CO129-074 - Lieut. Governor Caine & Sir Robinson - 1859 [6-12] — Page 365

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Court or the Gaol. I read the paper myself, and it ap- peared to me to be something about pirate boats and pro- visions. Ma-chow Wong's name was in it I think, but Mr Caldwell's was not. It was written in English in a very bad handwriting; it seemed a sort of in emorandum. I recollect shewing it to the Chief Magistrate who com. mitted Boggs for trial. On the night of Boggs's apprehen sion, he told me that I must take great care of that paper, as he could convict somebody on it; the next morning he told me he meant Mr Caldwell, I read the paper; I know Mr Caldwell's handwriting, and feel quite certain that it was not in Mr Caldwell's handwriting.

I am sure Ma-chow Wong was not present when I delivered the gold dust; I should have known him a mile off, as he used to wear black spectacles. I received the information of Ma-chow Wong's innocence in the first case from several Chinese; they told me that it was not his shop which had anything to do with the matter, and his coming forward to the Police Station so boldly, shewed that he could have had no connection with it. I did not inform Mr May of my intention not to arrest him, nor did I countermand the order to the Police for his apprehension. I saw no more of the gold dust after I delivered it to Mr Caldwell, and he gave me back the 7 taels. I did not see the persons who were securities for the delivery of the gold dust, nor do I know anything about the security. I know that there were security papers returned by Mr Caldwell to the Police Station. They were delivered to Mr May the next day. I do not know where they were kept, and have never seen them since; I am not quite certain that these papers were returned, but think that some red papers were handed in. Mr Caldwell made enquiry for them, and I searched with a Chinese clerk for them. I think it was Mr May who desired me to make the search; Mr May I think searched with me.

NINETEENTH MEETING.

Thursday, 8th July, 1858, at 12 o'clock Noon. Present,-All the Members, except the Hon Mr Davies. JAMES JARMAN, Inspector of Police,-Called and examined.

I personally apprehended Ma-chow Wong under war- rant on the charge upon which he was subsequently tried. I went to his shop in the Central Market, and seized some books and papers both from the hong and from the shop. The principal part of the books and papers were put in an iron safe, which was locked, and the key remained in my possession. The remainder were put in two or three baskets; they were then carried to the Central Police Station under my inspection. They remain- ed in my custody in the station: those which were not in the iron safe were put in a wooden chest, of which I had the key; and when required for the purposes of the Police Magistrates they were taken up to the Magistracy, and brought down again at the end of each day's proceed- ings, still remaining in my custody, I remember during the progress of the investigation their being examined at the Police Station by Mr Stace, accompanied by a China- mail. Mr Caldwell was present during, I believe, the whole of the investigation; he was there the major part of the time, if not the whole. While the books and papers were being examined, I was sitting at the table on which they were placed. I considered it a part of my duty to see that no papers were taken away, and that all that were examined were returned to my custody, and I did so. I don't recollect any of the papers being sent to the Surpene Court;

I believe there were some, but am not certain. Mr Grand-Pré had charge of another set besides those I had. After the investigation at the Police Court was concluded, the books and papers not required at the Supreme Court were returned to my custody as before at the Central

I never heard whether Mr May approved or disapproved Police Station, and after the conviction of the prisoner I

of the delivery up of the gold dust. The articles taken

from the Kwong Yik Loong shop which I delivered up

were bundles and bedding; there was $32 also. I de- livered up the property at the Station, and the books at the Supreme Court, solely by virtue of the order of the Acting Colonial Secretary on the petition. I think it was to Mr May personally, not in the office of the Superintendent of

Police, that the security papers were delivered.

I saw these papers afterwards on the table in the Police

Office, but had not charge of them. I think they were given to Mr May as Sheriff, as the case came through the Court.

Adjourned to 12 o'clock on Wednesday.

{There being no quorum on Wednesdoy, the Chairmin adjourned till the following day at Noon.]

was ordered to send them to the Magistracy. They were rainy day, they were tied down and sealed up. They sent in baskets covered over with oil paper, and it being a

were sent from the Police Court to the Government offices,

and my receipts specifying the number of baskets contain- ing books and papers were sent with them. From the time I seized them until I sent them up to the Magistracy for transmission to Government Offices, they remained in safe custody in my hands, and I do not think it possible

that any of them could have been abstracted. I cannot,

to my recollection, say that I have found myself embar rassed in my action against pirates by Ma-chow 'Wong, I was present during part of the trial of Eli Boggs. I do not remember hearing a document read by him, nor seeing him hand in a document. I was not present at the conclusion when he made his defence. I was not present when Eli Boggs was searched upon his apprehen- sion, but I remember seeing a square piece of calico, which was a rebel pass, and which had been taken from Boggs. I think it was Roberts who shewed me this pass.

I do not recollect seeing a paper.

I have not since his trial

seen the paper alluded to; it ought to be produced to the sions. I think I recollect, on one occasion when Mr Cald- Gaoler by the Inspector who was on duty at the time. Ac- well was very sick, that he went up stairs to Mr Caldwell's

cording to practice, a paper read and handed in at Court would be kept in Court, and in ordinary cases of conviction would be handed over to the Gaoler, if not given in evi- dence at the Magistracy; if given in evidence at the Su- preme Court, and if it be property of the prisoner, it would be given over to the Gaoler again. I have some slight knowledge of seeing the tin box at the Police Station.

The property was given over to Inspector Roberts Mr Grand-Pré was also there at the time.

Cross-examined,—I remember some years ago a case of an alleged robbery of some tin belonging to a merchant at Singapore. 1 was, on the 24th June 1855, concerned in the endeavour to trace this tin. I remember going with Mr Caldwell to search for this tin on board the ship Chin. chew. I understood that the information which led to our going on board came through Mr Caldwell. There were a few blocks of tin found on board the ship; we took pos- session of it and brought it ashore. After coming from the ship, we went to a house where it was said to have been bought from, but found none there. Two persons were charged before Mr Hillier, I think, with having unlawful possession of the tin. I believe the parties were not com- mitted for trial on the charge. I don't recollect whether they were or not. I remember, before going on board the ship, accompanying Mr Caldwell to search a hong in Bonham Strand. The tin found there was, I think, taken possession of, but was not I think, the same tin as that which was missing.

Re-examined, I apprehended Ma-chow Wong on the 16th July between 9 and 10 o'clock. I arrested him on two occasions on the 16 and 18th; this one on the 16th was before the issue of a warrant. When I apprehended him

it was a short distance from the Old Central Police Station, I told him that I had made him a prisoner and took him to the Central Police Station. I told him also that the charge against him was confederating with pirates. The words he made use of were "What for you takee my now, I have go up stairs Mr Grand Pre's house last night." No- thing further passed till we arrived at the Station, when I told Mr Grand Pre, who said that Ma-chow Wong had not been at the Police Station the previous night. I told Mr May that if he did not look after the case strictly, most likely it would fall through. I did not attend the Police Court on the first examination of Ma-chow Wong when he was held to bail by the Chief Magistrate. I believe from what people have told me, that Ma-chow Wong interested himself in cases of piracy.

I have heard the Chinese say, that Ma-chow Wong was believed by them to be in possession of great power; they said that he was always connected with pirates, and they were afraid to have anything to do with him. I recollect on one or two occasions, that some of the Lukongs said that Ma-chow Wong was friendly with Mr Caldwell. I have seen Ma-chow Wong at Mr Caldwell's house on three or four or more occasions. I have seen him on various occa-

ΓΟΟΥΕΙ. I have never seen anything in their demeanour to- wards each other which would warrant me in saying they were intimate as friends. I remember Mr May and Tong Akú making an examination of the Ma-chow Wong papers. I was present and had charge of the papers at that time. I am quite satisfied that all the books and papers examined by them were returned to my custody—it is quite impossi- ble that any of them could have been abstracted. Mr May gave me orders regarding taking charge of the books and papers, as I had seized them. There was some money and boxes of clothing belonging to the Kwong Yik Loong shop remaining in the custody of the Police, after the books and papers were sent up to Government Office. Mr Grand- Pré had charge of this property. Mr Grand-Pré ordered it to be given up. He gave up the dollars and the clothing to a man who was clerk at the Kwong Yik Loong shop, and who was tried with Ma-chow Wong. Mr Grand-Pré per- sonally delivered up the dollars. I did not see him deliver up the clothing. There were one or two Chinese with this clerk. Before the property was delivered up, Mr Caldwell came to the charge-room window with a petition, and ask- ed me if Mr May was in his office, and said that the man pointing to this clerk-was come after the property, or something to that effect: at all events the property was given up. I think Mr Caldwell went to Mr Grand-Pré or Mr May. Mr Grand-Pré came out of his office afterwards. I think that as soon as he had had the conversation with Mr May or Mr Grand-Pre, Mr Caldwell went away. I should like to correct my statement, that Mr Grand-Pré had all the money. I had $10 myself, which I delivered up to Mr Grand-Pré, on the occasion of the money being giving up. I found the $10 in one of the boxes, and shewed then to Mr May at the time, and kept charge of them until the property was given up. I do not know what ultimately came of the blocks of tin found on board the ship. I was away a day or two about that time after pirates, and did not attend the Police Court when the case was going on. Mr Grand-Pré had in his possession a gun taken from Eli Boggs no other article that I know of. I do not know what has become of the gun; he may have it still for all that I know.

ELI BOGGS,-Called and examined.

At the period of my apprehension I remember a paper being found on me. The paper, as near as I can recollect, was written for Ma-chow Wong, and sent out to a lorcha to a young man named Beaver who had charge of the lorcha. It stated he was part owner of a lorcha. Some one on board was about to take the lorcha away, and he wished the lorcha to be brought back. It said nothing further. I had several papers, when I was arrested, This paper was in English. I remember something about a paper, which I requested might be taken particular care of, as it I saw that paper at the Supreme would be of use to me. Court on my trial. It was put into my hands by Mr May, believe I read the contents of it in Court. I handed it to

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