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whilst I was moving or about to move up to Scott's Bunga-April, 1856, to consult with Mr Dixson his partner upon the low. Within two days after my arrival, His Excellency was subject. Mr Hillier's departure for Siam reduced the Police pleased to lament to me the corrupt state of the Hongkong Inquiry Commission to two, and we were unable to devots Government, and the utter want of support to himself in his that time to the inquiry which was requisite to bring out endeavours to stem the tide of corruption. He said there was the secret cause of those iniquities; and we therefore agreed but one public officer whom he could trust, besides the three merely to report in general terms the existence of them, and who were going away to England or Siam-one of whom, propose an entirely new organisation of the Police. I owe Mr Rienecker, I have since ascertained to have been a kind it to myself to say that, from the time that His Excellency partner to Mr Caldwell in his speculations--and that as to first put me upon these disagreeable inquiries, public and the one trusty public officer who was remaining in the colony, and private, to this time, I have not had the honour of Mr Mercer, he was well disposed but timid. The Governor single communication from him on the subject, and all'i begged me to make it my business to bring to light, and if communications to him, official and otherwise, have remained necessary to punish, the mal-practices of which he com- unanswered. Even the report of the Police Inquiry Com- plained, and I beg to specify in particular, the mal-practices mission, signed by Mr Mercer and myself, was stated in the of the Police, and of my own department of Attorney Ge- Legislative Council by His Excellency to be disapproved.hy neral. The latter not being within the compass of this Com- him, and that he would neither act upon it nor make commu- mission, I confine my present statement to the first. He nication of it to the Council for the purposes of the discuns- said there was nobody whom he could trust, who was orsion on the Registration Ordinance of last year. An action who had been connected with the Police, or the branch of damages was brought against me in May or June 1854, of the Judicial Department particularly connected with it. for steps taken by me in performance of these general He assured me, that if I took the initiative, I should be sup-wishes of His Excellency, and I have in my posses ported, for that he had no doubt that Mr Mercer would co-sion His Excellency's letter distinctly apprising me, that operate with me, and that at all events His Excellency himself I must be responsible for those steps-and that he would would. I did my best to carry out His Excellency's wishes. neither give evidence in my favour, nor take steps to I reported upon cases that were referred to me by him; I relieve the officers of his Government from the obligation of made my own official inquiries into the existence of these official confidence, so as to enable" them if disposed to give I alleged public grievances-for such I imagined bribery, ex- their testimony in my favour at the trial. I mention these tortion, conspiracy, perjury, and resetting of criminals to be; facts, as shewing that a singular change must have taken and at His Excellency's suggestion I proposed, in an official place in His Excellency's conviction at some period be letter to Mr Mercer, which I suppose is on the file, the re- tween my arrival and the month of June, 1856, with appointment of a Commission of Inquiry into the organisa- respect to the proved iniquities of the Hongkong Police. tion of the Police, which His Excellency told me had been I am perfectly aware that during that time Mr Caldwell sitting in the year 1855, but which had not satisfied him at was not in Government employ, and Mr Berenhart therefore all by the progress it had made in the inquiry, and which advised me to summon Mr Caldwell as a witness before had been broken up by the departure for England, of the then the Commission, for no man, he said, was better acquainted late Acting Attorney General without making any report. with the crimes of the Police, being himself in a great mea- It was reappointed. The result of the inquiry was such sure to blame for them and the iniquities in question; having as to satisfy me of two points-first, that the iniquities been in the most part committed at a period when Mr. detailed by His Excellency did exist, and had some species Caldwell was either solely invested with the control of the of official sanction; but, secondly, that Mr May was not Police, or in a great measure responsible for it. Mr Beren- only in no wise to answer for them, but had incurred hart's words were, "Mr Caldwell having now a good specu considerable ill-will by his persistent endeavours to put them lation of his own in the steamer, is independent of the Go- down-an opinion in which Mr Mercer and also Mr vernment, and will probably not be afraid to tell the truth." Hillier, who had been on the Commission of Inquiry of 1855, I can explain the continuance of the connection between and who sat upon it with me for a few weeks after its reap the Police and Ma-chow Wong, during the brief interval of pointment in 1856, in pursuance of my before stated sug- Mr Caldwell's nominal separation from the Police, in this gestion, entirely concurred. I availed myself of the oppor-way: During the whole of the time the Commission was tunity afforded by the circumstance mentioned in my letter sitting in 1856 I was struck with the anarchy of the Police now before the Commission of 1st November, 1856, to record system. With the exception of about two months Mr May for His Excellency's information, in the strongest terms, was Acting Assistant Magistrate, a function which took up my opinion of Mr May as here expressed. His Excellency the most of his time, and Mr Hillier having gone to Siam, had told me that Mr Shortrede could give me very valuable Mr Caldwell was the universal referee in the Police depart information about many of these iniquities, and in that wayment. It appeared to me, almost from my arrival, as if he I was led, partly whilst Mr Shortrede remained here, but were going to be reappointed to office in a day or two, principally after his departure for England in the month of intimate were his relations with all the officers of Govern-
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ent. I know it was not till the panic of December, 1856, the Stanley traitor, instead of pronouncing sentence of death, hat the attention of the Government was aroused to the and his life was consequently spared. Ma-chow Wong on ecessity of giving unity to the administration of the Police this, represented to the Stanley people that he was the means orce. I remember myself being informed of the fact by of obtaining the remission of the capital punishment. A Mr Mercer in that month, that henceforward the Superin-man was left for execution during that week. The Stanley endent of Police was not to be interfered with. Before that people believed it was the traitor, and this Community wit- me, any Justice of the Peace, for example, could get a Police-nessed the scandal of the Stanley population pouring down dan when wanted. I have done so myself at the Station. to the Police Court, and uttering exclamations against the Captain Cowper, the Acting Surveyor General, requested to Government for their breach of faith, in ordering for execu- be put on the Commission of the Peace, simply that he tion the man, to redeem whose life, they said, they had paid hight have the same privilege of getting a Policeman [ so much money to Ma-chow Wong. I consider it a public whenever he wanted; and, if he had not been a military disgrace: first, that the Government should have waited for officer, I have reason to believe that his application would have me to inform them of the notorious scandal; and, secondly, been granted. Against my own wish I was made a Justice that no notice, notwithstanding may report, has to this day of the Peace, His Excellency saying, that it would give me been taken of it. The man who was pretended to have been power amongst the Police, and in other quarters where murdered was a witness at the trial of the traitor, and the ower was desirable. I suggest that the Commission call scoundrels, who have pretended to find, time after time, the for the report of the Police Commission of 1856, and the alleged murderers, are members of Ma-chow Wong's gang. Evidence thereunto annexed. I can, under these circum-
I have, since giving my evidence, asked Mr Cooper Turner, stances, very well understand, that so powerful a man as Mr and he perfectly confirms my statement, that he was my Caldwell or Ma-chow Wong might be able to maintain his informant regarding the Chinese merchant being deported nfluence over the Police, even while Mr Caldwell was to Hainan. Mr Turner can give you the man's residence. ominally separated from the public service.
I mentioned it at the time to Mr Mercer, and I don't know With reference to that portion of my evidence where I whether he made any inquiry. I recollect his saying, that peak of the entry of the nolle prosequi, in the second charge it was then too late. gainst Ma-chow Wong, I repeat, as I have already stated my letter of 13th May, that I heard from the lips of His Excellency in debate, that the Acting Attorney General had been ordered to enter such rolle prosequi. I appeal to the other members if it were not so. I replied that no power existed in any man to give such order, and asked who gave it? There was no reply.
m
As to the connection of Eli Boggs with the Eaglet or Mr Caldwell, I refer to the evidence of Lyons and Mr May, as well as to a statement which has been made to me in writing, en the authority of the writer's informant, whose name I now give in to the Chairman.
I
The inspection of the men for deportation to Hainan, took place within 36, if not 24, hours of their embarkation. cannot remember any more than those already mentioned being present. I remember Mr May, Mr Caldwell, and Mr Cluff, because I spoke to them officially concerning the pri- soners. I am perfectly certain there were prisoners there who had not been just arrested. I inquired what classes, there were, and was informed, that some were under im- prisonment for petty larceny, some were beggars lately arrested, and some suspicious characters. I can only re- member having been there once, and that was the occasion above referred to.
With regard to the case, where a prisoner was charged I, as Attorney General, conducted the prosecution of Eli with stealing Mr Lapraik's watch, I heard Mr Lapraik say, Boggs. I perfectly remember Eli Boggs with a paper or that he did not believe the watch had been stolen by anybody, papers in his hand, from which he made his speech to the hat he had a distinct recollection of losing the watch many Jury. I was very much shocked at hearing Mr Lyons, the years ago, and he had no doubt it had been found, and other day, state in evidence, that "Boggs had produced in the appropriated honestly enough. As to other cases, Mr May, Supreme Court, a paper stated by himself to have been distinctly asked, will I have no doubt speak. I have a written by Mr Caldwell, and recommending Ma-chow Wong, distinct recollection of two or three different persons being Mr Caldwell's brother, to the pirates, with whom Eli Boggs charged at different times with the alleged murder, which served." He also stated, though it does not appear upon was also laid to the charge of the Chinaman after his dis- your minutes, that he was surprised at the paper making no charge on the watch case.
I do not believe that the murder impression in the Court. If I had understood that it was any- was committed at all by anybody, or that the man is dead. thing but a compilation of Boggs's own making, I should Ma-chow Wong's hand in the business may be fairly inferred have told him to produce it in evidence, and then it would his connection with the high treason case, out of which have made an impression in the Court, as a piece of evidence pretended murder charge was got up. The Chief Jus- in his favour. But I thought it was a kind of brief, and not an
for reasons with which I need not trouble the Commis-original document. He certainly did state that he had read had thought it right to record sentence of death against a paper from Mr Caldwell, to the effect stated by Lyons;
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