next Japan mail ?" So before I had time to change my mind for the 20th time I found my. self a passenger on the Mirspora for Tls. 30. We had a splendid trip and I feel wonderful y better for it, and shall stop here for the next two mails, and if my uncle doesn't turn un leave for Kobe alone. There are a nice lot of fellows in th Customs bere, also found Mr. MoLeavy Brown very kind. I will write again from Japan and remain, Yours truly.
I
"C. W. MASON.” Examination continued-The second letter had under the signature cypher figures which were intended to give the date of accused's arrival in Chiakiang. At the top of the first page were two lines in cypher in pencil, which read, "Arrive Friday night; follow instructions; everything as arranged." I had promised ac- cused to enter into the conspiracy with him, after refusing on two distinot occasions. thought that, had I refused, accused would have carried out his plana unknown to me and that it was necessary I should know what he pro- posed to do, in order to keep the Commissioner of Customs informed. Before I agreed to join him I told the Commissioner about it. At first I thought acoused was in earnest, but I was afterwards persuaded by Mr. Brazier and Mr. Rickman that he would never carry out his plaus. I had a reason to believe that he had abandoned them, though his first letter from Hongkong gave me the impression that he had, because he announced that he was going from Hougkong to Japan Mr. Brazier never thought that accused's intentions were serious. After accused's return from Hongkong I was handed by Mr. Rickman a memorandum book which bad balouged to accused. It contained writing in cypher, which I was asked to translate. I have made a translation of portions which were in cyphor, and produos copy of the translation.
(1) Bell all furnitura except bad. Leave with Croskey. Take Consular register and bank receipts.
"(2) Take baggage down with me; store in Customs godown.
3) Take to Hotel des Colonies. Visit sai- lors' places in missionary disgnise and win over men. Arrange receipt of letters. Wire A. tr lend £500 at Hongkong. Call, Bredon and Ready, Buy two ponies for Croskey. Find Gutzeit re coal steamers from Japan. Name bis own price, Gutzeit, see pilots; take oue down to Hongkong.
"I give arms. Cr skey, ammunition, revolvers and entlasses to 30 man (50 rounds for yamien and 10 foreigners with rifles only),
"(5) Officers and instructious. Balts. 100 rounds. Seize Taotai and let mons go out. Set writers to work copying proclamation. Practice revolvera in court. Hold against all attacks. Send specimen proclamation Y. T. C. H. imme- diately. Despatch Taotai's card men, two chairs, for Wong, Lin, Taù, Loh.
"(6) Five cutlasses. 5 revolvers, 20 rounds, under Croskey, to telegraph. First wire re cholera, Shanghai and Wubu. 8. aud W. All steamers not to touch. Disconnect all lines. Yang Chiu's headmon (4 and 5). Two sea-dogs with revolvers and cutlasses. Croskey return, bring operator along and leave three Chinese in charge to receive all papers and ac nowledge. Chinese to let no one ont. Send ratione sud men in morning. One man to guide Croskey back to ... S. N. Co. See Morris and then come to camp After finish send message to telegraph and Morris on Kan-lu-ssU.
"(9) Croskey despatches batches of 5, guard goods and canal. Two armed men with revolvers send boat load over to seize launches and send for Kwaohow to send back all but two gigs; lie Bund.
"(9) Release passengers (unmolested.) Dis- tribute proclamations on Buud."
Examination continued-I understand in a measure what I was expected to do in accord- ance with this plan of campaign. I was told by accused that on his roturn he would give me five or six man with whom I was to go to the tale- graph office and disconnect the wires, after which I was to bring the operator to the China Mer. ohauts' jetty. I was afterwards to go to Silver Island and take possession of the forts. I spoke to Mr. Brazier the day after Mason first spoko to me. I did not agree to join him until a short time before his departure. I did not carry out his instructions, and acted in every way in oppo- sition to the conspiracy, if it may be so called.
Accused put no questiona.
Bbort Edward Bredon deposed-I am s British subject and Commissioner of the I. M. Customs at Shanghai. I first say the accused on the morning of 12th September at my office. A letter addressed to me was handed in at the same time as accused was announced, I produce the letter, which is as follows:---
“Geaner
"Private.
"Steamer Chiyuen,
Shanghai, 12th September, 1891.
*Sir, I am C W. Mason, fourth Assistant A, transferred from Chiakiang to Peking with six weeks' leave. Shortly before I left Chin- kiang (end of August) I was put in the way of discovering a very serious conspiracy of the Ko Lao Secret Society. I reported the matter to Mr. Acting Commissioner J, R. Brazier at the time. Although he made light of the import- ance of it, I employed my first fortnight of leave in following it up, and now I have to report that a quantity of arms and ammunition —viz: G. & Co. 35 packages shovels and steel-has arrived by this vessel from Hongkong en route for Chinkiang,
"My object in giving this information is not to ask you to soize it here, but to allow it to go on, as applied for, to Chinkiang. I have certain information that if it is seizel here, it will pre- cipitate an immediate rise at all the ports, and the seizure of Customs moneys. If no suspicion is shown the arms will be landed and stored at Chinkiang. The movement will not be carried out for some weeks, and we shall be able to track the contraband to its storing place, seize all previous stores, and have sure evidence by which to secure and couvist the ringleaders and crush the revolt. I can scarcely dwell sufficient. ly on the importance of allowing the goods to go quietly forward, and letting them be applied for in the usual way at Chinklang. The Society have their agents both on the steamers and in the yamên; so for a guard, none of the soldiers could be trusted. But as if I am suspected of treachery my life will be in dauger, I should be obliged if one or a couple of officers could be sent with me. I need scarely say that the whole matter from beginning to end will be laid before the Inspector-General in a memorandum from
"I remaio, etc., etc.,
"(Signed) C. W. Mason." "Nota-Bill of Lading produced by Mr. Mason:--
me.
"China Merchants 9. N. Company. "Bill of Lading-Hongkong No. 84, dated 7th September.
"Chiyuen—G. & Co., 8 packages shovels. 27 packages steel. 35 packages only-Shipper Wing Shung. Consignee bearer, piculs 39.30 at 15 cents per picni=85.90."
I asked him some questions on the subject of the letter, and he repeated his request that the arms should go on to Chinkiang. 1 did not agree to this; in fact the arms were in process of being seized at the time. I gathered from bis remarks that he knew we were looking for the arins. He told me that he was at that time un- der orders to go to Feking at the expiry of bis leave. I told him the best thing he could do would be to go to Peking at once, to drop the conspiracy and not return to Chin- kiang. I added that he should go to Peking and lay the whole matter before the Inspector- General. I asked him to call again that" after- noon and to dine with me at the Club in tho evening. He did not come back in the afternoon but came to dinner. He said he had received a threatening n tios just after he left my office in the morning, to the effect that if he did not proceed to Chinking at once he would not leave Shanghai alive. He also said he had sent me a note explaining the circumstances of his not coming. I told him that up to then I had not received it. At dinner we discussed the question and I advised him that in spite of the notion he still ought not to go to Chinkiang, and that he could get on board the Fungshun just before she started that night. He gave me to understand that he would act ou my advice, and I left the Club under the impression that he was going by the Fungshun. This wae on Saturday hight. On Monday morning, September 14th, I received tre lettage through the Incal phat both deind the 19th." Curls the loan, 7 kallaze.
which accused said he sent me ou Saturday afternoon.
"flotel des Colonies, "Shanghai, 12th September. 1891. "Dear Mr. Bredon.-A second warning has frightened me: I can't risk not going to Chin- kiang. I shall leave by Fuhwo, tell. Rickman I have come to fetch my thick clothes, and use my ut most endeavours to prevent a rising and obtain sufficient information to show some palpable result to the I. G. I shall be back in time to catch the the next Tientsiu steamer.
"Meanwhile I may say that there are 25,000 more cartridges to follow from Hongkong, which I believe will be packed 500 to 1,000 in balos of sugar: pobably they will change the mark. The only likelihood of finding them would be if there After this was a small lot of 25 or 50 packages.
32
seizure