412
blanket. I aw the accused shake a man by the, shoulder. He sat up in a dazed manner and when his ticket as demanded he, after some delay. tendered 50 cents and it was handed to me. I looked at the man and he appeared to me to be dazed with, opinu. I remarked this as I passed on. We finished collecting tickets about 25 minutes past. 11 p.m. There was no disturbance or noise of any kind while I was on deck. There were 666 passengers on the lower deck. The lower deck is fairly well it with electric light. If # passenger is asleep In is usually shaken up hy his shoulders I have never seen any member of the crew kick a passenger to wake him up. It is usually opinu smokers who have to be wakened by shaking. With 600 passengers on the lower deck it would be impossible to walk across the dock without touching some of them. The accused went round with me to collect the tickets. We sometimes have to shake a man more than once.
Chan Kim Cho, Compradore was called and said :----I went down with the captain after some passengers had told me that a man had been Kicked to death. It was about 12.30 a.. I do not know any of the men who spoke to me on the lower deck.
THE DECISION.
December
CANTON.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND the Japanese Doctor of the Reform Army, one English Doctor, and one Doctor of the Canton Ambulance Society. It is reported that the
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT Chinese insist that another trial should be hold, this time at the Portuguese Consular Court.
November A dispatch to that effect is said to have been POLITICAL DISCUSSION FORBIDEE sent by the Viceroy to the Portuguese Consul- H. E. Viceroy Chang has notified General. A boycott of the steamer is also ou and Military officials of all ranks in th the programme at the instigation of the Self-tung Province that they must not c Government Association.
present position of Government alia are to attend strictly to their duties out the State mourning in accordance law. All officials are requested to remain respective Bureaux and no leave of abs be granted.
The 72 Guild Tress comments on the decision of the Court as follows:-
In reviewing the case in which the deceased was wounded by a kick he received near the heart from the foot of the accused, and also a blow given with the band, both of which were causes of the man's death, it should be said that in both instances there were marks of leuises and thore was the clear evidence of numerous persons proving it beyond doubt. Therefore it was impossible for the accused to be ex- cused or held blameless. In reviewing the evidence given by the fellow passengers of the satened, one of them not only said that the accused did not beat the man to death but that he did not beat any body at all. The pas senger died because he was ill when he went on At the conclusion of the enquiry the board of the steamer and he died a natural Consul-General said The proceedings at death. They actually hushed up a case of such this preliminary enquiry are not alto-grave importance. This can only be described gether regular, for two reasons:-ft the as arbitrary, and treating the Chinese people first, place no definite charge has been frame with contempt. The evidence was falso and against the watchman, Noronha, of having trumped up and there were many contradictions. caused the death of this passenger. The For hustance the chief officer said that the Viceroy's letter simply states that a Chinese watchman pushed the man on the shoulder; passenger on th Futshan has been murdered by the Indian watchman said the same thing, but a foreiguer; no further details are given the sailor said the watchman only asked the However, as I learnt from other sources that deceased to get up, and called him twice, when ho the watchman Noronha was accused of having got up and that no watchman pushed the
done this thing, and as he voluntarily came fo
deceased by the shoulder. Although this is not this Consulate-General and offered himself for
a very important point in the case, it shows investigation into the truth of the allegations discrepancies in the evidence and we cannot against him. I decided to hold the cquiry.blaue the British Consul for saying that the In the second place, Noronha is a Portuguese evidence was not clear. The British Consul subject and as such, if a serious charge of this further said that there was no evidence to show nature is preferred againt him, he should be that the accused committed a crime.
It is only tried by his own Cousul. But I decided, in on account of racial distinction that this consultation with my Fortuguese colleague, M. matter was hushed up and the Consul had no de Moraes, that, in view of the fact that the
time to think of public justice. It is really alleged criminal offence had been committed on
a very great pity. board a British steamer by a person on that steamer's articles, and in view of the popular excitement prevailing in regard to this case, it would be expedient that I should first hold a preliminary inquiry into the circum- stances attending the death of this passenger
on the Patshan. This I have done in as
public and thorough a manner as possible. A deputy from the Viceroy bas heen present at the hearing, taking notes and cross-exam. ining the witnesses. The public, including members of the Chinese press, have been allowed to be present and the Portuguese Consul- Geuoral has occupied a seat in Court. I have come to the conclusion, after carofully consider ing all the evidence that has been brought forward yesterday and to-day, that there is not sufficient evidence to justify me in handing over the accused to his Consul on a charge of having aused the death of this passenger. Of the 600 ad passengers on the Fatshun that night only wo came forward to testify that they had seen he accused assault the decouses, and their vidence, for reasons which I have mentioned efore, I am bound to regard with grave uspicion. On the other hand Dr. Davenport's videuce, given in the clearest and most xplicit mamer, goes to show that the eceased died natural doath. Under hese circumstances the accused, વર fax s the Court is concerned, is discharged. It is pen to the Chinese Authorities, should they onsider the result of this enquiry unsatisfactory, o charge the accused in the Portuguese Con
Jar Court, where, I am sure, all charges made gainst him will receive an impartial and fair tearing. I will ask Mr. Greaves, Messrs. Butterfield and Swire's Agent, to hold himself esponsible for Noronha's appearance wheu
alled upon.
Mr. Greaves gave the necessary assurance.
CHINESE COMMENTS ON THE CASE,
The local Press is still publishing hostile rticles concerning the mattor, and a petition has cen a sent to the Viceroy praying that the body Y the deceased may be exhumed and a fresh post tortem examination held by three doctors, viz.
EXCITEMENT AT CANTON. There is great excitement in the City (writes given by the British Consular Court of inquiry our Canton correspondent) over the docision
re the s.s. Fatshan incident. A boycott of the Sternhout Company's entire feet sceras to be
threatening.
I have no doubt the excitement would soon fizzle out if the local authorities were to issue a proclamation explaining clearly to the public the facts of the inquiry or if the proceedings at the inquiry and the evidence of both foreign and Chinese witnesses published in the leading loral papers.
were translated and
below, issued by the Self-Government Association, The translation of a circular which I give is apparently the first step towards a boycott movement :---
We beg respectfully to inform the public that on the night of the 6th day of this moon (29th Nov.) a Chinaman was kicked to death by a forsigner on board the 8.8. Fatshen. The following patriotic and eminent persous viz. Yeong Wo Kai, Cheong Lau Ki, Tung Chunk and Tam Show Po were strangers to the deceased yet they possessed such patriotic and honourable feelings as to come forward as witnesses to give evidence in
case and petitioned the Authorities to obtain redress on behalf of the deceased. This really shows the sincerity of their feelings and ardent love of their country and their brethren.
the
"From inquires made we learn that all these patriots are business men. For several days they have wasted their precious time and dis- Those who are regarded their toilsome labour. our brothers must really respect them. We
have decided to invite these patriots to come to the Association on the 10th day of this moon (3rd instant) for the purpose of taking their photographs, which we will enrefully preserve We therefore invito all our as a remembrance. brothers to attend at the Association on that day to pay their respects to them."
ENCOURAGING NATIVE INDUSTER In a dispatch sent to the Vicero Bourd of Agriculture, Labour, and d at Peking it is stated that the Chamber merce in the Kijang-su Province has it the Board that the cotton cloth man in the above province is strong, Bexi white and its quality is far superior t manufactured in Bombay. Hitherto i sumption has been confined to several and eastern provinces, but of late years! cloth has found its way into those and has been ousting the native dhe Recently the Board has received seve porial Edicts commanding them to ou native manufactures.
The Board reque Viceroy to give instructions to all Mult Police Departaments and the Directors of s and Colleges in the Province of Kwang purchase the native cloth manufact Kiang-su for the use of the wilitary, p students. The Viceroy has issued ad that effect.
BLACKMAIL.
The International Banking Corporati has again received a letter demanding 1 blackmail to be paid within five days on a curtain Shek Loong junk.
November CANTON-HANKOW RAILWAY. The total sum of money due on the instalment of the shares of the Canton-i Railway Company amount to over $1 out of which about $1,300,000, is re have been collected by the Company upj 30th day of the 10th moon (23rd inst from this amount the sum of $200,000 into the Company in drafts or promissor to be collected on the date.
THE FATSHAN LINE.
been made by many passengers of the
It is reported that recently complaint Railway of articles missing from the s Ingrage cars.
Owing to the recent increase of railwa many steam launches have been placol Canton-Fatsbau run, and, if stern ma not taken to put a check to the pilfering is causing great annoyanes to tranl bulk of the passenger trade will fall hands of the steams. launch owners.
OBJECTION TO A KEROSINE DEPO
A British firm purchased a piece of depot. The gentry there objected to a Samshui for the purpose of building a depot and applied to the Sam-shui Mag to issue an injunction restraining the firm from erecting the depot on the gro kerosine is dangerous goods." The Mag reported the matter to the Viceroy whe the Provincial Treasurer to investig settle the question.
THE ENTHRONEMENT OF THE NEW SO12 HE. the Viceroy has received caller tions from Peking to notify the officials people of the Kwangtung Provinse lë enthronement of the young Emperor place on the 1st day of the 1st mocE TË and that the Grand Council has decided the two characters Shuen Tung ( the title of the reign of the new Emper it is customary in many lines of trade! the title of the reigning Emperor on the manufactured, the cablegram expressly in His Excellency to issue proclamations to the public that all articles and goods v now being manufactured for the for year must bear the title of the new Emp
NEW COINS.
The Viceroy is also in receipt of is instructions from the Board of Reve
Molomra No. 4 în
of
ir. Fox's dospatch No. 71 of December Mth. 180.
343
09
30 JALO
Mr. Fox to Viceroy Chang. (JAP 20 1909
220
Canton, Tacother oth. 16,
Your Excelleney,
I have the honour to acknowledge dh
recsipt of Y.E.'s danpatch dated the lot. inuwant,
in
which you informed me that a Chinese passon or on the
British steamer "Yatshan* Yed been kicked to death by a
foreigner.
On receipt of this despatch I at once dopu
Vice Consul Porter to proced to the Wabalun, and in company with Deputy Haish and the "amhui Sazistrale hold
an inquest on the body. Tr. învenport, tho had already
made an examination that morning, want acain to tho "Patshan" at the request of the hinase tuthorities na
made a second ozenination in the prosenos of the official....
In the meantime I had eumwned the Portuginde
.bah-
man Noronha sho wa nccused of havinr ewused this pha-
sonsor's death, and I fixed the following day at 10...
*Block