192
3.
doubt the identity both of Mr. Teo and his servants, there
can be no excuse for this misconduct.
Not content with treating Mr. Teo as a criminal, the
police have removed from his house two shot guns, with about
300 or 400 cartridges, two old-fashioned revolvers with no
cartridges, one sporting knife and the revolver with which he
was armed on the night in question.
away two or three bunches of keys.
They have also taken
Further, to add to the
damage committed by the robbers, the police forced open two
of Mr. Teo's wife's trunks containing clothing.
In fact,
they themselves seem to have behaved no better than the
robbers whom it was their duty to pursue and arrest, and their
attitude throughout the whole affair is almost incredible.
The fact that the victim of their brutality was a British
subject makes their action, if possible, the more condemnable,
and I must lodge a most emphatic protest against the whole
conduct of the police in this matter.
I must also request you to note that the Superintent's
remark that Mr. Teo Yee Swee had no right to possess &
revolver and cartridges is incorrect. There is no regulation
to prevent a respectable British subject from carrying s
revolver for self-defence; and the condition of lawlessness from which Swatow is now suffering and the complete helpless-
ness of the police in the matter of maintaining order show
how necessary it is for respectable persons to carry arme.
Further, I would ask you to note that as Mr. Teo Yee
Swee signed the written statement in the Central Police
Station without first reading it, nothing in it can be used
against him.
Further, the police had no right to demand a guarantee
for a British subject, and the guarantee given by the Book Lin
and Hook Cheong firms is null and void, as regards Mr. Teo
Yee Swee because he is British and as regards his servants
beaar