SEE
333
(14)
I went to Lum Ateen at half-past 7 this morning, at which time he came to perhaps employ me to collect the rents. Ateen, who said that he had bought the houses. I told him voluntarily. He asked me what the policeman had said to me, and I told him that the policeman had asked me who the owner of the house was, and that I told him the comprador had told me the house belonged to Mr. Caldwell. Lum Ateen said that I might have the seven houses at the same rate as before, $30—to which I agreed. The other house was agreed for the same day, for $25. My previous knowledge of Lum Ateen extended only to knowing him by sight. The house spoken of as being intended for a hospital has not been used as such; it is now a family house. I do not know how Lum Ateen got the money for the houses, and do not know anything of his pecuniary affairs—nor anything about his going to Macao.
TOMAS BERNARDO RIBEIRO.—Called and examined.
I live in Hollywood Road, house No. 300; have been there since January 1857. I took the house of Mr. Caldwell's comprador, who told me that the house was Mr. Caldwell's. I am keeper of a licensed boarding house; pay the rent to the comprador, whom I last saw this morning. He came to my house about half-past 7 this morning of his own accord, and said, "If any gentleman comes asking you, don't tell that this house belongs to Mr. Caldwell. Say that it belongs to Mrs. Caldwell, or a relation."
[Mr. Caldwell admits that he receives the rent of the house, but denies the ownership. He also admits that he is the reputed owner, or in other words, that people suppose him to be the owner.]
No part of the house in which I live is used as a brothel. There is no brothel on the side of the street in which I live; there is one over the way. The comprador once said that unless I could pay every month I should be turned out. One time he took me down to Mr. Caldwell's office. I said to Mr. Caldwell, "Excuse me this time, as soon as my boarders get ships I will pay." Mr. Caldwell said, "I have nothing to do with it; you had better speak to the comprador." The comprador said, that I must pay or seek another house. On the 20th of this month I shall owe one month's rent: all the rest has been paid.
JOHN LYONS.—Recalled.
I have looked at the plan of houses in this colony, and find that house 300 is on lot 204. There are other 5 houses on the same lot, none of which are to my knowledge brothels. The other houses in this lot are numbered 301, 299, 249, 250, 248. Laurenço Pablo lives in house 248 Lascar Upper Row, No. of license 22.
LAURENÇO PABLO.—Called and examined.
CHUN SAMCHU.—Called and examined.
I am a broker, and reside in house No. 531; the number of the ground lot I don't know. I have lived there ten days, and took the house from a person called Lum Ateen, or rather his collector of the same surname who lives at the Cho Sow Tong. I know Mr. Caldwell, but have not seen him at my residence. I do not know about Mr. Caldwell having any interest in the house.
CHOU AH-CHEE,—Recalled.
I have brought my rent book. [Book examined, and found to contain entries beginning 20th December last, of $16 rent, paid to and acknowledged by Yee Wo.] Afook is the master of the Yee Wo shop.
FONG WEIKAI,—Occupant of inland lot 250, and house 411,—Called and examined.
I have occupied the house a few days, and took it from Yee Wo.
WONG AOON,—Called and examined.
I have occupied my present house (the same house as last witness) two months. I took it from Yee Wo. I do not know who the owner of the house is.
HO ACHOONG,—Called and examined.
I have lived in the same house as last witness since the 15th January last. I took it from Yee Wo Fook, to whom I pay the rent. I do not know to whom he pays it, nor who the owner of the house is.
LEONG CH'EWKWONG,—(Lot 204, house 301, Hollywood Road,)—Called and examined.
I have occupied this house since the 24th December last. I took it from Lai Sze-kai, master of the Tai Cheong shop. I pay the rent to him. He says that he collects the rent for a relation. He has never used Mr. Caldwell's name in connection with it.
CHUN KUNHEE,—(Lot 204, house 299,)—Called and examined.
I have lived in this house two years. I rented it from Lai Sze-kai of the Tai Cheong shop. I never paid any rent to Mr. Caldwell.
[The Commissioners at the request of Mr. May proceeded to examine two witnesses on reference to charge 4 in the second branch of the inquiry. Their evidence will be found printed with the rest of the evidence on the same charge.]
LAURENÇO PABLO.—Called and examined.
I live in Lascar Upper Row, behind the house of Ribeiro. I keep a Boarding House, and have lived there sixteen months. I took the house of Mr. Caldwell's comprador—Lai Sze-kai, who told me that Mr. Caldwell was the owner. I pay the rent to the comprador, and last saw...
Adjourned to 1 P.M., on the 3d.
FIFTH DAY,
Thursday, 3d June, 1858.
Present,—All the Members.
(15)
GEORGE COOPER TURNER—Called and examined.
I am a Solicitor in this colony. In December last I was, and still am, Solicitor to the Attorney General. Upon reference to document (M) I can state that, on the 3d January, 1857, I, as solicitor for the Attorney General, obtained a transfer into his name in the land office, of lots 475, 476, 477, 478, 480, 483, 484, 485, and 507. These lots had been purchased by him from Mr. Caldwell. Mr. Anstey was very desirous in the latter end of December last, of selling these lots, and I applied to Mr. Caldwell to point out where the lots were. I think at that time Mr. Caldwell said, that he had a friend who was very anxious to buy one of these lots. I replied, that I did not think it likely that the Attorney General would sell any one particular lot, as he wanted to get rid of the whole together. I made some enquiry as to the lot Mr. Caldwell's friend wished to buy, and called on him afterwards to tell him, that the Attorney General would not sell any one lot; the purchaser, if he bought, must take the whole. The lot Mr. Caldwell wished to buy was one near the Kulan obelisk; the others are in the neighbourhood of East Point. The whole were afterwards sold to Mr. Strachan.
Cross-examined,—Mr. Caldwell did not, at the time of the conversation with him, mention the name of the friend; nor do I know for whom the lot was wanted.
LAI SZE KAI,—Called and examined.
I was Comprador to Mr. Caldwell. I ceased to be Comprador from the time Mr. Caldwell ceased to be master of the Eaglet, about two years ago. Since then I have been partner with Low Ateem in a shop, and now myself keep a shop which is in Stanley Street. When I was Comprador to Mr. Caldwell I went with the steamer; I also collected rents of four houses, but I do not know the numbers of the ground lots on which they stand. [The lot referred to is 197.] The present occupants are Lee Koon-tai, Ngow Poo, Chew Angee, Ch'o Ngu, Akwun, who keeps a Chair shop, and Yew Aon—there are eight tenants altogether. I received rents for Mr. Caldwell until I went on board the steamer as Comprador, after which I believe Mr. Caldwell's cook was collector. After I left the steamer I again collected rents for Mr. Caldwell, and continued to do so up to the middle of December last, when the houses were sold to Lum Ateen. After that time I collected them for Lum Ateen as some of them still owed rent. I delivered to Mr. Caldwell the rents as I collected them. When I was collector, for Mr. Caldwell, the rents amounted to about $19 a month. They are now let by Lum Ateen to me for $50, and I sublet them for $57. None of the houses are brothels, nor are any of them inhabited by loose women. During the whole time that I have received the rents they have been all occupied as family houses, and none of them as brothels or by loose women. The houses belonged to Mr. Caldwell at the end of 1856.
I have collected rents for Mr. Caldwell for 11 houses besides. They are not sold. I know of my own knowledge that these houses belonged to a sister of Mrs. Caldwell, whose name I do not know. I do not know Chun Atsoo; I know they are the property of Mrs. Caldwell's sister, because Mrs. Caldwell told me so, and at one time offered to let them to me. Mrs. Caldwell managed the affairs of this property. The rents of these 11 houses are paid to Mrs. Caldwell, and have always been since I collected them. I have never collected rent on any other lots for Mrs. Caldwell. In the month of February last, I spoke to Mr. Caldwell concerning the payment of ground rent on Lum Ateen's property. When Lum Ateen was going home he told me to pay the ground rents for him: I said, that I did not know what amount I had to pay; Lum Ateen told me I might go to my old master—Mr. Caldwell—about it. I went to Mr. Caldwell in the month of February, and asked him to write a note for me to go and pay ground rents. Mr. Caldwell told me that he himself was going to pay ground rents. I gave him a $50 note. About two days afterwards Mr. Caldwell said it was not enough, and that I must give him $2 and some cents more. Mr. Caldwell said, that he would wait till Lum Ateen's return, and hand the receipts over to him. He told me that the receipts were at the office; he would get them by and by. I know a Boarding House keeper in Hollywood Road called Tomas. I let him the house in which he lives. I saw him yesterday morning. I said to him, and all the Chinese tenants, "Don't be afraid; if any inquiry be made, you may say that the house belongs to my mistress [Mrs. Caldwell].” The previous evening I went to collect the rents. The Chinese tenants were afraid I was not going to let the houses to them. One of the tenants came to me next morning, and so I went to all. I have had no conversation with Mr. Caldwell as to the evidence that had been given before this Commission. No one told me to go to these tenants. They said some constable had been making inquiry as to the names and occupations of the tenants, and that this was their reason for being frightened.
Cross-examined,—The amount of rent due upon the four houses when they were transferred to Lum Ateen in December, was about $70; there is none of this due now. I was in Gaol about the 4th moon of last year, about a debt of my partner. I was 6 or 7 days in Gaol. I have never been in Gaol on a criminal charge. I do not know Chew Alai—nor have I heard the name; neither do I know Chun Ats00. I had an interview with Mrs. Caldwell's sister at Macao, about 4 years ago; I do not know her name.
I do not know if she has a sister living in Hongkong. Six of the eleven houses are near the Joss-house in Hollywood Road, and the others are in Queen's Road West. It was after I left the steamer in July, 1856, that Mrs. Caldwell offered to let me the houses. I have known Lum Ateen about 10 years. He is a druggist and...