Miscellani
B
M
234
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he was 0.
and eat on.
aud be forthcoming - One remand after another was applied for and granted, a little evidence being offered on each occasion. The witnesses were all professed gamblers and their testimony consisted of alleged conversations with the prisoners. The Magistrate sought to test the evidence by cross-examination and by insisting on the instant attendance of a person who had been referred to. In the adoption of this course, strongly remonstrated with and opposed by the Crown Solicitor, who threatened to withdraw if the Magistrate did not desist. At all the sittings held after this threat was made, the Attorney General attended the bench, evidently to overawe the Magistrate, so that the unseemly spectacle was presented of the Attorney General, the Crown Solicitor, and proclaimed suborner, leagued together to prosecute three undefended men, after no less than seven remands and adjournments, the prisoners were committed for trial on the capital charge.
At the Criminal Sessions held in April last, it was intimated in Court that fresh evidence had been recently found in the Holworthy Cave, rendering it probable that it would not be tried for some time. The Criminal Sessions in Hong Kong are held every month, but no further legal steps were taken in the case, and on the 28th August, the three prisoners were discharged by proclamation.
Page 12
The following paragraph from the local paper, which has the credit of being the organ of government, throws a little light on this case:
"Two of the ruffians connected with the murder of the late Mr. Holworthy have for some time been in the custody of the native authorities at Canton. By the accounts last received, they were lying in prison under sentence of death, which is to be carried out in October, the usual month for Chinese executions.
"The manner in which they were discovered was extremely ingenious and is illustrative of the shrewdness with which the Chinese can act in the detection of crime. In consequence of the publicity that was given to the matter through the placards, which, in accordance with suggestions from the police, were posted among other places at the chief centres of the Kowloon peninsula, the native Magistrate there succeeded in discovering a man in whose possession was a portion of the watch chain. He at once put himself in communication with the authorities at Canton, and further enquiries being instituted, the second culprit was captured, and both were tried and, as above mentioned, sentenced to death after confession. The account which they gave was not extracted from them without resorting to torture, but it so completely tallies with the circumstances previously known that there can be no doubt of its being a true statement of the matter.
"It appears now clear that the men who were brought up by Mr. Caldwell, who was evidently deceived, were entirely unconnected with the affair. And it is probably due to the commendable shrewdness of the Senior Police Magistrate that they were not sentenced to the last penalty of the law upon what would subsequently have proved to be an elaborately concocted scheme of perjury. It is, of course, presumable that it is now utterly impossible to discover the whereabouts of any of these men."
13.
So much for the value of Mr. Caldwell's supervision in a detective capacity in connection with the gambling case.
KNOWZA
T
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Miscellani
B
M
234
¡
he was 0.
and eat on.
aud be forthcoming - One remond after another was applied for and granted a little evidence being offend on each occasion. The witnesses were
were all professed gamblers and their testimony consisted of alleged conversations with the prisoners. The
Magistrate nought to test the evidence by Credo-examination und by insisting on the instant attendances of a person who had been referred to. In the adoption of this course strongly remonobta ·ted with and oppooed by the brown Solicitor who threatened to withdraw if the~ ellagistrale did not deoist. At all the sittingo held after this threat was made, the Attorney General attended the bench widently to overawe the ellaginhale so that the unocemly spectacle was presented of the
AHorney General, the Crown Solicitor and proclaimed subomer, legned together to prosecute three undefended men, Øfler no less than oeven pemends
and adjoLDUN
vrnments the prisonure were commit
committed the Capital Charge. At the Criminal Sessions held April last it was intimated in Court that fresh evidence had been recently found in the
• Holworthy Cave rendering it probable that it would not be tried for some time. The Criminal Sessions in Hong Kong are held every month but no. further legal stepo were taken in the. Hew and on the 28th
August, the three prisoner, were discharged but proclamation,
on
the 23
12.-
ud
IMA
C
03-
I
The following paragraph from the local paper which has the credit of being the organ of government, Alvrows a little light on this preceding "Two of the ruffiano connected with the murder of the " late otth. Holworthy have for some time been in "The custody of the native authorities at Canton. By "the accounts last received they were lying in prison "under wontenes of death which is to be carried
ویر شهر
out in October, the noual month for Chinose Executions "The manner in
hich they were discovered was extremely ingenious and is illustrative of the shrewdness " with which the Chinese can act in the detection of "Crime. In
consequence of the publicity that was - given to the matter through the placards which "in accordance with suggestions from the police were "posted among other places at the Chief centren of
the How leon peninsula f the native Magistrate there
discovering
"nucceeded in dis
a man in whose posseoxiou
was a portion of the watch chain. He at
onee
ree put
" himself in communication with the authorities at Canton and further enquires being emotituted "The second culprit was captured and both were " tried and as above mentioned sentenced after "confession to death. The account which they gave. was not extracted from them without resortiniej to toiture but it so completely tallies with the
circumstances previously known that there can be "no doubt of its being a true statement of the matter "It appears now clear that the men who were. brought " up by M. baldwell who was evidently deceived, were enteisly unconnected with the affair. And it is probably due to the commendable shrewdness of the "Senior Police & Magistrate that they were not sentenced to "the last penalty of the law upon what would subsequent have proved to be diaborately concocted scheme of " perjury. It is of course presumable that it is now "utterly impossible to discover the whereabouts of any "of these men –
13.
tr
So much for the value of W. lealcuivellipervizo in a delective capasitif on connection with the gambling
KNOWZA
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