singh and the later disappeared but witness still. fired two, more shots in his direc tion.
ง
Mr. King pointed out the different version which this man was relating
to the Court.
At one point, when he was ques tioned as to whether he saw the station guard fire any ahots, wit ness at first said he did and then corrected himself. Mr. Lindseli warned him that if he was not careful and told any lies he would be sent to prison.
it was possible to produce any evi The Coroner asked Mr. King if
dence to show whether the barrack room door, or the charge-room door was shat or locked when the Police got into possession. He asked the question because two witnesses had stated that the door of the barrack room was open and that they could have seen anyone who entered the charge-room.
Mr. King replied that as far as
He would go into that point. he could say, the doors were open.
When Was Lewis Gun Removed.
The authorities are of the opinion that after the change has been. effected, the bank-notes will not be affected by the political situation. Being purely a provincial bank, the notes in circulation will not be in excess of the silver reserve in the vaults. This is precisely the inter- tion of the local" régime is reori Banizing the Bank.
COMMUNIST GANG ARRESTED.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
CANTON, August 20.
Yu Took, younger brother, of the retoricus Communist leader and one-time governor of Kwangsi,
set up a sort of Soviet Government u Teok Pak who, prior to the entry of the Yunnanese troops, had in Lungchow and Perseh in south- ern "Kwangsi, was arrested and brought "to Canton last Monday.
The notorious Communist leader was first observed in Hong Kong, where he was planning with his in the East River districts with the hordes of Communists and bandits under Chu Tak and Mo Chak Tung there. The Canton Government dispatched a group of phin clothes detectives down to the British Colony to keep a sharp watch on the mavements of these outlaws. Yu Took Ti and a few of his, fol- lowers left Hong Kong for the East River by train: 7 The Canton detec
associates to start another upheaval
Mr. Lindsel! observed that might|tives followed and also boarded the help them to decide at what time the Lewis. gun was removed. The last witness had enggested that it
Was
removed before 4.30 p.. The assumption that I can make from the papers before me," ob- served the Coroner, "is that after the murder of Mrs. Madgwick, the man must have come down and taken the Lewis gun upstairs That appears to make it worse, for the other four in the station be cause they seem to have made no attempt to guard it.”
Foreman of the Jury: Which is the officer-in-charge of the Lewis gun?
Mr. King: There is a team of
sesemble on the tandao do the four and the men are supposed to station guard would have to his work first and then join the team.
Witness was asked if he could confirm the statement that both the ofcora in the barrack-roots were asleep in spite of the firing. He replied that he saw the station- guard wake the men.
Sergeant Madgwick Recalled. Sergeant Madgwick was re-called in order to help the Coroner, and the jury to decide it came about that his revolver could have been in the compound. He replied that at the outset he changed his revol- ver for a rifle with. an Indian ser geant. They had intended to rush the station from the back, but when the plan was abandoned, Fergeant Madgwick sent the indigo out for bend in the meantime had bake rifle and revolver, as the latter weapon could be of no use to the Indian who was going away.... He was then shot at and he replied with his rife and in order to shoot,
same train. After the train exter ed Chinese territory across Sbum- chun, the Communist gang was ar rested and brought to Canton.
When questioned at the police station, Yu Tsok Yi said that he
was the Commander-in-Chief of the
Emong
8th Red Army, which had been ter rotizing the people in southern Kwangsi. He was taking orders from his brother and was on his way to the Fast River to work there. It was the purpose of the Communists and bandits in north- eastern Kwangtung to inaugurate a reign of terror similar to the short lived one recently set up in Chang- sha The Communist leader is being kept under the closest sur veillance at the city gaol, pending further trial and investigation.
the Communist elementa
SZECHUAN'S PLIGHT.
MISRULED BY PETTY
WARLORDS..
A vernacular Press report from Chungking states that Szechuan, the largest province in China, is over run by over 400,000 non-Gov- ernment troops. The province is practically without a government, being ruled by a group of petty militarists, who are neither abedi. ent to Narking nor loyal to the northern anti-Nanking leaders.
Szechuan has more troops than any other province, and most of the generals retain their former official titles The following shows the more prominent militarists in Sze chuan and the military strength they posses
inner Liu Wen Huci Tang Shih Hou .. : Tiên Chung lao
Yang Sen Liu Chuan Hou
29, 200
70,000
70,000
40,000 20,000 10,000
he threw away the revolver, which," – Lai Hain Huci, whose army con- he left on the ground when he came sista of bandits and disbanded
troops. Their number is unknowa.
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