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Before I come to that, let us clear the air once and for all, I hope, of some of the trimmings that have been brought into this case.
It matters not, I defy any of us to say how it could matter, whether Leung Ki had one scar on his head or a dozen whether he had been a victim of one fight or a victim of a thousand fights. It matters not whether among the lodging house-keepers of Chinese Street his reputation was that of an honest and quiet fellow like the prisoner or of a raging lion who in stead of paying his debts broke landladies'
fingers. We are not trying any of them for their past deeds or misdeeds; we are investigating one simple matter here which is whether the accused man killed Leung Ki; and it has never been suggested that he rid the world of him because of
his previous misdeeds, nor would it save him in the very slightest from the just consequences of his conduct that up
to that date he had led a completely-virtuous life.
Let us get down to the prisoner's story.
I
It is, as you appreciate, quite uncorroborated.
say that advisedly in spite of the fact that Mr. Chen has
sought to crave in add as corroboration, part of the
statutory deposition taken from Leung Ki on the 1st and
2nd October.
Mr. Prentis opened that deposition to you as of course
he was bound to do in fairness and with that temperance and
moderation one is accustomed to expect from those who
represent the Crown. He put it before you as rather a poor
thing rather unreliable, and when Dr. Låen gave his evidence
he told you just why it was a little unreliable. The man
was dying there is no getting away from it - he was not
in articulo mortis but he was not going to get better. He
was getting drowsy and was inclined to delirium and I daresay
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