1929-03-21 — Page 5

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THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS. THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1929.

BOYCOTTERS AND TRAGIC LEAPS FROM BLAZING HOTEL.

MERCHANTS.

'TEN DAYS' GRACE FOR CANTON MERCHANTS.

SOCIETY FOR THE SALVA-

TION OF CHINA."

FATE OF DEALERS IN JAPANESE GOODS.

(FROM OUR CHINESE CORRESPONDENT.]

CANTON, March 20.

At the urgent request of the Chamber of Commerce the anti- Japanese Boycott Committee has consented to extend the time allow ed to merchants for selling off Japanere goods” from March 21 to April 1. The origina! order stated that on Thursday all. Japanese goods would be sealed up and their sale prohibited.

:

The order of the Committee came like a bombaball to business circles. Dealers in Japanese goods declared that it was impossible to sell off the large stocks which they still

EVIDENCE OF POLICE OFFICERS AT RESUMED INQUIRY.

CORONER APPEALS FOR EYE-WITNESSES TO COME

FORWARD.

BARKEEPER WHO WAS AWAKENED BY A "PERCUSSION."

MR. WITCHELL'S STORY OF HIS ESCAPE.

** Will all eye-witnesses of events connected with the King Edward 'Hotel Are and who saw people jump from the upper floors on the south-western side of the building kindly communicsta with Inspector Lane at Osatral Police Station."

This appeal was made by Mr. E. W. Hamilton, the Senior Magistrate, who sat as Coroner, with a jury consisting of Mr. N.' B, Brown (foreman), Mr. L, G, F. Bellamy, and Mr. C. Little, at the resumed inquiry hald yesterday afternoon in the Central Magistracy, into the King Edward Hotel dre in which eleven persons lost their lives.

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

"1.

Wu Yui, barkeeper at the hotel, Baid that on the night of the fire he was sleeping in a small room behind the bar. The staircase was between the small room and the bar. He was awakened by the

DUKE OF GLOUCESTER'S

VISIT.

FINANCE COMMITTEE ASK

FOR $15,000. 1

Supplementary expenditure to a total of $8,160 will be submitted to to-day's meeting of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Coun.

cil.

A sum of $15,000 is asked under the heading of Miscellaneous Ser- vices: Expanses in connection with the forthcoming visit of HR.H. the Duke of Gloucester to Hong Kong..

Other items include, $25,000 for forming two Hong Kong Forestry tracks into bridle paths-they are

on the south side of the Island be tween Wong Nei Chong and Wan- chai Gaps and on the north side, between Wong Nei Chong Gap and Taikoo Sanitarium. $418.. for t

concluded he was alive. The body ting an extra 3-pounder gun to one of a lady was lying in the road. of the police launches. (This is She was wearing a nightdress and work delayed from last year). a black wrap. He could not say how she fell,

$1,500 in connection with the burial Witness said that on the evening expenses of persons who have died of Tuesday he saw very much of smali-pax. burnt body removed to the mortuary Seth. The body was found on the top storey a few fect from the main stairway.

hold by that time and petitioned sound of a percussion, He saw Japanese, jumped into the abeet and that was identified as Mr. Enos.

the Committee for a postponement. The Committee refused curtly, tell ing the merchants that they must be sacrificed for the good of the community."

The services of the Chamber of Commerce were then engaged, and the serious loss to the merchants -concerned fully explained.

flames shooting outside a glass sky light. He rushed out on

to the stone stairs at the back and ran down into the basement. He found the door open.

The Coroner pointed out that the basement door was open but the ground floor door was locked.

Continuing, witness said he shout ed "Fire" when he reached the street. He could not say at what time he left the building.

**

How the Sheet was Held, Witness ran up the stone stair case and reached the second floor case and driven back by denad smoke. He met nobody so he went again into Ies House Street and assisted with the jumping sheet.

A lady, who appeared to be a and was killed. A Chinese (a man) also appeared to be killed in the helping with the sheet. same way. About 14 people were them were on the side away from Most of the building. Only witness and one other was on the side nearest the building. As the people struck the sheet, that side gave" and they struck the ground. The sheets were not torn.

+

Were any firemen holding the sheet ---No.

•

+

Continuing, witness said he could show the police where the room was. Escape Through Window.

There was also a steel grille. The key for the grille was with the key Sergt. McLeod said he arrived of the other door. The man who with Sub-Inspector Dick. He ran relieved witness would know where to the side entrance where he met the key was kept. He could not say several Chinese boys running down how many other people knew where into the basement. He helped them the key was kept. The grille lead- with blankets and buckets. He ating from the fire escape was only flames and smoke proved, too much coolies, who took large cases that tempted to go up the stairs but the opened to admit scavengers and for him.

way.

pression it was seldom opened.

Mr. King: It gave me the im-

Witness said it was opened every evening for scavenger coolies.

Witness afterwards assisted the The Chamber consented to take

Bremen on the roof, The Glare Renacted. up the matter with the governing

Mr. King: Who were the people | Yeung Wun, the electrician of the on the sheet?

Witness saw Mr. Witchell and a committee and after much negoti- hotel, said he slept in the servants'

woman come down the stairs but Witness: About five Europeans the ground floor door was locked. -ation-secured an extension till the quarters in the basement. He was and the rest were Chinese and They asked for the key but witness end of the month. The Committed the stairs shouting "Fire." Four

awakened by someone running down; Indians has divided Japanese goods into men ran into his quarters and he they jumped 1-No.

Could you see from which floor told them to go through the base

meat and directed their exit through Mr. Witchell's Evidence. two categories, perishable" and asked them if they had the key of

a window, "imperishable." The former will be usually kept by the watchman who the basement door. The key was

Witness then assisted with a sheet manager of the King Edward Hotel, Mr. Jas. Henry Witchell, the taken to the markets and sold off slept on the mezzanine floor. Wit before 1-No.

Had you ever held a jumping sheet at the corner of Alexandra Lane said that shortly after midnight on

and Des Voeux Road, by the Committee, the proceedanes ran out through the door of

He did the Sunday evening he cleared the Coroner: How long intervals be-no

see Mrs. Robson jump. A bar and lounge and saw them closed. being given to the owners, but the the electrical store and saw the tween the jumps!

Chinese boy belonging to the bottl It was just about one o'clock when Committee has power to fix prices outside. He got hold of a hammer the sheet and removed the Japanese dropped into the sheet hat a num-lounge at that time and bade witness

redection of the glare in the street

Witness: Good intervals. I left jumped from the second floor. He he finished and Mr. Woods left the The imperishable goods will be and knocked the hasp and padlock woman and was able to get back to ber of Chinese who were holding good night. Mr. Woods was suffer sealed up till the boycott is over.

off the door. He did not notice the sheet for the next one who the sheet let go. Several Chinese ing from asthma, went to bed at 11 p.m. Up to that Sub-Inspector Dick (recalled) said fell on his left shoulder but was and spoke to five people who were the time. The watchman usually jumped.

firemen were on the sheet. The boy

Witness went back to the lounge time the basement door was open he was on the scene just before the alive when pulled out. The watchman usually sat near the fire brigade arrived. The fre ap- Death of Another Victim.

leaving. Witness went to his room door on guard When the watch-peared to be underneath the stairs

at about 1.15. He turned into bed ing to get into the hotel had to go the staircase against the bar. It this boy is To Chat. He died yes-ment in the lounge and he had put Coroner: Evidence seems to show but was reading until 1.45. Before man locked the door anybody seek and was ascending the inside of that every sheet was let go. I think midnight there had been an argu- to the front door.

bad reached the ceiling of the terday. He was in lounge when witness entered the state of health before the fire. building..

a very poor the disputants out. The police had not been summoned. Witness said the next person to jump was a Frenchman who fell face was awakened at about 9.45 of 3 -Witness dozed off to sleep and

time although he died later in the and saw a lot of policemen running. downward and struck his chin on o'clock by whistles being blown in the ground. He was not killed at the the street. He opened the window ambulance on the way to the hos. He thought they were chasing a Coroner: It seems to me that It was, as far as he knew, a one-pital Witness lifted the Frenchman, thief so he just went back to bed.

a Chinese, and an Englishman who

This applies only to Japanese goods which have been declared and regis tered. The others are seized And their owners heavily punished.

The Boycott Committee is being reorgaaised and is taking to itself a new name. It is now "The

both doors were locked day and

Water Pressure.

took the nozzle two minutes after Witness ran a length of hose from afre appliance into the lounge. He the arrival of the first fire engine.

inch nozzle.

There was sufficient pressure to swing him right round and he could pet control the hose for a time. There was ample pressure.

Coroner: In view of the rumours about lack of pressure I hope the newspapers will give as much pro minence as possible to these state- ments.

He knew of the door on the Kwangtung Branch of the Society ground floor which was opened for for the Salvation of China" Per-coolies to come and go. Otherwise, haps they intend to 1882me still

it was always kept locked. The key wider powers and privileges than was solely in the charge of the they now enjoy. They have put up watchmen of whom there were twa, secret information boxes into which viz., one for day and the ether for anyone can drop a chit containing night duty. information against any individual of the kind that will help to make the work of the Society for the night. Salvation of China" more effective. Meanwhile pickets are as active as

The First Alarm? ever, watching all « "strategic

Witness went on to say that the points in the city. Two cookes key of the basement door was also were caught on Tuesday carrying in the charge of the watchman. Japanese goods. The merchandise The watchmen were changed on in question was duly confiscated by alternate days. the Society and the offenders tied

An Indian constable said that at together and paraded through the about ten minutes to three he was

Witness said he held a sheet for streets as a stern warning to other standing at the comer of Ice House violators of the Society's rules and Street and Des Voeux Read for a two American sailors. There were regulations.

short time. He noticed a blaze of seven or eight Chinese, two Indian fire and could see flames through a constables, and four Europeans on window of the first floor of the the sheet. The two Americans hotel. He blew his whistle, but he jumped from the fourth floor. had beard no alarm before that. Tragic Leap's Into Space, He did not notice anybody trying to enter the King Edward Hotel

The first sailer dropped into the by the front door. An Indian sheet not quite in the middle. OPTIMISTIC VIEW OF SINO watchman from an opposite build. The sheet went down on the far ing also blew his whistle. Noe Witness did not think the Chinese gentleman spoke to him as was alive when he was picked while he was blowing his whistle. out of the sheet. Witness believed the alarm, Witness ran to a fire point and gave the man to have been Kish.

Mr. King: Did the man fall feet foremost!-Feet slightly forward and head slightly backward

CANTON'S FOREIGN

COMMISSIONER.

JAPANESE SITUATION."

{FROM OUR CRINESE CORRESPONDENT-

*

CANTON, March 20. Mr. Leung Chik Wai, acting Commissioner for Foreign Affairs in Kwangtung, returned to-day from Hong Kong where he had visited General Chen Ming Shu. Interviewed by the writer Mr.

In reply to the Coroner, Mr. T H. King (Captain Superintendent of Police) said that this witness was the first to give the alarm, at six minutes past three.

Staircase Alight.

Mr. King: What happened to you? We were pulled in. Witness had held a sheet at practices when bo was in a fire brigade.

The second man stood on a ledge

blown.

"

back on the footpath. He had probi was lying ten yards away on his again. Whistles were still being ably been moved

Giving the Alarmı,

Coroner: That must have been thing that we can find nobody who Mr. Babson. It is an extraordinary can come forward to say whom they assisted or moved.

Witness said that Mr. Robson was

on the stretcher and turned on to alive but would not lie on his back his right side. He was in pyjamas.

Three or four minutes later he and opened the door leading to the smelt smoke, jumped out of bed, passage which was fall of smoke.

He rushed to the staircase and ran down toward the fire. The fire ap

of the stairs pliances were on the left hand side

Witness reached the third floor and saw the second Boor staircase blazing. It fell inwards from the wall and witness, finding he could do nothing on that floor, rushed back to save the people on the top floor.

An Appeal to the Public. Mr. King: We can do with any information concerning every phase of the fire which people can offer. It would help us to clear up many mysteries. Plenty of statements have been made as to Mrs. Robson The first room he knocked at was having struck a wire in falling yet Mr. and Mrs. Robson's. Smoke was

can find nobody who actually saw her fall.

very thick and he could hardly see.. He burst the door in and shouted Coroner: Will the Press kindly" Run!", and did the same to Mr. inform the public that I should Seth's room be glad if all persons who witness- ed the fire, and who can throw room and shook him in his bed. He then ran along to Mr. Woods any definite light upon events con-Smoke billowed into the room be nected with the tragedy, will com- hind him. Witness woke him up musicate with Inspector Lane at and said, " Get up and run for your Central Police Station.

蕊

Wight Watchman's story. A Chow Cheung, watchman of King Edward Hotel, said he had been employed there for about 18 months. There were no doors at the bottom a door to the basement at the head of the fire escape, but there was of some steps leading from the basement to the lane.

1

Continuing, witness said that Mr. Be replied," All right, all Witness went on to say that he and threw off his cap. He followed the ambulance. No, sheets were Gollapse of Stairs.

Robson was removed to hospital in

right!! saw the firemen using a sheet. Six it in much the same way as his damaged. Leung expressed his great relief at Chiness jumped for the abeet but colleague. He appeared to fall hydrant where he helped connect the finding the General making good two fell wide of it.

Witness went to progress and hoping to be back at

into the centre of the sheet. The main hose to an engine. Sergt. F. W. Allen, who gave evi-sheet pulled in work in about three weeks. General dence at the first sitting of the in-was picked up by a police sergeant said that all the persons who jump

as before, and he Chen would probably not go to quiry as to the finding of Mr. and taken to the ambulance.

In answer to the Coroner, witness Nanking for the Kuomintang Wood's body, said he got to the Conference.

Coroner: Is he still alive?

ed fell very close to the hotel wall. Asked about the course of the just before the arrival of the freinjured.

hotel about four minutes past three,

Mr, King: Still alive but seriously. They did not jump out far enough. Sino-Japanese negotiations Mr. Leang said that informal discus-wide open. He ran through them in any way No.

brigade. Both front doors were To witness: Was the sheet torn sions were now going on between and saw the staircase was complete Chinese Who Ban Away, Japanese representatives and they alight. Nanking Foreign Office.

He looked round for a hose and Personally he felt very optimistic, hydrant. On the left of the stair twenty minutes past three. Before Sergt. Waglan said he arrived at and was sure that Japan, like other case there appeared to be some the two Americans jumped a free nations, would recognise Chinese National aspirations and come to baggage or straw which was nearly cape was below them. It was moved terms with the Nanking Govern entrance but could get no farther, to hold the jumping sheet for them put the key in a drawer in the com- burnt out. He got as far as the left out of their way. Witness assisted Witness had to lock the door and He could see no fire appliances but There was much confusion at the pradore's room at I1 o'clock each he was not familiar with the build-time. The first American, who was evening ing. He went out of the float in a sitting posture, strack the far second floor near the store staire Witness clept on the entrance and met Bub-Inspector side. A Chinose released bis hold The compradore's room was in the Dick outside.

on the sheet and ran away, The basement and the key of the door The fire brigade had arrived, sailor struck the sheet near where Witness went round by the Savoy the Chinese had been holding,

was in the basement. Hotel into an alleyway where The second sailor landed in the Chinese, who was wearing glasses, centro of the sheet. There were said he had broken the basement more people on the sheet then: door open.

Witness heard the man" groan so

mment

Dr. Oltao Hain Uhu's Plana.

In reply to a question about Dr. Chao Hain Chu the acting-Com

missioner said he expected his chief back early in April. The question of Dr. Chao taking the post of Chinese ambassador to Tokyo had hot been decided, and much would depend on the course of the present mégotiations,

his children (three boys and a girl) Witness ran to his roote and woke

l'and a nurse.

down the stairs and witness had to He had to throw them out of the room. Two of them ran

run after them. Mr. Woodenbergh (another resident) stopped them. Witness could only see a foot in to the fifth landing the to the left front of him. He pushed them up of the door. Witness remembered pushing Mr. Woodenbergh through and just managed to get on to the That meant that the Robsons, Mr. landing when the stairs collapsed. Woods, and Mr. Seth were left be hind, although they had bad ample time to escape. said that had there been bridges to In answer to the Coroner, witness

could have eftaped, erot Alexandra Building on all floors they

Continuing, witness said that his children and the nurse found their way down to the basement but the where the key was kept. doar was locked. He did not Enów

the police have not been able to Mr. King Apart from the key, find the compradore's room, It At this stage, the proceedings seems a bit of a mystery.

were adjourned until 2.15 pm to (Continued on nezį Column). day,

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