6
Dr. Davenport then made a thorough examination of the body and, needless to say, arrived at the same conclusion as before.
The representatives of the Chinese medical profession and the other busybodies on board seemed dissatisfied with the tame result of all their agitation and proceeded to inflict another very searching examination on the corpse. The result of this was, I gathered, an alleged broken rib and the translation of some post mortem discoloration into exterior marks of bruises. Dr. Davenport promptly demonstrated their error,
A wrangle of the most undignified description then ensued between the Namhoi Magistrate and Mr. Hsieh on the one part and a group of excited passengers, doctors, and press men on the other. It was extremely ludicrous to see the way in which the Magistrate disappeared into a sea of angry faces while almost the entire crowd of on- lookers shouted at him at once.
I urged Mr. Hsieh to have the body removed at once, as the medical examination to which we had agreed was now over, and it remained for him to carry out his part of the bargain and have the rest of the inquest held on shore.
Mr. Hsieh was endeavouring to do this in the face of considerable difficulty when the guard from the "Moorhen," who had turned out with the greatest promptness as soon as my request reached Captain Walcott, arrived with Captain White of His Majesty's ship Robin' in charge, and brought the proceedings to a natural ter-
mination.
T
The hospital attendants took the body ashore and laid it down on the wharf. The Prefect and Magistrate returned to the telegraph office and I left with the Viceroy's Deputy and returned to Shameen to make arrangements for a joint inquiry to be held before Mr. Fox,
As soon as the officials had left, Captain White cleared the ship and kept sentries on the gangways until half-an-hour later when an expensive coffin, which in the heat and anxiety of the moment the Namhoi Magistrate had undertaken to provide, arrived and enabled the body to be removed.
It would, undoubtedly, have been better for a guard to have been placed on board the "Fatshan" immediately after her arrival, but Captain Lloyd did not at first consider the situation at all serious. The permission given to the authorities to view the body on board in the presence of the Vice-Consul was a friendly concession, due largely to Paul Beau" the ill-feeling that had been aroused by French Consular action in the affair. The delay between the dispatch of my note and its receipt on board the "Moorhen," rendered it impossible to clear the ship during the examination, it being
manifestly inadvisable to invite Chinese police on board for the purpose.
H. PORTER.
Inclosure 4 in No. 1.
(Signed)
Report by Dr. Davenport on the Death of a Passenger alleged to have been kicked to
death on board the Steam-ship
$4 Futshan."
I HEREBY certify that I have this day examined the body of a Chinaman who is said to have died on the voyage last night from Hongkong to Canton on the steam-ship "Fatshan."
I could find no evidence of any broken bone or any sign of any external injury to head, trunk, or limbs, and there were no physical signs of effusion of blood or fluid into any cavity as would probably occur if any internal organ such as the liver or spleen were severely damaged.
As on percussion the spleen was found to be somewhat enlarged and particularly from the appearance of lips, tongue, and mouth, I have no hesitation in stating that I firmly believe that the deceased had been suffering from fever for several days pre- viously and that when he came on board the "Fatshan" in Hongkong, he must have been seriously ill.
(Signed)
E. C. DAVENPORT, M.R.C.S. England, L.R.C.P. London, M.B. London, Medical Officer to His Britannic Majesty's Con- sulate General and Imperial Maritime Customs.
7
Inclosure 5 in No. 1.
Extract from the "Hong Kong Daily Press" of December 7, 1908.
Your Excellency,
[Not printed.]
Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Fox to Viceroy Chang.
Canton, December 4, 1908. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's despatch dated the Ist instant, in which you informed me that a Chinese passeuger on the British steamer Fatshan" had been kicked to death by a foreigner.
to the
<
On receipt of this despatch, I at once deputed Mr. Vice-Consul Porter to proceed Fatshan," and in company with Deputy Hsieh and the Namhoi Magistrate hold an inquest on the body. Dr. Davenport, who had already made an examination that morning, went again to the Fatshan" at the request of the Chinese authorities and made a second examination in the presence of the officials.
44
In the meantime I had summoned the Portuguese watchman, Noronha, who was accused of having caused this passenger's death, and I fixed the following day at I duly notified the Chinese 10:30 o'clock for the holding of an inquiry into the affair. authorities concerned, asking them to order the attendance of wituesses for the prose- cution and inviting them to be present at the inquiry.
At the conclusion of the inquiry, which lasted two days, I found that there was not sufficient evidence to make the watchman responsible for the death of this man, aud the medical evidence given by Dr. Davenport showed clearly that the man had died a natural death. I therefore discharged the accused, requesting the agent of Messrs. Butterfield and Swire to be surety for his reappearance if hereafter required.
A
copy of all the depositions made at the inquiry was sent to Deputy Hsieh yesterday afternoon with a request that he would translate them into Chinese and lay them before you.
I think your Excellency, after perusing these documents, will agree with me that on the evidence before me I could come to no other conclusion.
If your Excellency is satisfied with the results of this inquiry, I have the honour to request that you will cause a Proclamation to be issued, explaining to the public that a full inquiry has been held, and that it has been found that this man did not die a violent, but a natural, death.
The issue of such a Proclamation is, in my opinion, essential in view of the many unfounded and exaggerated rumours, which, through the medium of the Chinese newspapers, have during the last few days disturbed the minds of the people of Canton.
In this connection I beg to draw the serious attention of your Excellency to the action of the Canton newspapers, in particular the "Kwo Shih Pao," in printing detailed statements of witnesses before the inquiry was held, and after the inquiry, although their reporters were present and heard all that was said, publishing inaccurate and entirely one-sided reports of the proceedings.
In all Western countries such conduct on the part of newspaper editors would meet with severe punishment, and, as I understand the Press Regulations recently issued by the Chinese Government, provide penalties in cases where newspapers endanger the harmony of international relations by publishing false reports, I have the honour to request that your Excellency will summon the editors of the newspapers who have printed inaccurate and exaggerated reports of this affair and impose suitable penalties as a warning to others,
necessary to prevent the Your Excellency will, I am sure, take such steps as may friendly relations which at present exist between Chinese and foreigners in Canton being disturbed by the ill-considered utterances of irresponsible journalists.
I have, &c. (Signed)
be
HARRY H. FOX.
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