CO882-10 — Page 72

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

III CO. 882/10

لسا

זהו

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

Not very likely.

(lad .c.)

Very likely.

(Ind., A. C.)

Gordon Brooke, sworn.

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Planter, Superintendent of Hanwella group. long time. I have nothing against his character. is honest.

The second prisoner, affd.

I know the first accused for a

CASE against:-

I know the second accused; he

Notary. On the 2nd I did not take part in any riot. It is not true that I took dynamite from the first accused and distributed. I was in my office. I saw the crowd passing. I did not join them. Mr. Amarasekera is angry with my brother- in-law, the first accused. He is the most influential man in Hanwella.

Cross-examined: The mosque is behind my office, about a hundred or more fathoms. I heard the sound. There is a Buddhist Association here. I know the president. His evidence given here is true.

The third prisoner, affd.

Buddhist. On the 2nd I came to the Gansabhawa. I had a case. I produce summons. I arrived at Hanwella at about 9.30 or 10.0 a.m. I came to the Gan- sabhawa and saw the president. He said: "There won't be Gansabhawa owing to the riot." I saw people gathering. I went to the resthouse and came back. I tried to disperse the crowd. At about 12.30 or 1.0 I went to the estate. I had offered my services to go to the front. Muhandiram is angry with me. I have no witnesses.

Cross-examined: I drink. I had a drink that day, but I was not drunk. Mudaliyar asked me to go from the resthouse, and I went. I went home at about 1.0 I was in the Police Force. I learnt drill.

The fourth prisoner, affd.

Schoolmaster. On the 2nd I did not join in the riot. I did not join in dyna- miting the mosque. The charge against me is entirely false. In the morning I taught in the school till about 11.0. After that I was making arrangements for a meeting of the Co-operative Credit Society. They could not hold the meeting that day.

Cross-examined: The meeting was to be held at 2.0. The school hours are from 8.0 to 1.0. The school closed early that day owing to the trouble. Had there been no trouble I would have taught till 1.0. My work in connexion with the association would have taken an hour. At 2.0 o'clock I was on the road not more than five minutes. It was on my way to the school.

15th July, 1915.

A. CHICHESTER, Lieut.-Colonel.

The evidence gave no room for doubt in this case, and some of the evidence of the defence was most doubtful.

A. CHICHESTER, Lieut.-Colonel.

15th July, 1915.

Prisoners :-

1.

HANWELLA.--Field General Court Martial.

15th July, 1915.

Don Jacolis Rupasinghe Goonewardena, vidane Arachchi, of

Kaluaggala Peruma.

2. Don James Goonesekera, Notary-Public.

3.

Victor Timoty de Silva.

4. Gangodawila Appuḥamillage Romanis Perera.

Charges:

1.

Treason.

Finding:

2. Riotously demolishing a mosque.

3. Riotously damaging a mosque.

:-

Guilty (in all cases).

Sentences:-

Death (in all cases).

President: Lieutenant-Colonel A. G. de V. Chichester, 28th Punjabis.

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COURT MARTIAL. Preliminary Proceedings.

1. Tiragandabayalage Don Setan. 2. Don Paulu Warusaperuma. 3. Don David Warusaperuma.

I direct that the above-named accused be tried by court martial on charges following:-1, treason; 2, shopbreaking.

5th July, 1915.

CHARGES against:-

COURT MARTIAL.

Charge Sheet.

1. Tiragandabayalage Don Setan.

2. Don Paulu Warusaperuma.

3. Don David Warusaperuma.

ROBERT CHALMERS,

Governor.

First Charge. The above-named accused, being persons subject to military law, are charged with treason, in that they, at Hanwella, on or about the 1st June, 1915, did levy war against our lord the King, contrary to Section 41 of the Army Act.

Second Charge.-The above-named accused are further charged with shop- breaking, in that they, at the same time and place, in pursuance of the said treason, being members of an unlawful assembly, with the common object of destroying the property of His Majesty's Moorish Mohammedan subjects in Ceylon, did break into the shop occupied by one Miskin Nagur, of Hanwella, and did commit felony therein, to wit, larceny, contrary to Section 58 of the Larceny Act, 1861, and Section 41 of the Army Act.

EVIDENCE TAKEN at a FIELD GENERAL Court Martial, held at Hanwella (Gansab- HAWA COURT HOUSE), ON 16TH JULY, 1915.

Prisoners :-

1. Tiragandabayalage Don Setan. 2. Don Paulu Watusaperuma. 3. Don David Warusaperuma.

Prosecution opens.

Miskin Nagur, sworn.

Live at Hanwella. Employed in butcher's shop. On the lat June. I was at Hanwella. Haniffa's boutique was looted on that day. Butcher's shop was also broken about 5.30 p.m. The crowd came from the direction of Atygala. Atygala is about a mile from this place. These three accused were the leaders. The first accused is the vidane Arachchi of Atygala; the second accused an inquirer into crimes, and lives at Atygala; third is elder brother of the second. accused told the crowd "You must kill the Moors. Take away their things." When The three

I was at the junction leading to the resthouse I first saw the crowd and these three leaders. When I heard them say so I ran away.

Cross-examined: There was no disturbance before this. Till 5.30 there was no crowd collecting. Haniffa had gone to Malwana three days before the 1st. There was nothing on that day in our boutique. I had been to the market and there was no one in the boutique. I was in sole charge of the boutique. When I saw the crowd coming from Atygala I ran and hid in the drain. when they approached the junction. I was in a position to see what was happen I was not visible to them ing in the road. Crowd about three or four hundred. dressed in trousers on that day.

The second accused was I know these accused before. Hanwella for the last ten years. I did not complain to the police on that day. I I have been in came from the drain after three days. I informed the Police Inspector about four days after. I know Abdul Rahiman. I met him on the evening of the 1st in the houtique. I know Baha Deen. I saw him in the evening near the river at about half-past five, a little before the arrival of the crowd.

Re-examined: My boutique was broken. There was furniture in it. All was

destroyed.

K 2

T

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