It is clear that the said criminal committed robbery without a doubt at the house of Kuan Shih-chi in the village of Lung-chi in the Shun-to district, killing one of the owners.
It was stated that the foreign official Mr. MacKean heard and recorded the evidence of each of the witnesses separately, and that the defendant's counsel, Mr. Dennys, caused delay by picking out flaws.
When the case was brought up for settlement on the 9th of August, owing to the resignation of Mr. MacKean, the new Police Magistrate proposed to decide the case on the evidence already taken. However, Mr. Dennys, the counsel for the defendants, opposed this and wanted the witnesses to again appear in court and give evidence, and hand in further requests related to the case.
Acting accordingly, it was decided to transmit his report to the Viceroy and thence to the Governor of Hongkong, to direct the Police Magistrate to settle the case in accordance with the evidence already taken, and, should a hearing be necessary, to instruct the acting magistrate to take the complainant and witnesses in the original case to Hongkong, and to request that the law be heard as soon as possible after their arrival, and that the said criminal be handed over and brought to justice, thereby causing...