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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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C.O. 882
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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Panjang, Rajah Muda Keechee and his son Rajah Ahmat, persons well skilled in con- ducting "mein berhantoo," to look into futurity and devise some plan for accomplishing Mr. Birch's death.
(b) The witnesses then speak of the arrival of these men, the preparations for holding the meetings, and the performance of "mein berhantoo" for three successive nights, on the last night of which the "spirit" declared that Mr. Birch would be dead in three months.
(a) Mat Rouse speaks of Abdullah sending for Rajah Keechee Muda and Rajah Ahmat to conduct the "mein berhantoos," and Allong Nhor mentions that the Sultan said that he and the chiefs had better conslut the spirits with a view of bringing about Mr. Birch's death
(b) Mat Rouse, Indoot, Long Mabnoom, Mat, Se Tika, Kulup Nyam, and Syed Masahore speak of the preparations for and holding of the "mein berhantoos."
The evidence of all these parties has strong legal corroboration, from the fact that Indoot made a report at the time of the circumstance to Mahomed Syed, police sergeant at Kota Stia, which he entered in his note book, and which runs thus:-
"On 27th August, on Friday at 9 a.m., a Malay, called Indoot, came aud told me that Sultan Abdullah wanted to do something wrong to Mr. Birch, and that he wanted to kill him by sorcery."
Abdullah states that from the month of June, when a "mein berhantoo"
was held for a sick child, until the death of Mr. Birch, no such performance took place. In addition to the particular "mein berhantoo" alluded to in the charge, the evidence shows that, in the inonth of September, Abdullah had a "mein berhantoo" for three days at Passir Panjang. This is noticed in the diary of Mr. Birch, who, writing on the 22nd September, saya "Abdullah begged my people to tell me that he would be with me He must stop on his way at his father's tomb (at Passir Panjang) and get the "devils charmed away from him."
"goon.
Charge 4.
The evidence shows that (a) the Maharajah Lela and the Datu Sagor visited the Sultan at Passir Panjang on or about the 5th October 1875, shortly after he had signed the proclamations 1. and J., and when he was much excited at certain slave women having run away to Bandar Bahru; (6) that, on this occasion, the Maharajah Lela stated that the other Datus might follow Mr. Birch if they liked, but that he never would, and that, in pursuance of command which he had received from ex-Sultan Ismail and the Mantri, he intended to carry out the former agreement, and to oppose the orders of Mr. Birch; (c) that the Sultan gave the Maharajah Lela a written authority to kill Mr. Birch, agreeing to furnish him with muskets, ammunition, and rice.
(a) Mat Rouse, Haji Hoosein, and Krani Esaac speak of the Maharajah Lela and the Datu Sagor coming to Passir Panjang about this time and visiting the Sultan in his boat. Other witnesses, namely, Allong Nhor, Indoot, Kulup Nyam, Se Gondah, Long Mahnoom, and Mr. Bacon, state that Abdullah divided his time between Campong Gaja and Passir Panjang, in constant communication with the Maharajah Lela.
(b) Mat Rouse, Haji Hoosein, and Krani Esaac speak of this conversation, and there is evidence that the Maharajah Lela was improving the stockade at Passir Sala at this time.
(c) This rests on the statement of Mat Rouse, though something very similar is mentioned by Indoot, who speak of it occurring at Campong Gaja before the Governor's visit. Haji Hoosein and Krani Esaac both state that they were told of this circumstance by Mat Rouse a day or two afterwards. See Kye, Se Gondah and Dyang Mooruah also speak of the Maharajah Lela reading out a letter of authority from Abdullah at Passir Sala shortly before the arrival of Mr. Birch,
Abdullah denies ever having written, or caused to be written, a letter of authority to the Maharajah Lela to kill Mr. Birch, and, evidently under the impression that Govern- ment may be in possession of some such paper, asserts that there is a false chop of his in existence.
Charge 5.
The evidence shows (a) that on the 11th October, immediately after the Shahbandar had searched in vain for the slave women at Bandar Bahru, the Laxamana, by Abdullah's direction, sent a letter to ex-Sultan Ismail, telling him that it had been arranged that the Maharajah Lela should kill Mr. Birch; (5) that immediately after this, the whole
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party went down to Battak Rabbit to collect arms, and to meet Ismail at Pulo Tiga after Mr. Birch had been killed; and that on the 23rd October, the Laxamana wrote a guarded letter to Haji Mat Yassim to tell Ismail that he was ready to come to Pulo Tiga and bring the Sultan with him; (c) that arms were collected, and that an order was obtained from Mr. Birch for a thousand gantangs of rice; (d) that this rice was put on board two large boats and sent with arms and ammunition to Passir Sala about the 28th, the Maharajah Lela with the Datu Sagor going up the same time; (e) that Abdullah was present at the meeting of chiefs mentioned in the charge.
(a) Mat Rouse, Haji Hoosein, and Krani Esaac speak of this letter having been written and taken up the river by Haji Mat Yassim, and Dyang Mooruah speaks to having heard the letter read out at Blanja, and an appeal made in consequence by Ismail to the Ulu chiefs and people.
(b) Mat Rouse describes these proceedings very accurately. Haji Mat Yassim speaks of receiving the letter, which was one of those found in Haji Alli's possession.
(c) Mat Rouse speaks of the collection of arms; of Abdullah getting the order from Mr. Birch; and of the order being sent to Durian Sabatang. Allong Nhor states that he took the order to Durian Sabatang, and loaded the boats with rice. Ung Pah Saon produces the order for the rice which he says he put on board the two boats, (d and e). Mat Rouse gives a detailed account of this meeting, and of the distribution of arms and provisions. Dyang Mooruah and Ailong Nhor also describe the meeting, and state that they assisted in taking the arms, &c. to Passir Sala. Che Ngah Sahra also speaks of the distribution of arms. Maharajah Dindah, though he states he does not remember going to Durian Sabatang, speaks of Dyang Mooruah doing so and returning with arms. Aboo remembers that a quantity of rice was brought to Passir Sala by Allong Nhor and deposited in the Maharajah Lela's house.
Abdullab simply denies this charge, and says that he never supplied arms and provisions to the Maharajah Lela. A letter found in possession of the Laxamana from the Maharajah Lela, dated the 23rd September, shows that at that date the Maharajah Lela looked for assistance in provisions from the Laxamana, Abdullah's principal adviser. This was at a time when, according to Mr. Birch's diaries, most alarming rumours were afloat, and when Abdullah was in company with the Maharajab Lela at Campong Gaja. The day following the date of this letter Abdullah came to Bandar Bahru with a great number of armed boats, and assumed such a threatening attitude that Mr. Birch called out his sepoys in case of a disturbance.
Charge 6.
The whole body of the evidence goes to prove this charge, which Abdullah denies.
Charge 7.
Mat Rouse, Allong Nhor, Aboo, and Moosah speak of various communications which passed between Abdullah and the Maharajah Lela. Allong Nhor states that he was one of the messengers who went to inform Abdullah, who was then at Bandar Bahru, that the Residency was going to be attacked, when Abdullah directed that the attack should not take place whilst he was there, and made the promise mentioned in the charge. Mat Rouse states that Wan Hoosein was another messenger, and that Abdullah requested him to tell the Maharajah Lela to postpone the attack.
Abdullah denies the charge, and states that for a considerable time he had ceased to have any friendly communication with the Maharajah Lela. The entire evidence, and Mr. Birch's diaries, clearly controvert the latter statement.
Charge 8.
This charge rests on the testimony of Mat Rouse and Allong Nhor, the former of whom states that Abdullah sent up this rice in charge of Haji Mat Syed, Maharajah Dindah, and Rajah Moosa; whilst the latter speaks of its arrival at Passir Sala in charge of Rajah Moosa and Rajah Ahmat. Maharajah Dindah, however, speaks of being supplied with rice by the Sultan at a later period, and not on this occasion, and that he took this rice to Salat Pulo, where a number of Passir Sala refugees were hiding in the jungle, and not to Passir Sala.
Abdullah denies this charge, and says that he did not know that the Mabarajah Lela was preparing to attack the Residency. Independent of the evidence of Mat Rouse and Allong Nhor, that the Sultan was informed by the Maharajah Lela of his intention of doing so, it was well known at Bandar Bahru at the time Abdullah was there, that an F 4