CO129-074 - Lieut. Governor Caine & Sir Robinson - 1859 [6-12] — Page 344

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340

TENTH DAY.

Wednesday, 16th June, 1858, at 12 o'clock Noon.

Present,--All the Members.

A. L. INGLIS,-Recalled.

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The brothel of which I spoke to the Commission as the one in which I saw Mrs Caldwell, was situate in Taiping-

shan. I am not sure whether the whole of the houses had been removed from the Choong Wan at this time, but I am quite clear as to the situation of this house. I went to this brothel purposely to see the intended Mrs Caldwell,

and this was the first occasion on which I did see her. I do not know anything about a formal marriage according to Chinese usage between this girl and Mr Caldwell. The first time I knew of Mrs Caldwell living with Mr Cald- well, Mr Caldwell resided at the Gaol. This may have been two or three weeks, or two or three months from the time I saw her at the brothel. I do not recollect now in what other place Mr and Mrs Caldwell resided after they left the Gaol, and before they went to the bungalow called "Retreat." I do not recollect Mrs Caldwell's mother.

allowed him to interpret for me in important cases, when I could avoid it, unless when he was watched by another interpreter; and further, that I would not now believe him on his oath.

Cross-examined,—On the 10th June instant, he was charged before me with receiving goods which had been stolen about the 30th May, and was discharged because the prosecutor was a convicted felon, a notoriously bad character, and bore the marks of former floggings. The principal witness also failed to appear. I allowed the | prosecutor's fellow-convict to go out with a Policeman, to find the man who the prosecutor said had gone with him

to Assow's house--but he could not find him.

D. R. CALDWELL.

I

Cross-examined, I continued to pay the $50 a-month to Lum Ateen, up to the last day of the tenth Chinese month [14th December, 1857.] He himself has since then received the rent. I do not know what has become of the mesne assignments of the lots sold to Lum Ateen. may have them still, but do not know. They were in Chinese. There was no deed or conveyance by which I surrendered my property in 1857 for the benefit of my Cross-examined,The time of my seeing Mrs Caldwell creditors; it was done in a private manner, and I refer must certainly have been in 1844. I joined the Police the commission to Siemssen & Co.'s letter. The title deeds Department in March 1844, and it was shortly after this of the property sold to pay my debts were not given up to that I saw her. I do not recollect Mrs Caldwell's being Siemssen & Co., because they were mortgaged to Chinese confined. Mrs Caldwell only lived in the Gaol a fortnightcreditors. The deeds relating to the lots sold to Woods, or three weeks. She then left because Awoon, (a Chinese woman who had previously lived with Mr Caldwell,) re- turned. It was not my impression that Mrs Caldwell was married to Mr Caldwell according to Chinese usage, because it is not customary in such cases; there was nothing whatever in her manner to denote that she was married; she was dressed as a Chinese. I recollect accompanying Mr and Mrs Caldwell to a pic-nic, which was about, but certainly after, the time of that visit. Mrs Caldwell, so far as I can recollect, was never in my house for at least a-year-and-a-half after this time. I rocollect her having been in my house in the Old Bailey, after my

except lot 263, were also mortgaged, but were given up to the purchaser upon Siemssen & Co.'s guarantee that the mortgagee would receive his share of the proceeds. I sold

all

my landed property under Siemssen & Co.'s direction -for account of the estate, and the purchase-money was paid over to Siemssen & Co. I could never have mort- gaged any of these lots twice over, because I had not pos session of the leases. I cannot remember the numbers of the lots mortgaged, but the names of the mortgages are Wong Cheeyun, Lum Ateen, and Low Ashû. know in what way Mrs Caldwell may be speculating bey- ond what she tells me. Supposing she wished to deceive me, it is possible she might speculate in brothel property. She has invested money of her sister's in houses. I can WILLIAM HENRY MITCHELL,-Called and ex-state on my honour, that she has, to my knowledge, no

return from Check-chu.

amined.

I am Assistant Magistrate of Police. I knew Assow, the Police Court Interpreter, before he joined the Chief Magistrate's Office. I think he joined the office either at the end of 1855, or beginning of 1856, but am not certain as to the time. I recollect his being charged with perjury before me, in June 1855. It arose out of a case in which he had been to a certain extent a party concerned. I recollect discharging the case on the grounds of conflicting evidence, but was not satisfied that he had exculpated himself from the charge, and I believe I said I should not in future believe him on his oath. I think I could not have said I should not allow him to interpret for me, because he was not at that time attached to the office. I wish also to state to the Commission, that I have never since

I do not

connection nor interest of any kind, in any brothel property,

or any houses to which prostitutes resorts.

I

I never heard or was aware of any rumours of Mrs Cald- well's coming from a brothel, and no one would have dared to tell me so. I was never in the house in which my wife lived up to the time of my marriage. I am quite certain that this house was not a brothel, because at that time I knew most of the brothels here, and that was not one.

lived in the Gaol. When I speak of my wife living with knew it also to be a family house. In April and May 1844, me, I mean that she lived in a private house which I kept for her; she did not live in the Gaol with me. who was Deputy Inspector of Police, and formerly master of I recollect Boyle

the lorcha Centaur

I cannot recollect having ever had a contest in the street with Inspector Boyle concerning Mrs

I

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Caldwell. I once brought up a Chinaman before the Police Court, for insulting Mrs Caldwell in the street.

moon of 6th year of Hien-fung, [about June or July 1856.] During the time I have been Tepo she has not lived in I generally know to within $10 what money Mrs Cald-Hillier Street. I do not know of her having kept a brothel. well has of mine, as I have nothing but my monthly salary, While she was living in Lee Kip-tai's house, I know that but do not know what she has of her sister's. I still pay he did not keep a brothel. $70 a-month regularly to Siemssen & Co. on account of Mr Rienaecker, which leaves me $260 a-month.

WONG APING,-Called and examined.

I am a Rope-maker, and reside opposite the Circular Buildings, Queen's Road West. I know a Chinese female called Shaplok, and have known her a long time. She lives in my house, and has done so since the beginning of the 7th moon of the 6th year of Hien-fung [about July, 1856.] She is married; her husband has gone to Shang- hae. She has no occupation, and is supported by her husband. She has never since she lived in my house kept a brothel, or used the rooms she occupies as such. I do not know whether she has ever kept a brothel. Before she came to my house she lived in Wellington Street, in Lee Kip-tai's house; but I do not know how long she lived there. She removed to my house because Lee Kip-tai's house was pulled down.

Cross-examined, - Lee Kip-tai was engaged in the Tientsin trade. The house Shaplok lived in was nearly opposite the Old Central Police Station. Shaplok went to Canton about the middle of April last, not the middle of May. I do not know if she is in any way connected with Mr Caldwell.

SOONG AHING, Tepo of Choong Wan, [the central part of Victoria,]-Called and examined.

I know a female called Shaplok. In 1856 she was living in Lee Kip-tai's house opposite the Old Central Police Sta- tion, in Wellington Street. She lived there a few months, I saw her there in the 24 month of the sixth year of Hien- fung, [about March 1856,] and about the 7th or 8th month of that year, [about August or September 1856.] She left in consequence of the house being about to be pulled down. She removed out of my district to Sheong Wan, but I do not know to what house. During the time that she resided in that house she did not keep a brothel; several years before the house had been a brothel, but in consequence of a disturbance, the landlord would not permit it to be a brothel any longer.

Cross-examined,-1 do not know what Shaplok was before the 6th year of Hien-fung. I know that she is a friend of Mrs Caldwell, but not that she is in any way related to her.

YIP AWONG,-Called and examined.

I am collector of rents of the row of houses opposite the Taicheong Hong in Hillier Street; and collect them for Akwai. 1 know a female called Shaplok. I have collect- ed the rents since 1852. Shaplok occupied one of these houses from 1852 to 1854. She has not occupied it since 1854. She occupied it as a family residence, and I am quite certam not as a brothel. I do not know where she removed to in 1854.

MARY AYOW CALDWELL,-Called and examined. My maiden name was Chun Ayow. I am the wife of Mr Caldwell. I came to this colony in 22d year of Taou- kwang-1842. I was then a child, and came with my mother to visit some relations. My mother was called by others Tuk-fook-p'o. 1 have one elder sister name Chun Atsoo, whose residence is in Macao. She has been here three times on a visit. I have no other sisters, and no brothers. Atsoo is my sister by blood. I know Shaplok, and saw her mother when a child. Shaplok's mother and mine were sworn sisters. This does not, according to Chi- nese usage, make me and Shaplok sisters. There is no other connection between myself and Shaplok. According to Chinese usage, even good friends call themselves bro- thers and sisters. When I came with my mother, I lived a few months in a house in Sheong Wan, and I afterwards lived in Choong Wan, where I lived until I was married to Mr Caldwell. My mother and Shaplok lived in that house, and another person called Ayee. Mangtai did not live with them. He is the god-son of my mother; as my mother had no son, a relation gave her his son, whom my mother adopted. The lower part of the house was occu- pied by a singing master and a tailor, and the upper part by myself and Shaplok as a family residence. From the time I lived in the house, till I left it as Mr Caldwell's wife, it was never a brothel. I was first married after the Chi- nese fashion to Mr Caldwell, in the end of the 23d year of all the ceremonies necessary accord- Taoukwang-1843; ing to Chinese usage to constitute a valid marriage, were adopted on that occasion. The ceremony was performed in a house belonging to Achow, in which I atterwards re- sided, and took place before I went to live with Mr Caldwell. I considered myself in all respect the wife of Mr Caldwell. I know Mr Inghs, the Governor of the Gaol, and first saw

FOONG AFEI, Tepo of Sheong Wan [Victoria west], him in the beginning of the 24th year of Taouk wang—-1844,

-Called and examined.

Hillier Street is in my district. Before I was Tepo, I was a Sergeant of Police. I have been Tepo since the 8th month of the 6th year Hien-fung, [September 1856.] I have known Shaplok four years. In 1852 she lived in Peel Street, and I saw her in Lee Kip-tai's house, about the 5th or 6th

three or four months after my marriage with Mr Calldwell. I remember upon that occasion we went on a pic-nic party to Chekchu. I am quite certain that I never saw Mr Inglis before. Mr Inglis never came to the house in which I re- sided before my marriage; no foreigner was allowed to enter it. The house in which I resided when I came on a