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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

CO. 882/10

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON,

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH--NOT TO

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D. E. Rodrigo, Inspector of Police, Hatton.

then over.

I went to Gampola, getting there about 3.0 a.m. on the 31st May. The riots were I recorded the statements of some witnesses. I do not pretend to have examined every witness. I saw Police Constable Ahamath and took down his statement. He charged the first, second, and third accused as ordering the crowd to break Moorish boutiques and throwing stones at Abamed Saibo's boutique. I questioned Packir Ali, Sandanayaka, and others. Sandanayaka gave the names of the fifth, twelfth, first, and tenth accused. Packir Ali gave the names of the Davudu Saibo gave eleventh, first, fifteenth, fourteenth, tenth, and eighth accused. the names of the fifteenth, first, sixth, seventh, and ninth accused. Bawa Adjie gave the names of the first and eighth accused. Seena Samsudeen charged the third, first, eighth, and ninth accused. M. Abdul Cader charged the first, second, third, sixth, seventh, and ninth accused. Naina Mohamadu charged the sixth, fourth, tenth, seventh, and fifth. Police Constable Shaik Usoof charged the eleventh and first accused. Police Constable Vellupillai charged the first, eighth, fourteenth, and twelfth accused. Jael Abdin charged the sixth, seventh, ninth, first, and fifteenth accused Sinne Lebbe charged the first, seventh, sixth, ninth, and fifteenth accused. A. M. Coya charged the third, eighth, sixth, and tenth accused.

J. R. Walters, Police Magistrate, Gampola.

On the 29th May, about 8.0 p.m., the police sergeant and the korala came to my bungalow and charged the tenth accused with creating a panic. When I went round the town all the boutiques had been shut and the people were standing with one plank open.

That was about 9.0 o'clock. The usual time for closing is about 10.0 o'clock. On the 30th May, about 4.0 p.m., the police sergeant told me the licence- holder for the procession wished to surrender his licence. About 4.30 p.m. about five boutique keepers of Sinhapitiya told me that a crowd of about 500 Sinhalese were threatening their boutiques in Sinhapitiya. About 6.45 p.m. the rioting began. I arrested a man and handed him to Pakir Ali. I cannot identify him now. He had a stick in his hands, was throwing stones and banging the door of Ahamadu Saibo's boutique. He was a short Sinhalese man and had no beard. I could not control the crowd. About 11.30 the crowd was attacking the mosque. During the course of the evening I heard loud explosions at the mosque. I remem- ber & Moorman pointing a man and saying he was responsible for the riots. That Moorman, I believe, was Makati. The Court Sergeant was with me at the time. After 12.0 o'clock I saw thirty or forty armed Sinhalese coming from the direction of A Mahara. I was with constables, and we drove the crowd back to the bridge. man who was at the head went to the bungalow of the first accused. Shortly after The I went up to him and asked: "Are you Charles Silva?" He said: "I am.' house of the first accused appeared to me a centre for the rioters; that is why I went I cannot there. I patrolled the streets till 3.0 a.m., when Inspector Rodrigo came. identify any of the accused.

To President: I was appointed on the 1st May to Gampola. I had not sufficient time to know local people by name. The streets were brightly lighted.

1). E. Rodrigo, Inspector of Police (recalled).

I searched the house of the third accused on the 20th June and found the gun produced. I asked for it, and the sister of the third accused gave it. The streets were brightly lighted.

Cross-examined: The house of the first accused appeared to be a centre for the rioters. Eighth accused did not run away when we saw him near mosque.

The Court adjourned to 8.30 a.m. the following day.

The Court resumed at 8.30 a.m.

Malcolm Stevenson,

11th August, 1915.

In reply to the President, said a preliminary inquiry was held by the Police Magistrate, Gampola, commencing on the 31st May. On subsequent dates, up to about the 5th or 6th June, other people were charged before the Magistrate, alto- gether about thirty-five or thirty-six people. He merely held non-summary inves- Ligations, with the object of sifting the evidence, more or less, against the people who had been charged before him. He gave the people who were charged the oppor- tunity of making any statement, and he recorded those statements. Subsequently the Magistrate was instructed by the Attorney-General to send his record of pro- ceedings to me, so that I might investigate the charges made and pick out those I thought necessary to be charged before the court martial.

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The Defence.

First accused, Charles Silva.

I am 33 years of age and a resident of Gampola. On the 30th May, from an early hour, crowds kept coming in from the villages. In the morning I went to Lantern Hill Estate to meet Mr. Peiris, who had come from Colombo, and returned about 12.30. The Roman Catholic priest had left a message for me, and I went to the church about 4.30 or 5.0 p.m. He wanted me to make an amicable settlement between the Moors and Sinhalese about a procession that was to be conducted that day. We consented to give up the procession. I then went home about 5.45 p.m. and remained till 6.0 p.m., when the Ratemahatmaya came and told me there was preaching at the junction and a lot of people, and asked me to stop it. I told him I could not. I walked out with him, and we met Proctor Rambukpota and Mr. Jonklaas. Before I returned to my house the disturbance began.

took no part

in it, but went home and closed the door. Shortly after I heard my window panes being smashed. I ran away by the back door and went beyond the bridge to my property, and returned at midnight after the riots had subsided. Some Tamil coolies from Pussellawa came into town, and I came along with them. I have property, but I am heavily involved. It is not true that I collected crowds and started the riots.

Second accused, H. S. de Silva.

I am 35 years old, and live on an estate one mile from Gampola Town. On the 30th May, about 4.30 p.m., I went to Gampola, saw my sister, who lives with my brother, the third accused, and returned in about ten or fifteen minutes. Third accused was not at home. I met Mr. Janaze, of the Local Board, and Pakir Ali at the junction on my way back, and passed third accused near post office. There was a disturbance in Gampola, and about 6.30 p.m. my sister and a small boy were brought to my estate. Third accused came with them. I went the following day to Gampola. I took no part in the rioting. I am indebted. Two or three of my lands are not mortgaged, but the others are.

Third accused, H. S. de Silva.

I am 25 years old, and live in Gampola. On the 30th May I attended the con- ference at the Roman Catholic School, as a result of which the procession was stopped. About 4.30 p.m. I rode on my motor-cycle to Sinhapitiya to tell the licensees for the procession to attend the meeting at the school. Seventh accused asked me to meet second accused near post office. I was away about twenty minutes. About 6.30 p.m. I took my sister to my brother's estate, as I heard a disturbance at the junction. I came home about 7.15 by a back way, and stayed at home till morning.

Eighth accused, Gunawardene.

I am a native of Panadura, but came to Gampola with my family for a change. and was living there during the riots. I hold titular rank of Mohandiram. I had nothing to do with the riots in Gampola. I am married to a sister of the first, second, and third accused. I attended the meeting at the Roman Catholic School, returned home about 6.15 p.m., and remained in my house till 12.0 midnight or 12.30 o'clock. I was talking in the compound of my house to one R. E. Chandra, Andrew and Charles, Mr. Panabokka's clerk, and one Punchi Rala. After 12.0 o'clock I met Mr. Jansze when I went towards the junction. I was looking at the mosque when ten or fiften people were pulling it down. I then went into Samath's house, and remained there fifteen or twenty minutes. I came out ultimately to the road, when He told the Magistrate I met the Magistrate and some police. I saw Makati. something in Tamil. I was not arrested. There is no truth in the evidence that I was responsible for the breaking of Makati's house. I remained at the junction with Mr. Jansze, Mr. Vanderstraaten, and others till about 3.30 or 4.0 in the morning. A boutique was burning opposite the house of the third accused. I helped Mr. Jansze to prevent the other houses taking fire.

L. B. Jansze.

I am Secretary of the Local Board, Gampola. On the 30th May, about 9.0 p.m., I met the eighth accused in old Nuwara Eliya Street. We were talking for about half an hour about the damage done. About 11.0 or a little later, after the destruction of the mosque, I met him again at the main junction. I was putting out the fires, and he was in my company till 3.30 or 4.0 a.m. He was helping to get water to put