1929-03-19 — Page 5

Page

SAMOAN DANCERS AT CANTON.

RETURNING TO HONG KONG ON FRIDAY,

(FROM OOK CHINESE CURAESPONDENT. Į

The Samoan dancers and singers under the direction of Madame Claude Riviere has arrived in Can. ton for a short visit.

In an interview with Madame Riviere, our correspondent was told that these songs and dancer represent the spirit of the South Seas and depict the life and habits of the Samoan, among the fuest and purest type of the Polynesians. Madame Riviere said that no pain has been spared to bring her troupė to perfection in Polynesian arts. She intends to take her troupe to Europe, and introduce the Poly- nesian art there.

"This will be absolutely sew to Europe, and I haven't the slightest doubt but that it will be welcomed there as it has been in other parts of the world," she declared. Europe has had its Russian and Negro dances and songs and is very tired of them. What it wants now is something new. We have al ready booked for London, Paris

·COUNTERFEIT COIN

MAKING...

THREE-YEAR SENTENCE AT

SESSIONS.

*** INADMISSIBLE EVIDENCE.”

لری

Two Chinese were on trial at the Criminal Sessions yesterday after- noon before the Puisne Judge (Mr. Justice J. R. Wood) for possession of moulds for coining five-cent and ten-cent pieces Hong Kong eur- rency and on a further count of possession of coins counterfeit of the same denominations with intent.

to utter,

Prisoners denied both

charges and elected to be tried be fore the jury which was engaged it another case reported elsewhere.

Case for the Prosecution. Outlining his erse, Mr. H. Somerset Fitzroy, Assistant At- torney General," stated that the prisoners lived on the first floor of No. 79, Yu Chow Street, Shamshui-

po..

Acting on information, a party of police raided the floor on January 29th on a search warrant. When the police officers entered, the second prisoner rushed out of

THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, MARCH 19th, 1929.

KING EDWARD HOTEL CONFLAGRATION.

FURTHER DRAMATIC EVIDENCE AT

CORONER'S INQUIRY.

CHICAGO UNIVERSITY GRADUATE'S NARROW

ESCAPE.

STORY OF LOCKED EXIT DOOR.

Very few members of the public were present at yesterday's hearing of the King Edward Hotel fire inquiry. Mr. H. W. Hamil. tom mat as Coroner with a jury consisting of Mr. F. 6. Brown (foreman), Mr. C. Little and Mr. L. C. F. Bellamy, at the Central Magistracy.

A; the previous hearing the Goroner Intimated that the pro- ceedings would probably be of a lengthy mature and would extend over a fortnight, with sittings at 2.15 p.m.. on Mondays, Wednes. days, and Thursdays. “

The inquiry is, primarily, an inquest upon Mr. Woods, an Aus tralian, who was one of the ten victims who lost their lives in the disaster. At the previous hearing, evidence was given of identi- fleation and the finding of the charred remains after the fire was under control.

Mr.. Leo d'Almada e Castro, junior., held a watching brief for the proprietors, Mr. Hla Shing Lo represented Mr. Witchell (the Ifcensee) and Mr. H. C. Lee appeared on behalf of the China Land Investment Company.

...

P.W.D. OFFICIAL'S EVIDENCE.

The first witness at yesterday's Į Cross-examined by the Coroner,

To Chat asked witness why there was so much smoke' on the stair- case. Witness looked down the staircase and saw smoke rising from below. He entered the lift and des- conded. He saw a glare at the bottom of the main stairs so "he blew his whistic,

In reply to the Coroner, he said he saw flames coming from a stack of rattan baskets by a wooden partition. The baskets had been there on the previous night as the spot was sometimes used as a tem- porary storing place for luggage. He noticed nothing wrong with the baskets when he first took Mrs Treung up in the lift. It took him about five minutes to go up in the lift and reach the bottom again.

No Fire Drill!

There was a hydrant about six feet away from the baskets but he forget all about it. When he got to the main doar he heard the lift bell ringing after he had given the alarm with his whistle. Ha did not take the lit up to the people whe were ringing the bell until he heard other whistles answer him in the street. Then he took the lift up to the second floor where two Chinese He took gentlemen were waiting. them down. By the time he reach ed the first floor the lift was among the flames and his hand was burn- ed. He got the life down to the ground foor but it was impossible to take is up again.

and Berlin and shali sail to give a rear cubicle, but" was arrested hearing was Mr. Arthur E. Wright, witress said that from the time he cleaned with wax and kerosene.

ly."

i.

performances in these centres short.

They expect to leave for Hong Kong on Friday morning to give another series of performances at the Queen's Theatre.

The other prisoner who was then Assistant Director of Public Works, in the cubicle was served to who produced his plan of Royal throw something out of the win-Building (which embodied the King dow, Parts of the plaster-of-Paris Edward and Savoy Hotels) original moulds produced in Court werely submitted for the construction found in the yard, also two coins of the building in 1902. While the Explored the South Seas,

each of five and ten-cent "pieces. building was in course of erection, Madame Riviere has taken the search of the two prisoners reveal-further plans were submitted, floor greatest interest in the welfare ofed more coins in their clothing. by floor, by Messrs. Leigh and the inhabitants of the South Sea Following these discoveries, Islands. She went to the United chatty with a ladle containing hot metal, bottles containing plaster of States of America during the Great paris, a yellow liquid, more coins War and founded a French maga and molten metal, and other zine in New York. She was later things were found in the cubicle. connected with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was sent to Tahiti eight years ago to investigate and report on the economic condi- tions there for the French Govern

ment.

Mr. V. C Branson, acting Government Analyst, stated in the witness box that he received the exhibits, from his predecessor, Mr. Dovey," prior to the latter's de parture on leave. These had been

handed to Mr. Dovey by the police. His Lordship then said he must consider how far Mr. Branson's evidence was admissible.

Police Seals Missing.

Orange. They were simply sub mitted for information. The re- quirements of the law of that time were satisfied by the submission of the first general plan. No plan for the fifth floor had been traced. The absence of that plan did not make the building “ illegal.”

Caroner: Is anything being done to the two hotels?

Neither witness nor Mr. Tseung were smoking when they first went up in the Mt. The floors of the King Edward Hotel were sometimes

on to the staircase, no more than out by means of an oficial test, entered the lift until he rushed out Mr. Hamilton: You might find ten minutes had elapsed. The door pleas Mr. King, what would be the at the bottom of the concrete stairs actual effect of using such & mix. was locked at night as a matter of ture on wood for 15 years 1--Yes, routine because there was a stock of Your Worship. wine and spirits in the store room He did not know whether the door was locked on the night of the fire, though.

and there is not the slightest doubt Coroner: We have seen the door that it was locked. The manager will tell you that he dived down to the basement and clambered out through a window.

Mr. King: 1 was present when the door or rather, gate-TAS smashed open by the re brigade."

A Lucky Resident. Mr. Jennings Li Wong, graduate of Chicago University, said he oc- Witness: I understand Messrs. Leigh and Orange are He returned to the hotel at about

that cupied room 204 on the second floor desirous of taking certain steps 3 o'clock. The front door was lock with reference to the Savoy. Unlessed and he rang the bell several the walls have to be largely rebuilt times but got no answer. He then I cannot stop wooden floors being began to notice a reflection from

around

hydrant" and hose were in existence Continuing, the lift boy said the when be arst went to the hotel. He had never been instructed in ita use and had never taken part any are drill carried out at the in any fire drill. He had never scen hotel nor had he seen written in- structions anywhere in the hotel as to the procedure to be followed in the event of a fire or any other emergency.

Coroner: It is possible that such a thing as fire drill was unknown in a good many hotels in the Colony until last Monday. And I expect it will be unknown again after a month has gone by!

The inquiry was then adjourned until Wednesday afternoon.

YEARS.

ATTACK ON CHINESE DOCTOR.

"For 4 or 3 years I explored the South Sea Islands all by myself," she said to the representative of the Daily Press. I travelled in native schooners with native cap-

Mr. Fitzroy pointed out in re put in, but I can prevent the erec- the direction of the fift. Peeping ROBBER GETS FOUR tains and crews. In each island I ference to a package of coins antion of lath and plaster walls,

Coroner: What steps would you slept and ate with the natives, tered as an exhibit that it was seal- was greatly struck

with their ed by the police before it was hand- take in the case of King Edward generosity and mode of thought ed over to Mr. Dovey, and the Hotel if concrete floors were not same Chinese newspaper wrapping put in 7-1 can only advise the police and living. I danced with the native women and am very fond of was there. Mr. Branson, in answer to refuse a licence. As a matter of it. In one island I was the first to His Lordship, said that the fact, any building used as an hotel newspaper wrapping was similaria an exceptional" building to-day white woman' seen for 17 years."

to that which he had seen when he under the terms of the Amendment opened the package, but there was to Ordinance 6 of 1997 and I could another yellow paper over the insist upon the use of any material

the seals. I consider desirable.. A.S.P. MURPHY'S ESCAPE. package which bore

This yellow wrapper with the police seala, however, was not in- CAR ACCIDENT ON STANLEY cluded among the exhibits in

ROAD.

Court. Mr. Branson to stand down.

His Lordship then asked

Evidence of the execution of the search warrant, the arrest of the prisoners, and the seizure of the

Court various articles in

Wis

Assistant Superintendent T. Mur. phy, Mrs. Murphy, Mrs. J. Murphy and Master Murphy (wife and son of Inspector J. Murphy) had an given by Sergeant Brittain. extremely unpleasant experience in Mr. Branson, who re-entered the a motor decident on the Stanley witness box, stated that by the nid Road on Sunday evening, and were of the moulds a good imitation of lucky to escape with a few bruises. The driver of tas public car which coins could be made. The coins in- they had hired was on the uphill cluded in the charge, he said, were all, false, and further that the road from Stanley to the main molten metal found was practically round-the-island road when be

of the same composition as the threw out the clutch and the car

coins. Evidence on other articles at once began to run backwards. Mr. Murphy, who was sitting in examined was disallowed. front, seized the wheel and tried to run the car against the embank ment to prevent it going down the clivity at the corner. He was partly successful, for though the car ran hack for about 20 yards,

די

A Statement by Prisoner. "In & long statement the second accused said that he had lived for 20 years at Saipingpun on the Hong Kong side. One day he ac

which

better WES

than

Buildings Not Released.

In reply to a question from the Coroner, Inspector Lane said the buildings are still in the hands of the police and, until the Coroner releases them, there cannot be any rebuilding.

more.

through a window, he saw flames. He shouted

and other 'Fire" in the street gathered people

Witness tried to find a policeman. He saw two Indians blowing police whistles and said to them, "Set off the alarm-it's no use whistling!" He could not say whether they were At any policemen or watchmen. rate, they did not understand but kept on whistling. The fire engine came up then.

La reply to the Corner, witness said that six or seven minutes elapsed between his first seeing the flames and the arrival of the fire men,

"I should like to make a few Mr. Wright: I should advise per- remarks, Your Worship," he said. mission be given to pull down any "A little after two o'clock on the preceding morning when I got back dangerous parta.

Coroner Certainly, but nothing to the hotel the front door was open and a boy was standing there but, M. Lee: That is all my clients on Sunday night the door was lock are desirous of doing at present, ed. A further point is the rapidity Your Worship, although a temporary with which the fire spread. Just a few moment after I saw the flames roof is required.

Mr. T. H. King, Captain Superin-in the basement, I saw fames on tendent of Police, said that search. the top floor! ing and clearing away of the debris bave been completed. Exhaustive search has failed to reveal further human remains nor had any more people been reported missing. was a member of the Hotel Com- Mr. Tseung Foo Kwong said he

Room Boy's Deposition. The Coroner read a deposition taken at the bedside of To Chat, the room boy who is lying in the Gov- erament Civil Hospital in a serious

JERVOIS STREET CASE.

"

A plea of guilty was entered by A Chinese in the first case on the Criminal Sessions calendar before the Puisne Judge (Mr. Justice J. R. Wood) yesterday.

also

The prisoner was charged with carrying out a robbery, naisted by two others, at No. 63, Jervois Street, the residence of a Chinese doctor on the day before Chinese New Year. A purse, a bunch of keys, and 8185 was stolen from the doctor, while so amah was robbed of jewellery and money.

In explaining the facts, Mr. H. Somerset Fitzroy, Assistant At- torney General, stated that At prisoner and another man entered the floor on the pretence of having come to obtain treatment. While they were talking, a third knocked at the door and was ad mitted.

man

A Plucky Amah While he was examining the sup÷.

denly seized by the throat and posed patient, the doctor was sud- This boy was apparently on duty overpowered. The robbers searched

condition.

but one of them (the prisoner) was caught in the street, and on the way to the station he made a fruitless attempt to escape, Prisoner was sentenced to four years' hard labour..

Mr. Murphy steered it into the em. cidentally met an old friend who pany. The China Land Investment from 7 p.m. in company with a the floor, but suddenly an amah) bankment, and it turned right over introduced him to the house of the Company were the owners of the coolic. He could not say at what knocked at the door. She was ad-

first accused promising him that he building. Witness bad room .308 Mrs. T. Murphy and Master would earn two meals a day assigned to him on the third floor. time the fire began. He was tidy-mitted, but ordered to keep quiet. He went to his room at about a ing & bed in room 302 when the Her idea of keeping quiet, how Murphy were thrown clear, but the

doing

come from the first floor. He ran throw a basin into the yard and Superintendent, the driver and Mrs. J. Murphy were imprisoned in their nothing." He had a meal, washed on the morning of the fire. room became full of smoke which ever, said Mr. Fitzroy, was to

up the dishes, and entered the The front door of the Hotel was seats, fortunately without injury. cubicle to put on his jacket and closed down when he arrived and into other rooms to see what was scream for all she was worth. The

nothing. He tried to find the way floor, Dockyard) and Mr. H. L. Lockhart He denied that he ran away and In, the lift bey, opened the door. down the stairs but the smoke was

Mr. A. B. Allen (of the RN go out when the police entered. he had to knock twice until Wong the cause of the fire but could see robbers then ran away from the Wong rebolted the door and they (Inspector of Factories) who were stated that he made a confession at both entered the lift Witness did too dense and turned him back.

He ran back to one of the rooms passing in another public car re the Shamshuipo Police Station not notice fire or, moke in the dered assistance, and after righting under threats of being beaten..

saw the firemen in the street below the damaged car Mr. Murphy and

After the summing up, the jury vicinity of the lift nor did he con- and went out on the verandah and his party returned to town in their returned a verdict of guilty against sider anything to be amiss. He was

to him to jump. He was injured in the prisoners on both counts. Sen- not smoking nor did he see Wong Juholding out a sheat. They shouted

doing so. tence of three years hard labour smoking.

"Just at this point," observed When they arrived at the third Mr. Hamilton, the boy became Beer, Wong called out to To Chat delirious so I do not think it is who was sleeping in a small room adjoining the lift shaft. To Chat accessary to read the few rambling unlocked the door of room 308 and remarks which he made at the

finish." witness entered this room and com- menced to wash. Immediately after,

CAS

The ladies have been ordered a few days' reat but Mr. Murphy was back. at work yesterday. "

"FATAL ACCIDENT.

ENGLISH CHILD DIES IN

HOSPITAL.

It was learned last night that| Nellie, the daughter of Sub-Inspec tor H. E. Rodgers at Shengshui Police Station, who fell from the verandah of the Station on Batur day afternoon, died at the Kowloon Hospital yesterday afternoon with- out regaining consciousness,

The deepest sympathy will be extended to Inspector and Mrs. Rodgers in their bereavement.

on each count, to run concurrently, was passed on each prisoner.

UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S

HOSTEL.

FURTHER DONATIONS.

*

The Joint Hon. Treasurers of the Organising Committee beg to se Knowledge with thanks the follow ing donations to the Building Fund:

Hon. Mr. and Mrs. W. T.

Southorn

$100

100

100

Miss

100

100

Miss W. I. Griffin Miss B. M. Pope ........................... Anonymous per Middleton Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Martin

The First Alarm.

Where the Fire Started.

CROWN LAND SALES.

TWO KOWLOON LOTS.

The sales by public auction of two pieces of land at Kowloon pro duced keen bidding at the Land Office of the Public Works Depart ment yesterday afternoon.

he heard To Chat call out to Wong The next witness was Wong In, Iu, "Too smokes. Fire.".

the lift boy, who said he had been

Kowloon Inland Lot No. 1211 Witness rushed out of his room employed at the hotel for over 12 and saw smoke coming up the stair-years. It was his duty to look after with an area of about 6,900 sq. feet case from below although he saw the main hall after 10 o'clock at was knocked to Messrs. Wong Tat He night and he took people to their Yuen sad Kong Wong of 128, Ki no flames at the moment.

The upset price was heard cries on the second floor so rooms when they came in late. Ho Lung Street, Shambaipo, for he blew a police whistle. People remembered taking Mr. Tseung op $18,400. ran past him so he started to run in the lift. He bolted the front $1,440,

Kosicon Inland Lot No. 9180, for the main staircase, but he was door behind him, and, on reaching unable to descend owing to the the third floor, proceeded to rouse which was next offered by Mr. smoke. Other people were rushing To Chat Witness remained on the Parker Rees, has an area of about up the stairs so witness went up third floor for about five minutes 14,135 sq. feet. It was sold to Mr. Andrew Harper for $45,000, the apset price being $28,270, downstairs again

to the roof and crossed by a bridge in case Mr. Tseung wanted to go to Alexandra Building.

Wm. POWELL, Ltd.

Telephone C £578.

NEW STOCK

OF

WHITE and FANCY

SHIRTS

Just Received.

This includes “ATLAS” and “TRICOLINE " Productions in many Plain as well as Faucy Colourings. All Coloured Shirts have two Collars to match. Price from $6.50 including Collars.

WHITE SHIRTS...$3.75, 84.75, $6.50. DRESS SHIRTS...$6.50, $7.50, 88.50. TENNIS SHIRTS...89.76, 85.75.

Less 10 % Discount for Cash.

All the above are of Unquestionable Quality, the Colours being guaranteed Fast to Sun and Washing.

Without

ELECTRIC

Columbia Necess RECORDS

Scratch

Herman Finck's Orchestra,

SCHUBERTIÄNÄ.

9480-1-PARTS 1, 2, 3, 4. (SELECTION OF SORUBERT AIRS)

The ANDERSON MUSIC Co., Ltd.

SUN-MAID SEEDLESS

CALIFORNIA

RAISINS

The ideal conditions under which Sun-Maid Seedless Raisins grow, and are picked, give them that distinctive taste and flavour that has caused them to be in such great demand in all parts of the world, not only for cooking and eating but for many other purposes which house-wives who love to experiment have discovered for themselves.

Buy always the Seedless Rasins in the dark Red packet with the

San-Mald on it