464
*
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has sold this house," without mentioning to whom. The founded charge. Brothel 48 stands on lot 241 B, one of the man looked at me and walked away, without making any lots sold by Siemssen & Co. through me to Lum Ateen, in answer, and then we also walked away. There are two houses to the westward of this; and there are several others to the eastward. I do not know whether the house above alluded to was a brothel, but it had a ticket with large black figures 48 on a white ground. I spoke to no other person in that street. The last witness is not the man with whom
I had this conversation,
June, 1857. I sold 8 lots to Lum Ateen; they had been previously valued [put in valuation O,] by Mr Lapraik at $2,480. Lum Ateen gave $2,500. My instructions to M Stace as to the amount of purchase-money being $2,150 for the five lots, was a simple error of mine in making the calcula tions, when giving him the instructions; it should have bea $2,050. At the time I sold the lots by private contract to Lum Ateen, and by auction to Mr Woods, there were no brothels in either of the houses on those lots; there had been before but not at the time I purchased them in 1854.
Lum Ateer at the time he purchased the ten houses from me for the $2,200, wished to set off that amount against his claim on my estate--which was refused. At that time the leases of all those lots were in the hands of Chinese creditors, who had mortgages on them. I explained to Lum Ateen that until the dividends on my estate were paid, I could not give him up the leases. An arrangement was therefore made between us, that the completion of the transfer should be delayed for six months, the rent to be received by me in the meantime, and that I should him in lieu thereof $50 a-month, which arrange-
pay ment was carried out and the bill of sale signed by me and I am Shroff and Assistant Collector of Police and Light- delivered to him, on the expiration of the six months-the ing Rates. I know Mrs Caldwell, and have known her since 15th December, 1857. I gave them into his hands on that she resided in the Central Police Station, four or five years day. A day or two afterwards I went to Mr Stace, and ago. I do not know her surname. I do not know if Mrs im instructions regarding the transfer, and gave him all the Caldwell has any Chinese sisters by adoption. [Some Chi-leases I had. There was no lease for lot 240; it was sold by the nese characters were shewn to witness,]-This is the name bailiff of the Supreme Court. From this time it never entered Shaplok. I have known her about ten years. She has my head to speak to Mr Stace on the subject. He told me on been married ever since I knew her. Her husband keeps two occasions it would be necessary to get the bills of sale. an opium and clothier's shop. I do not know if Shaplok The first time I forgot it, and did nothing. The second time ever kept a brothel, I do not know whether she is sworn- I wrote to Lum Ateen at Macao before I heard of these sister, god-sister, or sister-in-law, by blood or usage to Mrs charges, and told him to come over with them, so that the Caldwell I do not know whether she is any relation, or transfer might be completed. There was no private arrange connected in any way with Mrs Caldwell.
ment of any kind between Lum Ateen and myself, that I should retain any direct or indirect interest in this property. gave up the whole of my property for the benefit of my
Cross-examined,—Mr May did not tell me the object of his visit to Taipingshan, nor why he asked the question,
Re-examined, The man with whom we spoke at brothel 48, was inside when we went, and came out to us when we called, I did not see him until I called out " to whom does this house belong," he then came out and stood at the door. Nothing was said about a range of houses with a brick front, and nothing about the fire. Two days ago Mr May told me to try and find the man I had spoken to. On the first occasion that I went for him, an old woman told me that he had come up to the Government Offices, and on the second occasion a girl told me that he had gone to Canton..
WONG ASHUN,-Called and examined.
CHARLES MAY,-Recalled.
gave
my estate,
I have more evidence to give the Commission in this par- ereditors. The dividend was 474 per cent, and I submit that ticular branch of the inquiry, but decline to do so. I con-
It is not probable that had I retained any part of: sider that the Commission have asked questions of witnesses my Chinese creditors to whol mowed $12,000, or even Euro- touching my private reputation, in no way pertinent to the peans, would voluntarily have accepted so small a dividend. inquiry, and not likely to tend to the slightest public good. Adjourned till to-morrow. I consider, farther, that as the Commission has withheld witnesses from stating subjects as matters of repute, much which might have been elicited cannot by any possibility come otherwise before them. I will eite for instance the last witness Wong Ashun, who, when asked a question touching Shaplok and her relationship with Mrs Caldwell, said, “I do not know; some people say so."
mined.
NINTH DAY,
Saturday, 12th June, 1858, at 12 o'clock Noon.
Present,-All the Members.
'NG MUN SOW,-Called and examined.
I am Interpreter at the Police Court. I have known a DANIEL RICHARD CALDWELL,-Called and exa-femala in this colony called Shaplok, about three or four years. She has no other name to my knowledge. I das mel With reference to charge 2 that I have a scandalous con- think she is married-she now lives in Queen's Road West nection with brothel 48, I deny it altogether; it is an un-I last saw her about two months ago.
She was ani two
reasons
( 25 )
once
me to interpret for him. I have been within the last few ars ago a keeper of a brothel in Hillier Street. I cannot
when she ceased keeping a brothel, nor do I know days charged with receiving stolen property. This was also I have known Mrs Caldwell before Mr Mitchell; the case was dismissed. The charge hether she keeps one now.
I know that Shaplok is an was made upon the information of a prisoner the man ince about five or six years ago. Hopted sister of Mrs Caldwell, and the following are convicted of unlawful possession of the property. The Ma- for knowing. Before Mrs Caldwell's con- gistrate made no remarks upon the case when he discharged me. I was formerly employed at Dr Legge's mission house. ersion she frequently came to my house to visit my wife. Shaplok also had a son who had been a pupil of mine for I have never been discharged by him; but was about two years. Mrs Caldwell told me she had a nephew, suspended from Church fellowship. I decline to state for and that she wanted him to go to school-his name was what reason I was suspended. Since I became Interpreter Akow, and he was the son of Shaplok. By the term "adopt-at the Chief Magistrate's Office, I have often interpreted before ed sister" I mean that Mrs Caldwell when a child was adopted Mr Mitchell, and have been also examined as a witness by After my suspension by Dr Legge I was employed by the mother of Shaplok. By Chinese usage such adoption him. makes Mrs Caldwell the adopted sister of Shaplok. There three or four years, and my conduct as far as I know during are two senses in which we use the word adopted; the that time was satisfactory.
[The Chinese female Assow referred to in Mr May's sense in which I use it here means that the adopted child Becomes the brother or sister of the real child. There is an-evidence was summoned, but was found to be absent from other expression "pocket children "—which applies to those the Colony.]
who are purchased. I know of this adoption by having been told of it by Mrs Caldwell and Akow. I do not know whether Mrs Caldwell has another sister, and do not know
ALEXANDRE GRAND-PRE, Recalled.
On having my attention drawn to the letter of 2d Decem-
the name Chun Atsoo. I know nothing of my own know-ber last from the Acting Colonial Secretary to the Superin- ledge of Mrs Caldwell's history previous to my acquaintance with her five or six years ago.
tendent of Police, I perceive that I am attached to the Registrar General's department second in rank and subor- dinate to the Registrar General, and that I and my staff are expected to co-operate generally in the service of the department, when not employed in the discharge of our peculiar duties; but I desire to explain to the Commission, that I have never been upon any occasion called upon by the Registrar General to assist or take part in the peculiar duties of his Office, nor have I ever done so. My time has been fully occupied in the discharge of my own duties.
D. R. CALDWELL,-Called and examined as to charges 2, 5, 14, 15, 16 and 17.
I know nothing of charges 2, 5, 14, 15, and 17. Cross-examined, -I have personally visited Shaplok's brothel about eighteen months or two years ago. It was opposite the Taicheong hong. (Corrects himself.) I never was told by Mrs Caldwell that she was the adopted daughter of Shaplok's mother. Mangtai told me so. Mrs Caldwell only told me that Shaplok was her sister. The term used by her for sister might mean a sister by blood or by usage. Mangtai is a brother of Shaplok; according to his own expla- nation he is an adopted son of Shaplok's mother. There is a custom amongst Chinese girls whereby they become
I had not then, and I have not now, any direct or indirect sworn sisters of each other. There are sworn brothers also. The general object is to bind themselves together for mutual interest in lots 206, 263, 264, or the lot in the Western support and assistance. The children of sworn sisters have Market purchased by Lum Ateen through me from Mr Woods. I was present at the It was a bona fide sale and purchase between Mr Woods and no relationship amongst each other.
I remember having a conversation with Lyons, Central Station about ten days ago when Aping the silver- tum Ateen. smith was brought in to Mr May's private room by Lyons. as to the party-walls on lot 206, when I told him that the man to whom they belonged had requested me to speak to Mr May asked him what he had got to say; Aping asked me "What for." I then directed his attention to Mr May: the Surveyor General, and that he wished to pull down I never told him, nor was Lyons said to him,
"did you not tell me that you the corner wall and rebuild it. knew something about Mr Caldwell ?"--he said that he there anything in my manner which could have led him to did not know anything except from hearsay he did not say suppose that I was the owner of, or in any way interested what he had heard. I was once charged with perjury about in, the house. I spoke to the Surveyor General.
a month or two before I joined the Chief Magistrate's Office
five
;
About the latter end of February last, my old Comprador
years ago, before Mr Mitchell the Assistant Magistrate. | Sze-kai came to me, and said that he wanted to pay the The Magistrate did not, to the best of my belief, say that he had ground rent for Lum Ateen's lots, as he had requested He asked how much it was, and requested no doubt of my guilt, but that from the conflicting evidence him to do so. he was compelled to discharge me. I will not say so posi- me to give him a note, so that he might take the money This reminded me that I had not tively. I do not believe he said that if ever I came to give up to the Treasury. evidence before him he would not believe a word I said paid the ground rent for Chun Atsoo's lots. I said, “the what I understood him to say was that he would never allow ground rent is about $50, and as I shall go up to-day to
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