5
then been in existence, were perished.
in all probability,
No doubt at all;
Of the facts, however there was and the following is the brief summary of
Daniel Richard Caldwell, late Justice of the Peace for Hongkong, the Protector of Chinese (for the purposes of the Police and Regulation Ordinance 1858) and (in right of his office of Registrar-General) a Public Accountant for the same Colony, did quit this settlement for China, in consequence of a crime, committed by him against the prosecutors Shaw and Whithead, whose client he at that time was:
such, is, of course, prosecuted. The crime in question was one which would have made him liable to the pains & penalties of fraud and embezzlement, by the common law, and those, which, by analogy to that law, had been appointed by the criminal legislation (of the Government of the then East India Company).
But the crime was compounded; the debt paid; and the delinquent was allowed to depart. Sir George Bonham, to whom the Secretary of State, on receiving the copy of this letter (which came home by the mail of the following day), will, doubtless, refer for further particulars, is said to be aware of the above facts, and of others, not less dishonoring.
And I believe that Mr. Fitzpatrick, late a partner in the extinct house of Brandram & Fitzpatrick of Canton, but now resident at Macao, was quite ready to have confirmed my statement in question of Caldwell's complicity,—instead of doing Mr. Day's bidding, had they thought for themselves, and exerted some pains to procure his evidence.
It was chiefly on his reported statement,
that I then grounded my faith in the popular current;—for he and his had been resident here at or about the time when the events were said to have taken place.
I take this opportunity also to inform you, that many persons here, connected by Caldwell's brother (Henry), the fugitive Registrar of Singapore, are advised by this Mail from England that, disregarding the criminal warrants, which are out against him (and the Protector confiding in the manifest power of his brother), that criminal also is on his way to Hong Kong, a passenger aboard the Norham. Having heard of the Legal Practitioners Ordinance and the facilities it offers to Notaries, he has gone out to practice, having bought a Notarial Faculty, and is now at the local Bar!
I have the honor to be,
(signed)
The Honorable the Colonial Secretary,
Hongkong.
Houses A.G.
Singapore, 6 Feby. 1889.
Austin