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1834. I was not then in the house of Jardine, Mathesou portation to imprisonment, and next from fourteen years to & Co. I was informed at the time of his arrival that Mr1 believe two years or three years at the utmost. The case Caldwell came from Singapore, and that he had been in had been admirably got up by Mr May, members of whose force some Mercantile establishment there. I knew nothing were the prosecutors; and the chief evidence of guilty know- particular of Mr Caldwell beyond meeting him occasionally in ledge against the pawnbroker consisted in the proofs obtained the neighbourhood of Canton. He was in the employ of Mr by Mr Jarman of the measures taken by the pawnbroker, first Keating, and subsequently in that of Mr Inves. I was under to suppress all trace of the transactions, and next to pat the impression that he had a letter either to Mr Jardine or the Police on a false scent by the mis-description of the watch Mr Matheson, and that it was one or other of those gentlemen in the ticket. The petitions to the Government for pardon who got him the situation with Mr Keating, and with Mr
were not referred to me, but I know they were referred to Innes. During the period of which I speak no circumstances the Chief Justice, for His Lordship mentioned the matter in whatever came to my knowledge reflecting in the slightest Legislative Council in an under tone to the Governor and me degree upon Mr Caldwell's character for honesty; he was in May last, and asked the Governor if it was true that the rather gay going amongst the boats. I do not know why he pawnbroker's sentence had been mitigated; and at the same left Mr lunes or Mr Keating. I am not aware that Mr time he turned to me and said, “If this is to go on, we might Caldwell was ever mate of a receiving ship. In July 1834 as well not pass sentence at all," or "not pass proper sen- he was detained on board the Hercules, being unable to get to tence," I forget which; and he said that he had given his Canton. I cannot say whether he was in a receiving ship at opinion against it.
Besides the petitions mentioned by Macao in 1838. I lost sight of him after he left Mr lunes's Wohang, two were presented to me by the same party, and employ.
their purport is mentioned in my letter.
Those presented to the Governor, as I am informed by persons who translated them or read the translations of them, were mere copies of those presented to me, so that the Commission by reading my letter will judge whether the Governor should not have con- sidered those very petitions as conclusive reasons for exercising the utmost rigor of the low aroinst the culprit whom at hust the Police had caught; and the rather, because another document which the Commission will do well to call for I mean a report presented about that very time by Mr May to the Acting Colonial Secretary, on the state of the law in regard to Pawnbrokers-entirely established the prevalcase of pawnbroking frauds, to which the petition in question furnished the trace; and that report, as the Commission will see from the
Messrs Jardine, Matheson & Co. have not to my knowledge ever made any inquiry into any reports concerning Mr Cald- well's character, It was in 1841 I joined their employ, and since then nothing has come to my knowledge concerning any such inquiry, I have heard of such reports. I have no recollection of Mr Caldwell being mate of a vessel called the Tsabella, used as a receiving ship at Macao. I have been connected with Insurance business since 1835, and it is my impression that there was a small vessel of that name; but do not recollect any such vessel being used as a receiving ship. never heard of a monthly policy on goods being determined by Messrs Dent & Co., through Mr Henry.
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the entire approbation of the Government, and was in fact made the foundation of the Ordinance No. 11 of 1858, which passed last Tuesday.
The Hon'ble Lieutenant-Colonel WILLIAM CAINE,- Called and examined.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL,-Recalled at his own re-minute of the Acting Colonial Secretary endorsed, received quest, to make a statement regarding the Pawnbroker's case. I refer the Commission to my letter of March last already before them. In addition to what is there, I would state that I have before me my own note ou the March Calen→ dar, for the sessions when the man was convicted. Mr Day was counsel for that prisoner. I had put him and another prisoner on their trial on a single count for compound Jarceny stealing in a dwelling house to above the amount of £5. It was for stealing the watch of Mr Perkis of the Ordnance, whose domestic servant the first prisoner Tong Asin then was. The first prisoner, a simple youth, who confessed the crime as soon as he was apprehended, gave up the pawnticket which he had received for the watch in the same day from the second prisoner the pawubrcker Ch'un Achong. The Chief Justice evidently quite agreed with me that the principal offender was the pawnbroker, for he said in passing sentence that "if there were no receivers, there would be no thieves;" the second prisoner having been convicted as receiver and not as thief. The first prisoner was sentenced to transportation for fifteen years; which sen- tence I believe has not been mitigated. The second prisoner received sentence of transportation for fourteen years, and the
mentioned by Wohang having used their influence persons in his favour, that sentence has been reduced, first from trans-
I am Lieutenant-Governor of this Colony. I first came to China in 1840, and first knew Mr Caldwell in the same eer He was in the Commissariat Department, and came with me in the same fleet from Singapore to Chusan. I think this must have been in June 1840. I may say that I have almost known him uninterruptedly since that time. I have certainly known him uninterruptedly since he joined the Colonial service in 1843. 1myself know nothing against his character for homes: ? and integrity during that period. I first held the Office of Chie Magistrate in this Colony, I was then Colonial Secretary and Auditor General, and afterward Lieutenant-Governor. I was appointed Chief Magistrate in May 1841, in the infaney of the Colony, and had the complete Superintendence of the Police
At that time. I was ever satisfied with Mr Caldwell's conduct. and considered him one of the most efficient servants we havi always willing and ready to do anything. No reports hich I can place reliance have ever come to my knowled gainst him
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Cross-examined,----I cannot remember Mr Caldwell bringing | if the Pawnbroker should be released $800 would be paid, tore me and Mr Johnston some pirates who had attacked if not released $400. Shaplok came to the back room of the hebrig of which he had command, but 1 would suggest that shop, and settled about paying this before I came. be Magistrate's case book be examined. The Police reports of conversation took place I do not know, for I was not here he Colony will also shew, that Mr Caldwell has been con- My partner said that Shaplok was requested to ask Mi tantly rendering services to the navy, and been thanked, and Caldwell, and that if released a sum of $800 would be paid
I remember right rewarded, for these services.
and if not a sum of $400. The $400 was to get the sentence Re-examined, I have never received any official complaints lightened if the man could not be released. This mone gainst Mr Caldwell; all the complaints. I have heard have was to be paid to Shaplok, who was to pay it to Mr Caldwell. been merely idle rumour; that is what I mean when I say I do not know what he was to do with it. $100 in Bant that I have not received any complaints on which I could notes and $50 in Silver were paid to Shaplok two days after place reliance. I do not remember any objection to Mr the sentence was lightened. The $50 was as a cumshaw Caldwell's taking office in the first instance. Since that the to Shaplok for her trouble. I was present when this money only circumstance which I have heard against him was his was paid, and so were my partners Ch'o On, Low Sing-keet, pecuniary difficulties which caused him to resign the service. and all the shopmen; it was paid at the shop. There was f do not remember his pecuniary difficulties being urged as no receipt given at the time. Clio On was formerly com. rounds against his taking office. I do not remember Sir prador in the Government offices. Neither I nor any of my George Bonham saying or showing that he had any reluctance partners have received back any of the money, neither have we let Mr Caldwell remain in Government employ. Sir asked for it. I can produce account books shewing the payment. George never in my hearing expressed an unfavourable opinion I never asked Wohang for any part of it, it belonging to the at his character, and I am not aware of his having done so when shop expences; and I do not know if any of my partners went
was not present. Mr Caldwell was made at my recom- to Wohang to ask him to write a
promissory note. I was mendation either Clerk or Interpreter to the Chief Magistrate, not here when the petition was made, and do not know whether Barly in 1843, I think. That was his first post in the my partners signed any paper regarding the payment of the Colonial Service. The island had very few residents when money upon condition of the man's release; they never told took him into the employ. I took him from my own know. me of such. Cho On was to be responsible for the money. I alge, secing that he was a smart person and possessed an
do not know whether any of my partners ever went to Mr xcellent knowledge of the language. I did not at that time Caldwell about the affair. wow anything against him. I saw him at Chusan and here, d sailed with him over to Macao, when he was in com- and of the Thistle. I do not hesitate in saying that every- thing I saw of him induced me to recommend him for Go- ernment employ, as he would be a useful servant. I would rather decline answering the question as to what I have heard bout Mr Caldwell, from my acquaintance with this part of he world to the present time. I have only heard rumours, hich made no impression on me. I certainly should not ave recommended him to the Government service, if I had beard anything against him, and if I had not thought him euliarly fitted for the Government service, I am not aware the fact of a connection between Ma-chow Wong and the alice. I have heard of it, and seen it in newspapers. Neither Iware, except in the same way, of a connection between chow Wong and Mr Caldwell. Besides secing this in newspapers, I hare heard it stated in the Council-room
on one occasion-perhaps more than one occasion. do not know that Mr Caldwell was in the employ of wai of the Lower Bazaar before entering Government mploy.
ONG KWONG-SIN,—Called and examined.
am a partner in a Pawnbroker's shop, one of the partners which was convicted a short time ago of receiving a stolen I know the woman Shaplok; I do not know what she but only know of her receiving the money. I did not know before. I know by report that Shaplok is a sister of aldwell, but cannot tell if it is true. My partners told jat they had asked Shaplok to ask Mr Caldwell, and that
Shaplok is I believe a Brothel-keeper. I do not know where she lives. I have heard that she has girls. She is about 30 years of age. I do not know whether she is now in the colony. I do not know where she was living at the time of this transaction. It was my partners who knew her; they settled the matter about the payment before I came here. Shaplok did not mention Mr Caldwell's name. The petitions were presented before my arrival here, and I did not sign them. I was told by my partners that they had signed and presented the petitions. They did not tell what was in them. I was told by my partners that all the shops in the town had signed; there might be about 100. I do not know who wrote the petitions. I cannot tell whether Mr Caldwell supported, them, my partner knows. I know that Wohang refused to pay his share of the $450, because my partner Low Sing-keet did not first inform him of it. Wohang was first informed two or three days after the noney had been paid. I do not know if Wohang went to see Mr Caldwell about the payment to Shaplok. I do not know that Shaplok has been prosecuted for receiving this money. We wanted to give Shaplok only $25 instead of $50, because Ch'o On said Mr Caldwell only received one-half and she also should receive another. One of the shopmen went out to change the dollars into Bank-notes in order to pay to Shaplok who would not receive dollars.
CHO ON.-Called and examined.
I have a small share in the Pawn-broker's establishment in which Tong Kwong-sin is a partner. I remember the trial of one of the partners for receiving a Gold Watch which had been stolen.
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