704
Two dismissed Inspectors appealed.
The case is gone into at great length here, and Sir E. Wingfield commented on the methods of Mr. May, and the nature of the evidence procured, in language of (for him) unusual warmth. On the other hand, Lord Selborne was more impressed with the difficulty of Mr. May's task and the necessity of purging the police force.
Mr. Chamberlain's decision on the appeals, given in 4th para. of his despatch of 16 Aug. 1898, was that the two officers, and a third who had not appealed, should be retired on the pensions which they had earned, with a reduction of 20% as a punishment for want of vigilance in not discovering and reporting the gambling houses.
Minutes and draft on Gov./9720/98.
See
Sergeant Holt's case came up in connection with these appeals, he also having been dismissed as a result of Mr. May's enquiry; but he had not appealed, and the Governor had stated that there was direct evidence implicating him and that he had practically admitted his guilt.
The Secretary of State therefore did not intervene on his behalf. (See par. 10 of despatch on 9720.) But in July, 1899, (I think the date is material) he petitioned, asserting his innocence, and asked that he might receive the pension to which his services would have entitled him. In his petition he stated:- "Your petitioner said little in denial of the evidence, as until he was informed that he would be recommended for dismissal he fully expected he would have been sent for a fair trial, before a Magistrate, where his word would have had weight against the statement of one man, obtained under the conditions that it was obtained."
We were not in possession of the notes of the evidence taken by Mr. May in this case, and it was suggested that they should now be called for; but the reply sent to Mr. Kemp, M.P., through whom the petition had been forwarded, was:- "Sir W. Robinson, the late Governor of Hong Kong, in reporting Mr. Holt's dismissal states that he had practically admitted his guilt and had made no defence whatever. Under these circumstances Mr. Chamberlain regrets to have to inform you that he is not prepared to reopen Mr. Holt's case."
K/20089/99.
In Sept. '99 Holt renewed his appeal, through Mr. Harry Lawson. This time we asked the Governor, Sir H. Blake, for the documents in the case, adding:- "I should be glad to know whether you are of opinion that Mr. Holt's case is substantially different from those of the other officers whose services were dispensed with at the same time. If not, I consider that he should be treated in the same manner as they have been." See L/34757 & H/86126/03.
(A) Mr.
The Governor then sent us the papers. Mr. May's notes of evidence are headed:- "Acting Full Sergeant John Holt charged with neglect of duty in not reporting a gambling house at No. 2 Wa Lane, and with having on the 18th June, 1897, and on divers prior dates received bribes to induce him not to report the said gambling house." The witnesses were (1) the Chinaman who was the accountant to the gambling house. He entered daily in his accounts the sums which he issued as bribes for the police. These entries appeared under names or numbers, among others "No. 43", said to be Police Sergeant Holt. He did not know Holt personally. (2) a Chinese ex-detective. He says that he used to fetch money for No. 43 Sergeant. "Sergeant No. 4 is Sergeant Holt. Since the beginning of this Chinese Year I have taken many times money for Sergeant Holt - six times. After receiving the money I handed it over to Sergeant Holt. Sometimes I paid it in the street and sometimes at the Central Station. I have never had any dispute or quarrel with Sergeant Holt. The money that I paid to Holt was paid as bribes for the Wa Lane gambling house. I myself received bribes from this gambling house." The notes end here. No questions.
Sergeant Holt states that he does not wish to make any statement and has nothing to say.
(B)
In his covering report Mr. May said: "You will observe that Sergeant Holt asked no questions of the witnesses and made no defence whatever. When he left the room in which the case was heard, he remarked to the Acting Chief Inspector who had left the room with him:- 'I have not got a dollar to my name. I have been a b...y fool and shall have to go on the beach.' I take that statement as tantamount to an admission."