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you said there was not a tittle of evidence against him. Was that the ruling of the Judge?
Dr Bridges.--I never said that His Lordship stated there was not a tittle of evidence.
Attorney General.--According to Mr May's memoranda the man was a pirate.
Dr Bridges.--You draw your own inferences. You only show that he was in connection with pirates. You have omitted one part--you will please put it in its proper place.
Attorney General.--Keep your place, Sir,--I am not to be dictated to by a witness--The case was thus--Papers were discovered on Beaver proving Ma-chow Wong to be a pirate, and the Governor, in consequence, resolved that no pardon should be granted.
Dr Bridges.--Yes.
Attorney General.--Well how is the materiality of the papers lost or destroyed which tend to show Tong Aku's credibility?
Dr Bridges.--Because there had been a certain lapse of time, and the matter had lost the importance it had.
(Attorney General reads Dr Bridges letter to the Chief Magistrate, dated 4th of August, and his answer of 6th August, as to the dismissal of Assow, stating that nothing had been done by Assow rendering him unfit to be continued in Government employ.)
Dr Bridges.--Not to my knowledge.
Dr Bridges.--I called on Asow to prove that Shaplok kept a brothel.
Attorney General.--And he proved it, and the relationship between Caldwell and her, and yet it had no influence on your opinion regarding him (Caldwell.)
Dr Bridges.--I was not Mr Caldwell's accuser, and therefore there was no need for me to prove anything.
Attorney General.--You have said that in the Enquiry nothing was proved to show that he did anything to unfit him to be a Justice of the Peace--Why was Asow dismissed,--was it for alleged dishonesty?
Dr Bridges.--His character for honesty was not called in question.
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Wad entered for Tong Aki, that he had better mind his own business, or something of the kind?
Dr Bridges.--I believe so.
Attorney General.--Has Sir John Bowring written?
Dr Bridges.--I think not, if he had I should have known it--I do not think he has been written to by any one, because it would have come to my knowledge if they had.
Attorney General.--Do you not think it would be advisable in future to have such important documents kept at the Police Office, as papers connected with a pirate hong, &c.?
Attorney General.--Is it now still desirable to enquire into this charge of falsification of documents?
Dr Bridges.--Not so far as regards Interpreters in the Magistracy. Since I have been in the Colony I have never known one of them worthy of consideration or trust.
Attorney General.--You say the Beaver papers were sufficient to convict Ma-chow Wong.
Dr Bridges.--Yes.
Attorney General.--Of what use were the papers against a hong suspected of piracy.
Dr Bridges.--Not the slightest use.
Attorney General.--Was it not customary for Mr May to get up informations against people by reference to Police Court records?
Dr Bridges.--I never heard of that.
Attorney General.--Well if they corroborated Tong Aku's translations, how could they render the evidence as to Tong Aku's credibility less material?
Dr Bridges.--Not necessary to record.
Attorney General.--In this letter (reads) Asow says he was afraid to give evidence before the Caldwell Commission. In these statements (reads three depositions before the Magistrate) we have testimony regarding Shaplok being the keeper of a brothel, and of her threatening to complain of noisy people to her relation Mr Caldwell.
Attorney General.--Has any other interpreter been dismissed in consequence of his conduct with regard to the Caldwell Commission inquiry?
Dr Bridges.--Yes; a person named Ng Munsow.
Attorney General.--Was not that against the strong remonstrance of Mr Davies? (To Registrar. Will you look out for correspondence relating to dismissal of Ng Sow?)
Dr Bridges.--He was dismissed and you were suspended about the same time: For his dismissal I voted in the Council for your suspension I did not.
Attorney General.--The dismissal was against the Magistrate's strong and earnest remonstrance.
Dr Bridges.--In an earlier letter he said he would not help him.
Attorney General.--The evidence offered by the Chief Magistrate formed the subject of enquiry,
Dr Bridges.--He forwarded evidence which he considered to establish the man's innocence, but which the Executive Council did not consider so.
Attorney General.--Were the parties examined?
Dr Bridges.--No.
Attorney General.--How could the matter be said to have been carefully inquired into?
Dr Bridges.--The Chief Magistrate had examined the witnesses, and the evidence furnished by him was taken as correct. Mr Davies was not examined himself.
Dr Bridges.--Yes, those were the enclosures.
Attorney General.--Were not the papers important as affecting the character of Tong Aku?
Dr Bridges.--They did not confirm anything--they only proved he was a pirate. They only referred to the pirate question. Sir John was very undecided about it. I consider on many points he has a strong mind. He is apt to be vacillating in trivial matters although.
Attorney General.--By this I understand that the Governor was more inclined to pardon Ma-chow Wong than to confirm the decision of the Court.
Dr Bridges.--I said the Governor had no mind one way or the other.
Dr Bridges.--I had formed my own opinion as to Tong Aku on his general trustworthiness.
Attorney General.--And yet in the face of them the order went forth to dismiss him, Asow at once.
Dr Bridges.--Yes, I was in Council when it took place.
Attorney General.--And then came this strong remonstrance from Mr Davies (reads that gentleman's letter, asserting his belief, excepting as to dates, in Asow's statements.)
[The letters we regret were not impounded, so that copies of them might be obtained for publication.]
Mr Davies, you see, points out that this was the second instance within eleven months of losing a good Interpreter through the hostility of Mr Caldwell, and asks where was it to end--you admit that letter.
Dr Bridges.--Yes.
Attorney General.--Yes, you have said this several times--a number of times.
Attorney General.--Was he not much trusted by Mr May?
Dr Bridges.--He was the Police Court Interpreter--not Mr May's--not in the Police. From time to time Mr May was Magistrate, and is in the Commission of the Peace. After the statement made by me to Mr Davies he should never have trusted him.
Attorney General.--As a matter of fact, Tong Aku was charged with perjury by the Ma-chow Wong gang, was he not?
Dr Bridges.--No. The charge was brought by some one else unconnected with the Ma-chow Wong gang, a person who was in Gaol before Ma-chow Wong, and who, as far as I know, had nothing to do with him. Tong Aku was not dismissed. He resigned, as said, from fear of Ma-chow Wong. I know it was not the man that helped Ma-chow Wong that got up the charge.
Attorney General.--And now I will read Mr D'Almada's reply (reads.)
Dr Bridges.--No doubt but that letter is correct--I did not write it--I don't remember sufficiently to swear to it.
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Attorney General.--The Mr Mitchell alluded to--is it the same Mr Mitchell who now performs the duty of Assistant Magistrate, on whose recommendation to recall Aku, His Excellency refused to act?
Dr Bridges.--Yes.
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Attorney General.--And then we have Mr Davies answer in which he alludes to the mingled tone of iron...
Attorney General.--Mr Davies said that he was afraid of the Government.
Dr Bridges.--He never told the Government so.
Attorney General.--Did not Mr Mitchell speak strongly in his favour.
Dr Bridges.--Yes,
Attorney General.--(To Court.) It's in your Lordship's notes.
Attorney General.--The question for the Governor to decide was whether the petitioner was a safe man to be pardoned?
Dr Bridges.--The question was, there being an insufficiency of evidence (in which His Lordship concurred) whether the character of the man was such as to warrant a pardon.
Court.--All I said was that I declined to interfere with the verdict of the Jury, not that it was a weak case.
Attorney General.--(To Bridges.) Why do you raise these miserable quibbles?
Court.--I may have said that there might have been more proof of guilt;--but I had no desire to interfere with the verdict of the Jury,
Attorney General.--(To Witness.) What was the Jury's verdict?
Dr Bridges.--Guilty!
Attorney General.--Well then, the question was "Does he deserve his pardon"--Does 'what has been produced against him prove him to have been a pirate?
Attorney General.--The Attorney General was told, on...
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you said there was not a tittle of evidence against him. Was that the ruling of the Judge ?
Dr Bridges.--I never said that His Lordship stated there was not a tittle of evidence.
Attorney General.-According to Mr May's memoranda the man was a pirate.
They You
Dr Bridges.--You draw your own inferences. only show that he was in connection with pirates. have omitted one part-you will please put it in its proper place.
Attorney General.-Keep your place, Sir,-I am not to be dictated to by a witness-The case was thus-Papers were discovered on Beaver proving Ma-chow Wong to be a pirate, and the Governor, in consequence, resolved that no pardon should be granted.
Dr Bridges.-Yes.
Attorney General.-Well how is the materiality of the papers lost or destroyed which tend to show Tong Aku's credibility?
Dr Bridges-Because there had been a certain lapse of time, and the matter had lost the importance it had
(Attorney General reads Dr Bridges letter to the Chiet
Attorney General. Do you know whether Mr Magistrate, dated 4th of August, and his answer of 6th has been applied to by any one on the subject ? August, as to the dismissal of Assow, stating that nothing had been done by Assow rendering him unfit to be contin
Dr Bridges. Not to my knowledge. ued in Government employ.)
Dr Bridges. I called on Asow to prove that Shaplok kept a brothel.
Attorney General.--And he proved it, and the relation ship between Caldwell and her, and yet it had no influence on your opinion regarding him (Caldwell.)
Dr Bridges.—I was not Mr Caldwell's accuser, and there fore there was no need for me to prove anything.
Attorney General. You have said that in the Enquiry nothing was proved to show that he did anything to unfit him to be a Justice of the Peace-Why was Asow dis missed,- -was if for alleged dishonesty?
Dr Bridges. His character for honesty was not called in question.
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Wadenterceding for Tong Aki, that he had better mind his
own business, or something of the kind?
Dr Bridges.--I believe so.
Attorney General.-Has Sir John Bowring written? Dr Bridges. I think not, if he had I should have known it--I do not think he has been written to by any one, because it would have come to my knowledge if they had,
Attorney General.--Do you not think it would be ad- visable in future to have such important documents kept at the Police Office, as papers connected with a pirate hong, c. ?
Attorney General.--Is it now still desirable to enquire into this charge of falsification of documents?
Dr Bridges-Not so far as regards Interpreters in the Magistracy. Since I have been in the Colony I have ne ver known one of them worthy of consideration or trust.
Attorney General--You say the Beaver papers were sufficient to convict Ma-chow Wong.
Dr Bridges.--Yes.
Dr Bridges-Not the slightest use. Attorney General. against a hong suspected of piracy.
Dr. Bridges. In no way necessary. Attorney General.---Was it not customary for Mr May to get up informations against people by reference to Po-
Attorney General. Well if they corroborated Tong Aku's translations, how could they render the evidence as
Not necessary to record crime to Tong Aku's credibility less material?
Dr Bridges.I never heard of that.
Attorney General. In this letter (reads) Asow says he was afraid to give evidence before the Caldwell Commisice Court records? sion. In these statements (reads three depositions before the Magistrate) we have testimony regarding Shaplok being the keeper of a brothel, and of her threatening to Attorney General. Has any other interpreter been dis-complain of noisy people to her relation Mr Caldwell. missed in consequence of his conduct with regard to the Caldwell Commission inquiry?
before.
Dr Bridges.--Yes; a person named Ng Munsow.
Attorney General--Was not that against the strong re- monstrance of Mr Davies ? (To Registrar. Will you look out for correspondence relating to dismissal of 'Ng Sow?)
Dr Bridges.--He was dismissed and you were sus pended about the same time: For his dismissal I voted in the Council for your suspension I did not.
Attorney General.-The dismissal was against the Magistrate's strong and earnest remonstrance.
Dr Bridges. In an earlier letter he said he would not 'help him.
Attorney General. The evidence offered by the Chief Magistrate formed the suject of enquiry,
Dr Bridges. He forwarded evidence which he con- sidered to establish the man's innocence, but which the Executive Council did not consider so.
Attorney General.-Were the parties examined? Dr Bridges.-No.
Attorney General.--How could the matter be said to have been carefully inquired into?
Dr Bridges.-The Chief Magistrate had examined the witnesses, and the evidence furnished by him was taken as correct. Mr Davies was not examined himself.
Dr Bridges.-Yes, those were the enclosures.
Attorney General.-Were not the papers important as affecting the character of Tong Aku?
Dr Bridges. They did not confirm anything- they only proved he was a pirate. They only referred to the He is apt to be vacillating in trivial matters although pirate question. Sir John was very undecided about it.
I consider on many points he has a strong mind.,
Attorney General. By this I understand that the Gov- ernor was more inclined to pardon Ma-chow Wong than to confirm the decision of the Court.
Dr Bridges. I said the Governor had no mind one way
Dr Bridges.--I had formed my own opinion as to Tong or the other.
Attorney General.And yet in the face of them the ku on his general trustworthiness. order went forth to dismiss him, Asow at once.
Dr Bridges.--Yes, I was in Council when it took place Attorney General. And then came this strong remon strance from Mr Davies (reads that gentleman's letter, as serting his belief, excepting as to dates, in Asow's state ments.)
[The letters we regret were not impounded, so that co pies of them might be obtained for publication.]
Mr Davies, you see, points out that this was the second instance within eleven months of losing a good Interpreter through the hostility of Mr Caldwell, and sks where was it to ent--you admit that letter.
Dr Bridges.-Yes.
Attorney General. Yes, you have said this several
Attorney General-Was he not much trusted by Mr times-a number of times. May?
Dr Bridges.--He was the Police Court Interpreter-not Mr May's-not in the Police. From time to time Mr May was Magistrate, and is in the Commission of the Peace. After the statement made by me to Mr Davies he should never have trusted him.
Attorney General. As a matter of fact, Tong Aku was charged with perjury by the Ma-chow Wong gang, was the not?
Dr Bridges.--No. The charge was brought by some one else unconnected with the Ma-chow Wong gang, a person who was in Gaol before Ma-chow Wong, and who,
Attorney General. And now I will read Mr D'Aluso far as I know, had nothing to do with him. Tong Aku was not dismissed. He resigned, as said, from fear da's reply (reads.)
of Ma-chow Wong. I know it was not the man that helped Ma-chow Wong that got up the charge.
Dr Bridges. No doubt but that letter is correct-Id not write it-I don't remember sufficiently to swear to ik
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Attorney General. The Mr Mitchell alluded to—is it the same Mr Mitchell who now performs the duty of As sistant Magistrate, on whose recommendation to recal Aku, His Excellency refused to act?
Bridges.-Yes.
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al.—And then we have Mr Davies answer" in which he alludes to the mingled tone of iron
Attorney General-Mr Davies said that he was afraid of the Government.
Dr Bridges. He never told the Government so.
Attorney General.--Did not Mr Mitchell speak strongly his favour.
Er Bridges. Yes,
Dr Bridges. I should be sorry to say so. Attorney General.—(To Court.) Its in your Lordship's
notes.
Attorney General.-The question for the Governor to decide was whether the petitioner was a safe man to be pardoned?
Dr Bridges. The question was, there being an insuf- fiency of evidence (in which His Lordship concurred) whether the character of the man was such as to warrant a pardon.
Court-All I said was that I declined to interfere with
the verdict of the Jury, not that it was a weak case.
Attorney General.—(To Bridges.) Why do you raise these miserable quibbles?
Court. I may have said that there might have been more proof of guilt;-but I had no desire to interfere with the verdict of the Jury,
Attorney General.-(To Witness.) What was the Ju- ry's verdict?
Dr Bridges.-Guilty!
Attorney General.-Well then, the question was " Does he deserve his pardon "-Does 'what has been produced
Attorney General.--The Attorney General was told, on against him prove him to have been a pirate? I think
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