PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TILTIC.O.882
2
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- 'COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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and for Malacca, in the presence and hearing of Wah Tayrow, Moh Jadin, Cassim, Dagar Moosah, Talib, Eusope, Brahim, and Mah Allu,
Charged with and murder on the high seas.
piracy
Monday, December 29, 1873.
Mat Syed, sworn, states:-I live in Tranqunah. On the 16th November, 1873, I left Langat for Malacca, with a cargo of rattan and 2,000 dollars in a box, in a tongkang of four coyans belonging to Malacca. Besides me there was in the tongkang Mambie, Maman, Tambi Etam, Ahkim, Hadji Duraman, and three Chinamen passengers. Hadji Duraman was the nacodah, the rest of us the boatmen. A Malay Chinaman named Ahkim, a native of Langat, gave the 2,000 dollars to Hadji Abdulrahman to bring to Malacca for his uncle. I was present when the money was given to Duraman. We set sail for Malacca at 1 P.M. on 16th November. When outside the mouth of the river at Marip, at about 2 P.M. we anchored. Hadji Duraman told us (the boatmen) to take our rest, as we should sail at 9 P.M. At about 3, Duraman awoke me to boil rice. While doing this, at at about 5 P.M. I saw two boats coming out from Langat. I was afraid, as I knew pirates had murdered people near Langat before, and I called Duraman. He told me not to be afraid. Shortly after this some one called out, "Hadji Duraman, what news?" He answered, “Good news” (“kubbai baik"). He then asked, "Where are you going?" They in the two boats answered, "To cast nets." He asked them why they did not go; they said they were waiting until it was dark. Instead of going away, six of them came on board the tongkang, Nos. 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7, and one who is not here. When Duraman was just going to eat rice, No. 1 fired at him and hit him in the chest; he fell. No. 1 fired from his boat, then No. 7 called out "Stab." No. 5 stabbed him. Mambi Maman and Ahkim jumped overboard, seeing Etam, Duraman, with three Chinamen dead. No. 5 stabbed Etain. Nos. 2, 3, and 6 stabbed the three Chinamen. No. 8 stabbed Mambi, Maman, and Ahkim when they were in the water. There were others in the boats helped. No. 9 was in one of the boats. I jumped overboard when I saw what was going on. I got down the stern and remained in the water an hour, and then dived.
(The mark of Mat Syed.)
Remanded to January 2, 1874.
(Signed) A. R. ORD, Magistrate of Police.
Friday, January 2, 1874.
Mat Syed continues:-And swam about the length of this Court under water, when I came up I found myself between the tongkang and the shore. I swam towards the shore and got hold of a pile of a pier belonging to a fort opposite where we anchored. I remained quiet in the water holding on for a quarter of an hour, when I heard the voice of a Bugis. I was up to my neck in water. After a short time I heard a man come to the pier from the fort; then the pirates' two boats came up to within two fathoms of where I was. The man on the pier said, What news?" "Good news," was the reply from the men in the boats. "Have you finished them all?" said the man on the pier. "All but one," was the "Where are you going
answer from the boat. "We searched but could not find him." now ?" was the next question from the man just over my head. They answered, " Up the river;" and went away, returning again in about an hour, when they landed at the steps, close to where I was. I heard them regretting that they had lost one of us to the friends from the fort. If they had not lost one no news could have reached Malacca. When I heard all quiet I swam to the Bugis boat, which was near the pier. I asked the men on board, seventeen or eighteen, to save my life. They assisted me on board. I told them what had happened. About a quarter of an hour after this a man from the pier asked what the talking was about? They replied in the Bugis boat, "Abdulrahman's tongkang has been plundered and the crew murdered, and we have one on board who has escaped.' He said, "Bring him here." The Bugis said, "If you want this man, to-morrow morning I will show you him." The Bugis were armed with guns, kriss, spears, &c., and were not afraid of the Langat people. Next morning the Bugis took me on shore to the fort; all the prisoners were there. I saw many Badjoos sarongs belonging to my friends, also nacodah's gun and sword in the fort. There was blood on one of the bags of rice from our tongkang. The head of the fort examined me as to what had occurred; I told him. Prisoners wanted to take me to the other side of the fort, but the Bugis men (three of them) would not allow this. Marsah (the Headman) told the Bugis to take me to Yeam Tuan's; they took me to him. Nos. 2, 5, and 7 prisoners followed in a boat. Yeam Tuan was asleep, and they took me to Dato Banda, who asked me if I knew who had
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committed the murder. I said I did, and he told me stop quiet. Then I was taken to Yeam Tuan's, who examined me. I told him everything. He asked if I knew the men.
I said I did not know them. Prisoners Nos. 2, 5, and 7 then asked Yeam Tuan (Sultan of Salangore) to give me up to them, but I cried, and he took me to Mat Syed's shop, a Malacca man from Mat Syed's. I came to Malacca, having written to my uncle to tell him what had happened. He came and brought me to Malacca.
(The mark of Mat Syed.)
Remanded to Friday, January 9, 1874.
(Signed)
A. R. ORD. Magistrate of Police.
Friday, January 9, 1874.
Mat Syed continues:-When I arrived here I made my complaint to the Lieutenant- Governor, I had returned to Malacca about twenty days, when, while watching the boats in the river near the bridge, I saw three boats passing up; in the first boat I saw prisoners 1, 2, and 3; in the second boat I saw one of the prisoners who is not in Court; the three boats I recognized as Langat boats. I went to the police to Mr. Hayward, and told him what I had seen.
He sent Sergeant-Major Mahomed and police constables with me. the four out, and they were arrested in the boats.
I pointed There was a Boyan (in the boat) and some others-Malays. I went on board the first boat and found the gun produced. It is the gun that Hadji Abdulrahman had on board the tongkang, and which I saw in the fort. The spear and sword were also in the boat. They belonged to Hadji Abdulrahman, and were taken from the tongkang to the fort. Three days after this I saw a Langat boat at anchor near the pier. I reported to Inspector Warne, who took me to it. board, and I pointed out prisoners 5, 6, 8, and 9 as the men who had plundered the tong- kang at Langat; be arrested them. Prisoner No. 7 I saw in the police station the same day. The sarong and anchor produced were on board. The sarong belonged to Manan; the anchor was the one used by Hadjee Rahman when the murder took place. A man named Long sent it to him.
(The mark of Mat Syed.)
Sworn and taken before me,
(Signed)
A. R. ORD, Magistrate of Police.
We went on
Daga sworn, states :-I have been trading in fish at Langat for some months. About two months ago I sold some fish to Tunku Alang (Rajah Yacoob). On the 14th November I went to demand money from him; he told me to wait for two days. On the 16th I went again. He was in his house each time at the Qualla (the fort). Moosah, prisoner No. 5, is the Headman of it. Prisoner No. 3, Kassim, was in the house. Tunku Alang told Kassim to go to Bandar to enquire if any Chinaman was going to send money to Malacca by Hadjei Durahman. This occurred at 8 A.M. At 1 P.M. he returned, and told Tunku Alang that at 5 P.M. Duraman's boat was coming down the river with plenty of money. Tunku Alang told Moosah and the rest of the prisoners, and others not present, to go and murder (amok) the whole of the people on board Duraman's boat, and to plunder and bring everything to him. No. 5 prisoner is Tunku Alang's Panglima, Head of his people, kept for plundering. At 5 P.M. that day I saw Duraman's boat at anchor about an hour's row from the fort. The whole of the prisoners went in one boat; I and a number of other Malays went in another boat. Prisoners' boat was the first to get up to Duraman's. Ist prisoner asked him to give them some food, and they went on board. We did not do so; we were some way off. I then saw 5th prisoner fire at Duraman's. 1st prisoner then commenced killing and cutting the heads, &c, of the people on board. Three of them jumped overboard, and the people in the boat stabbed them (not in my boat, but Moosah's, 5th prisoner) with spears. Eight were killed. We then plundered everything, and went to the fort. When close to the pier, one of Tunku Alang' men who was in it called out, "Have you killed all ?" The answer was, "All but one." We knew one had escaped, for Kassin brought news that nine men were to be on board. Tunku Alang was on the pier: he was sorry one had escaped, as nothing would have been known of the matter but for this; but the people from the boat (prisoner's) said he must be dead. Next morning at 6 A.M. Tunku Alang saw prosecutor in a Bugis boat, and he ordered 5th prisoner to go to the boat for him. The Bugis said they found him in the sea, and must give him to Yeam Tuan. The day after this the plunder was divided by Tunku Alang. He gave 5th prisoner 30 dollars, 9th prisoner 5 dollars, lat prisoner 10 dollars. All prisoners got some of the plunder. 6th prisoner stabbed the three inen