| PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
תחחוייי.
C.O.
Reference :-
882
3
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
256
There was a great deal of talking before the terms of the agreement could be arranged, and in the evening the head men went home before the agreement could be completely written out. The night passed quietly.
Sunday, 12th December 1875.-This day passed off quietly, the framing of the agree ment between the head men having been put off till Monday.
Monday, 13th December 1875.-The head men of the two societies again assembled at the opium farm before Mr. Boon Teong, the manager of the farm, and Mr. Tek Cheang, justice of the peace.
They were busy all day, but the agreement was not finished.
At 4 o'clock a report was brought in by a Chinese planter named Soon Hong that he had met on the Durian Tingul road mobs of Chinese, armed with sticks and spears with pieces of red cloth tied to them.
The red cloth is considered an emblem of the Holi Beng Society, and Superintendent Hayward at once sent out the sergeant-major and air constables, accompanied by Boon Swee (head of the Hob Beng Society), to disperse the mob, and inform them that the quarrel between the two societies had been settled.
The sergeant-major returned at 91 p.m., without having been able to meet any of the rioters.
The same evening, however, a Ghee Hin coolie got beaten on the road coming to town, and a Ghee Hin was attacked and robbed by Hoh Beng men; in revenge for which the same evening some Ghee Hin men beat two Hoh Beng men in the market. Great excitement continued in town all night, but no actual rioting took place.
The Ghee Hins having this got mixed up in the disturbances, the quarrel, instead of being confined to two societies, extended now to three, the Ghee Hin and Ghee Boo on one side, and the Hob Beng on the other.
Tuesday, 14th December 1875.-In the morning it was reported to me that the Ghee Hin men who had beaten and robbed the night before had been beaten "by mis- take," under the impression that they were Ghee Boos, and I at once ordered Boon Swee, who is the interpreter in my court, to go and apologise according to the Chinese fashion to the Ghee Hin Society for the "mistake."
Boon Swee accordingly presented the society with 835 for the damage done, and a pair of red candles as an apology, and fired crackers off in the "Congsee "house. Upon this the head men of the three societies went to the opium farm the same evening, and declared before Superintendent Hayward, Mr. Boon Teong, and Mr. Chan Tek Cheang, J.P., that their quarrels were at an end, and sent out messengers in all directions to circulate the information.
About an hour after this, however, some Ghee Hin men attacked and robbed two shops belonging to some Hoh Beng men in town, in consequence of which the greatest excite ment prevailed, and every one locked his house. The police fortunately, however,
arrested five men for robbing the shops, which had a good effect.
Two shops also belonging to Hob Beng men were attacked and robbed about the same time at Bukit China, but no arrests made.
Wednesday, 15th December 1875.-Great excitement prevailed all day, but nothing serious was reported until 7 p.m., when a letter was received from the corporal at Malim, stating that on the previous night a mob of Ghee Hins had attacked the house of a Hob Beng man at Bukit Rambay, killed one man, mortally wounded another, carried off two buffaloes, and burnt down the house.
The principal Chinese merchants in town, however, used every exertion to allay this fresh excitement, and arrangements were made to go in force to this place next morning, to make arrests and hold an inquest.
Thursday, 16th December 1875.-At 8 a.m. Superintendent Hayward went out, with a party of 40 Ghoorkas, to hold the inquest on the man murdered at Bukit Rambay, and make arrests in the neighbourhood, where it was reported large mobs of Ghee Hin men were assembled.
About noon Mr. Martin Velge arrived from Durian Tungal, and reported that there were large mobs of coolies from the different plantations going about, armed, under the red flag, threatening to attack all the tapioca "bangsals "and shops of the other side, and that the day before a mob under the red flag had twice attacked some shops in Durian Tungal, looting them of everything they contained, and carrying off a number of pigs. He applied also for a warrant to arrest 27 of his coolies, who refused to work, * On this day I returned from my visit from Sunghie Ujong-(Signed) C. B. P.
957
and wanted to join the rioters. Numbers of men also came to complain of attacks having been made during the night, and in the morning, in the neighbourhood of Bukit Bruang, five miles from town, by men under the red flag.
Reports also came in from Roombia, nine miles off, that parties of men under the red flag were going about and robbing shops.
A large party of police under the sergeant-major was accordingly sent to Bukit Bruang to make arrests, and Inspector Cartwright, with 10 soldiers of the 10th Regi- ment and a party of police, were sent to Durian Toongal, with orders to proceed next day to Allor Gadjah.
During the day an imperative order came from Colonel Anson to send Captain Rankin and 50 Goorkhas away to Lookoot, and it was a ranged that they should start the next day.
About 8 p.m. Superintendent Hayward returned from holding the inquest at Bukit Rambay, and brought in 15 prisoners whom he had arrested, having left the Goorkhas at two posts on the road, supported by the police.
The sergeant-major also returned. from Bukit Bruang, with an equal number of prisoners.
Later in the evening Mr. J. M. R. Magalhaens and Mr. J. E. Westerhout were sworn in as head special constables, besides six soldiers of the 10th Regiment and about 70 Portuguese and 17 Manilla men, detained by me on their way from Lookoot to Singapore.
The specials were all taken to the central station, and divided into three watches, under Mr. Magalhaens, Mr. Westerhout, and Inspector. Hogge.
At about 10 p.m. a report came in that the Ghee Hins under the white flag were coming down in great force from Tanjong Kling to attack the opposite party at Tanquerah, the west quarter of the town. I reported this to Captain Hankin, and be decided to recall the Goorkhas from the country to Tanquerah. The Goorkhas were accordingly called in, but as it proved a false alarm, were marched straight to the barracks.
The same night I sent a sailing boat to Singapore, asking for a reinforcement. Friday, 17th December 1875.-In the morning Mr. Trevenen arrived in the "Pilot Fish" with 27 Arabs for Sungie Ujong, whom I detained, and it was arranged that Superintendent Hayward and Mr. Westerhout were to start with them at once for Ching, Piab Rumpote, and Roombis, but, owing to delays in landing the Arabs, the start was not made until 5 p.m.
Mr. Magalhaens was sent earlier in the day in another direction to Doorian Toongal to assist Mr. Martin Velge in arresting the 96 coolies, and to act generally with the soldiers and the police, as he deemed it necessary.
The town remained perfectly quiet, but alarming reports were constantly coming in from the country.
At midnight Captain Rankin, with 50 of the Ghoorkas, started for Lookoot in the "Louise."
Saturday, 18th December 1875.-About 7 a.m. Mr. Magalhaens returned along wity Mr. Martin Velge from Doorian Toongal, bringing in a gang of 27 prisoners. Theh were at once arraigned before me for refusing to work, and sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour. Mr. Martin Velge was then sworn in asa fustice of the peace, and a fresh detachment of the 10th Regiment sent out under his special directions to Doorian Toongal, where there were large bands of coolics marauding about. I also supplied him with 12 muskets and ammunition, to arm the Punghulu and his men in the district of Durian Toongal.
In the course of the day a report was received from Inspector Cartwright that a party of men, under the red flag, had taken possession of the village of Sepatay in the Pinh Rumpote district, robbing, plundering, and burning all round; that the day previous, in one of their fights, they killed one of the white flag party and beheaded him; and that, on that very morning, when approaching the village with a party of police, they had fired upon him, but afterwards had run away towards Bertam upon his returning their fire; also stating that he had taken several prisoners. In the afternoon Superintendent Hayward returned from Rumbia with the Arab force, bringing in seven prisoners, and Mr. Trevenen (having been sworn in as a justice of the peace) took out the Arabe again abusit 2 a.m. next morning to make arrests and break up mobs of rioters in the neighbourhood of Bukit Brunng.
Sunday, 19th December 1875.—Early in the morning a report arrived from Parling, 22 miles from town in the Allorgajah direction, that one man had been killed and fire taken prisoners by Ghee Hin men, and Superintendent Hayward at once started off,
BREST.
Kk
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
HPE CO. 882
يليا
3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.