that bribes received by members.
of the Police Force to
indire...
to refrain from the performance
thus
danby
of
laws
in force
with
in
regard
to the
this Colony
02-4
the
subject of gaming houses,
the
come within the
Criminal Law.
Scope of
But, to enforce the Criminal
it is
essary
to obtain
the legal evidence requisite to satisfy the jury beyond all
doubt
And
in
cases of bribery in Connection with Chinese gaming houses in this Colony, the difficulty
of obtaining such evidence
is extraordinary.
In Witchell's case
difficulty
but with
great difficulty,
Lary
opinion.
most properly convicted after
a long trial occupying four days.
637
It is difficult to say whether it will be,
eventually, possible to obtain sufficient legal evidence
against Quincey, Stanton, Baker and Holt, subordinate officers
of the Police, so as to enable me to bring them to trial in
a Criminal Court.
Personally, I think it extremely improbable,
for the intermediaries, who are supposed to have actually
paid the bribes are not in the Colony and are not likely to
confess the part they played.
It would however appear to be extremely improbable those officers were unaware of the existence of the
Wa Lane and Cheung Hing Street gaming houses, and, if so, the
inference that, unless they had been heavily bribed, the
houses would have been reported and closed, seems irresistible.
There are some other officers with small
salaries who can be dealt with, without the intervention of
the Executive Council.