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O MI-CHEUNG states:--I serve 1 in the Hongkong Water Police Force for fourteen years and eight mouths. I was a detective thirteen years and six months and an acting sergeant and a sergeant about thirteen years of this period.
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On the 15th July, 1897, Inspector Hanson took me into Victoria Gaol. Just before arriving at the gaol he said to me, "Do you know anything about Mr. Corcoran receiving $3.00 a day from gambling houses? Did you hand it to him?" I told him I knew nothing about it. He then took me inside and the chief warder searched me, after which I was At 8 or 9 p.m. I was taken to the office of Mr. May, locked in a cell on the first floor.
up the Superintendent of Gaol, before Mr. May, Mr. Deunys and Mr. Sung Sing, who acted as interpreter. Mr. Dennys asked me if I had ever collected gambling money and handed it to Mr. Corcoran. I replied "No." He said "No? Sham In says you have." Sham In was then called in and Mr. Dennys asked if I knew him. I said "No. I do not know him." Mr. Dennys asked Sham In if he knew me and he replied "Yes." I asked how many times When?" He replied "In the 3rd decade he had seen me. He replied "Once." I said of the 12th moon of last year (January, 1897) above a barber's shop." I asked in what street and the number of the house, and he said he could not remember. I asked to whom he had paid the money, and he said “To Yeung Fat and Tang Chung; uncle A Cheang (meaning me) confess," I said "I have done nothing to confess." Mr. May then sent Sham In away and said to me, "You have heard what Shams In said." I replied " He is a prisoner and wants to be let out." Mr. May said, "I believe he speaks the truth." I said, "I have done no such thing." Mr. May said, "Tell everything and I will speak to the Governor, who will perhaps let you off and let you remain a Sergeant, otherwise you may be placed on the charge sheet, and charged and if there is evidence, you may be sentenced to six or nine months' hard labour and afterwards be banished for five years. Why is it you will not tell? Corcoran has resigned and you need not be afraid to speak; he cannot look after you now," I replied, Yes, if I know I must tell and look after myself before others." Mr. May said in English, "You are very foolish." When I was before Mr. May and Mr. Dennys, Mr. Dennys wrote down my statement. I was sent away and locked up.
of
The next day, 16th July, I was taken out again before Mr. May. Sung Sing was interpreter. Mr. May again questioned me as on the previous day.
On the third day, 17th July, I was taken out again before Mr. May. He said, "There is no one present, you speak in a low tone and tell me about Corcoran affair." I replied, "I know nothing about it." I then said, "Your honour, give me permission to send to my house for something to eat, I have not eaten anything for several days." He replied, "I will not give you permission," and in English “I don't care if you die." I asked also permission to be allowed to see my wife, and he refused.
In the afternoon I was taken out again before Mr. May and Mr. Ewens, solicitor. Mr. Ewens said he was employed by my wife to inquire why I was arrested. Mr. Ewen's inter- preter, Sin Tak-fan, said "If you know anything about Mr. Corcoran receiving bribes, speak out and the Governor may let you off, if not, you will be banished." I said to Mr. Ewens "Then banish me soon, for I have nothing but prison fare to eat here. I have not calen anything for days."
I was detained in Gaol six days, 15th to 21st July, and during that time was shown no banishment order. On the 21st July I was banished. I afterwards went to reside at Sham Shui Po in Chinese territory on the borders of British Kowloon. On or about the 10th of August, Mr. May visited me there. He said "You know about Mr. Corcoran receiving bribes and also Inspector Stanton and others. If you will tell me what you know, I will I said, "I do not know allow you to return to Hongkong and reinstate you in the Police." anything about it." He said "If you will not tell me, I will write to the Kowloon Maudarin and request him not to allow you to reside here." I said "I do not know, how can I tell?" He said, “Think the matter over, I will come to see you again." I replied, "If it is about I know nothing about it." He said, "You are a gambling matters you need not come.
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Chinaman and they are foreign devils. Why is it you protect them? You are truly a fool.”
He then left, and 1 left Sham Shui Po the next day.
Sworn by the above named ✪ Mi-cheung in my presence.
(81) B★M (O MI-CHEUNG)
[L.s.]
E. H. FRASER,
VICE-CONSUL,
SCHEDULE No. 5.
POLICE COURT-REPORT.
CHINA MAIL, Saturday, November 6th, 1897-Ip Yeung, an interpreter employed by the Sanitary Board, was charged at the Magistracy to-day, that he unlawfully did, with intent to defraud, obtain from one Tong Sang, by a certain false pretence, a sum of $17, at Hunghom on 7th July. The defendant was employed as interpreter to the Sanitary Inspector at Hung- hom, and on several occasions he applied to the complainant for sums of money, stating they were for the Inspector, The money was handed over on the understanding that the complainant and three other pig dealers should receive their licences. The extortion was discovered in consequence of Sanitary Inspector Macdonald having summoned the complainant for keeping swine without a licence. On one occasion, complainant, in accordance with a request by the interpreter, collected several fowls, capons and eggs and took them'to the interpreter to give to the Inspector. The defendant said he would also have to get a bottle of whisky, and con- plainant handed him $1, and the interpreter went out and bought the bottle of whisky. Complainant and the interpreter then went to the Inspector's house and offered him the articles as a present, The Inspector refused to take them. They left the Inspector's house and went back to where the interpreter resided, where the defendant said, in answer to his question as to why the Inspector would not receive the present, "Bring $10 to me for the Inspector." Complainant went home and consulted with the other pig-keepers, and they agreed to give $10. They borrowed the money, and complainant went to the shop where defendant resided, but as he was not at home he left the money with the shop-keeper. Sometime afterwards he met the interpreter in the street and he asked him to get another $6 for him. The pig-keeper collected the $6, and the complainant had to pay his subscription to that amount by pawning his jacket. This money was also received by defendant. All this took place before Inspector Macdonald took over the district. At this stage the case was adjourned. Defendant was granted bail in two sureties for $250 each.
CHINA MAIL, November 10th, 1897-Ip Yeung, the Sanitary Board interpreter charged with obtaining $16 by false pretences from a pigkeeper at Hunghom, was to-day convicted of the charge and sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. The interpreter said he collected the money and gave it to the Inspector. He first of all was offered $10, which he took to Inspector McAllister, who said it was not enough, as the pig-dealer had given $20 to the Sergeant at the fort for permission to keep pigs. IIe applied to the pig-dealer for more money, and received the $16, which he handed over to the Inspector. Inspector McAllister gave evidence denying the statements that he had been offered money, and said he had reported to the Sanitary Board against the application of the complainant to keep pigs, as the site was on military ground. He was not aware of the transactious of defendant until the case was brought up. The complainant denied that he ever paid money to the Sergeant at the fort. The Magistrate explained to the complainant that he could not build on military ground, and pointed out the folly of attempting to obtain permission by offering the money to the interpreter.
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