1930-09-13 — Page 7

VERDICT IN LOK MA CHAU INQUIRY.

(CONTINUED FROM

Do you mean that it was partly because you beard nothing that you went in 1-Oh, certainly. I kept listening and I kept playing my torchlight to draw the firing. A lengthy period had elapsed and I thought I could with reasonable safety make the attempt to find out what had happened.

History of Dalip Singh. Touching on the history of Dalip Singh witness said that he first care to his notice when the man and another constable was report- ed for misconduct and gambling in barracks in May, Mr. Wolfe said that the arrangements were that he himself would deal with all Euro- penn defaulters and that the re- spective officers in charge would deal with their own men unless it was a serious case, when it would be brought to Mr. Wolfe's notice. Mr. Scott actually took Dalip Singh's and the other constable's case and recommended that they be fined $1 each and the cards and money When the (879) be confiscated. case was brought to my notice I fined them each $2 and added a caution as to dismissal. I ordered the confiscation of the cards and money. I may say that in all my various connections with the police I have never heard of gambling on a scale such as this. B543 admitted that he had lost $250 on one even ing and in the same evening won back $105, It was because B60 would not pay him that he made a report against B80 in the Charge Room. Of the money confiscated, 340 was found in B80's pocket and 839 from his box.

Coroner: It was not part of their sentence that they should be trans-

ferred 1-There is nothing on paper. about that. It would be the usual custom in a case like this for us to take such stops. The action taken by Mr. Scatt in sending one man to Lok Ma Chau" and one to Taku Ling was in accordance with practice.

A Gambling Offerice. Continuing, Mr. Wolfe said that

6.)

naturally concluded that everybody was out. I don't know whether the whether he made the same inquiries as I did and therefore was not told of the presence of the Chinese. He therefore would have acted as I did."

Coroner: Assuming that Mr. Burlingham and Mr. Sparow knew that the station-guard bad come out and gone back without being fired at at 6.30 and others came out at 7.30 without being fired at.

Mr. Sparrow knew that.

Foreman of the Jury: I think

both knew.

Coroner: Assuming that they

Question of Rushing the Station.

Witness: Assuming that they both know that the" station-guard had come out and gone in without boing fired at and that the four men had come out later, in that case it would have been quite reasonable to have rushed the station. I never saw

few Mr. Burlingham until- minutes before the entry but I had a conversation with Mr. Sparrow.

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY,

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

nese boy" at this moment becomes A FALSE ALARM. extremely important. It was well given, very straight-forward and quite reliable. He told us, that the irst person who ran into the com- pound was the station-guard follow- ed shortly by B543 and followed again by B9 who collapsed in the compound.

Then the conflict of evidence as to

the route by which B313 entered the Station. The station-guard telis you it was by the outside steps and that be fired six shots at him as he crossed the compound and another as he went ups the stairs. There is sume confirmation of shots being fired by the station-guard in that Mr. Murphy has told us that he picked up six shells immediately outside the Station door.

Guard's Evidence Contradicted.

On the other hand the boy was very positive that B543 entered the station by the back door, turned left and must have gone up by the rear staircase and re-appeared shortly afterwards at the back of the passage into which the staircase opens. This is an important point because if you belies the boy it is quite obvious the station guard made no attempt to guard the back door as he says he did.

ON HONG PENG.

INTERVIEW WITH CAPTAIN.

་་

Another false alarm," was the statement made by a Police officer to our representative when ques tioned about the "scare" on the 8.8 Hong Peng. It will be recall ed that a wifeless message was received by the Naval authorities

from the steamer early on Wednes day morning to the effect that there were suspects on board and every precaution was being taken." In spite of this assurance it was deem- ed advisable by the authorities to send H.M.S. Sepoy out to meet the steamer and, escort her back to port, and in the meantime, bi-hourly radio messages were sent by Capt. H. G. Hay, master of the vessel, to Messrs. Ho Thong & Co., the

SEPTEMBER 13, 1930.

CANTON MINT REOPENING.

EFFECT ON HONG KONG DOLLAR VALUE.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. ]

CANTON, Sept. 19.

The Canton Mint, which has been closed for several months, is to be reopened at an early date. Mr. So Pang Ning, managing director, of the Mint, has tendered ble resigna tion to Mr. Fan Ki Mo, Commis- sioner of Finance. Mr. Hsu Sic Ching, formerly Major of Swatow, has been appointed to the post.

Whether or not the Mint is to be operated and managed by the Gov- ernment is not certain. Rumours. are current that it will be a private

enterprise under Government super- vision, like the Kwangtung Cement Factory in Honam. Some wealthy merchants are reported to be inter-

Jury Arising out of your own ly followed is that B343 must have local agents, giving the position of ested in the enterprise,

#13

the vessel and conditions on boart.

The Hong Peng left Singapore on Sunday.

Shortly after 3 p.m. yesterday, the Sepoy was seen steaming into the harbour from the western en- trance, and a little while later the

off the Harbour Office. The decks Hong Peng was seen to make her way to buoy No. A6 which is just

with passengers,

were crowded mostly of the coolie type.

It appears that what immediate.

statements, your one wish was to crept in to see where Mrs Madg minimise the loss of life. We know wiek was as he deliberately fired that there were six or seven Chinese three shots through the bath room inside in addition to Mrs. Madg-door against which she was leaning. It seemed almost certain be knew wick and one Indian who

she was there. Then I think it missing.

Witness: I don't think Mr. Bur-was quite clear that having realized he had the station "cowed" he lingham knew that there were any Chiness in the Station. In any crept downstairs and took the ma- case they appeared to be perfectly It was then he found he could not chine-gun which he took upstairs. safe..

Coroner: They were safe in that work the machine-gun. He then realized his number was up and they were not interfered with.

Witness: They were safe under within an hour or two be shot him the bunk and the man (Dalip self. These are the salient facts of Singh) had no object in interfer the situation. These three persons. ing with him. I fail to see what were killed, Mrs. Madgwick and we would have gained by eatering by the hand of B543, and B343 by If we had been mit by rifle fire we his own hand. would have lost at least three other "These are the only legal aspects of the situation which you need con- sider. It is perfectly clear that the Indian officers in the Station, in- cluding the station-guard, practical ly lost their hoads. They simply

It will be recalled that recently. Witness: The four Indians who got together at the barrack room, regulation was mentioned to the came out said they stepped over shut themselves in and started shoot-effect that whenever the Police the body of Be as they got out bating through the windows. They flag is hoisted or any steamer, they said nothing about anybody clearly made no attempt to guard nobody can go on board until the

men.

Jury: In the light of what we know now, that is true, but actually at the time there were half a dozen people alive inside.

rapidity of everything happening that has to be considered. The man went upstairs so quickly that it seemed unlikely that there would be any casualties among the Chinese.

Revolver v. Rife.

Mr. Wolfe in answer to another question stated that the station- guard could hardly be expected to know which way Dalip Singh would take to go into the station.

cumstances had they done so, it would have been of little use.

The one man who might have pre- vented B543 was the station-guard. But as Mr. Wolfe pointed out be had only a revolver against a rifle and his position was a difficult one. On the face of it be did "pot' ap-. pear to have made the attempt. Apart from the evidence of these six shells which might have been fired at any time his own evidence is entirely unreliable. There is nothing to show he made any at- tempt whatever to stop the murder by B543..

The Police Flag.

There were. several launches,

The news of the reopening of the Mint has afforded, a big opportu- pity to speculators, who are buying heavily, taking a chance on the rise in value of the Hong Kong cur. rency. As a result the value of the Hong Kong dollar has "again gone up, the present rate of exchange being about 81.39 Canton, silver to the Hong Kong dollar.

CANTON CAFE STRIKE.

motor-boats and a fleet of junka in the vicinity of the anchorage reserved for the vessel when she tied up at her buoy, but almost immediately, the "Police. Flag" GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO

was. boisted at the masthead to tell all and sundry to keep clear."

PROPRIETORS APPEALS.

(JEOM OUR OWN CORRKAPONDENT.]

CANTON, Sept. 12.

mission could be obtained in special tors on strike were surprised yester cases to board any vessel although day when they learned that the the flag must be hoisted. When a Police official say the Pressmen Government, in response to their on the launch, he looked at them, repeated appeals, would be willing pointed at the fing and then to nullify its agreement with its tax

miled.

farmers and permit the proprietors to collect the taxes and pay them in direct to the Treasury, provided they are willing to remit. $500,000 per annum! This is about double the amount the Government has been receiving.

In the meantime, another Police launch was cruising round the Hong Peng so as to make sure that no boats, except those that carried the officials, could get near the vessel.

he went up North to recruit piracy else inside. Also there was the the charge room, though in the cir- flag is taken down. Previously per the restaurant and café „proprie- guards. While he was away he understood Bso went to see Mr, Sparrow and Mr. Burlingham to make a complaint. But the matter was deferred till his return. On July 8 the two men appeared be "fore witness and B80 complained that although both men were gambling it seemed hard on him that the money confiscated, should have come-entirely from his pocket. B50 stated that Dalip Singh had over $100 in his possession but he escaped with a fine of only 82. Witness investigated this and eventually decided to return the $70 to 80 and to "order each man to pay $25 into the Sikh Temple. Mr. Wolfe explained that this mord was to show the Indians that gambling would not be tolerated and further it would show them that the Government did not want their

Jury: One man with the rifle at the back door would have stopped all the business?

Witness:"If the station-guard had known that B543 would come into the Station after shooting at the officer in charge he could have stood behind the compound door and shot him as he entered, but how was be to know.

Jury: He said he fired six shots Proceeding, Mr. Wolfe stated at him.

money.

11

1.

Coronar On Long Delay,

that as soon as Dalip Singh heard Witness: The station guard arm-officers but legally they cannot be the decision he asked to be allowed with a revolver was in an awk- ed to resign. Mr. Wolfe replied ward position against a man with wick's murder. that he could send his application a rifle, later but not until he had paid. his 825 into the Sikh Temple. A week later the Indian A.S.P. told witness that this sum had been duly paid in. "I therefore con cluded that the case was finished. No further application to resign was received by me from B643, and I may add that at no time did he mention to me about his transfer

However, after a wait which lasted about an hour and a half, the flag was taken down and the Pressmen clambered

on. board.

...

Mr. Fan Ki Mo, Commissioner of Here they were very courteously Finance, emphatically denied that I must point out to you that shown to the captain's cabin by there is any increase in the ratc however failing ho was in his duty Mr. Ko Leong Hoe, managing and however shameful his conduct director of the Ho Hong Bank and The increase would merely be due he cannot be held legally respon Ho Thong S.S. Co. When inter- to a watertight method of collect sible for the subsequent death of viewed by our representative, Capt. ing the tax. If the strikers are Mr. Madgwick. You may find Hay, said that it was all a false cause to criticize the Indian police alarm. Two days after ship had willing to pay this huge sum yearly, left Singapore, somebody in that the Government will cancel the new held responsible for Mrs. Madg-port heard a rumour that there regulation. So far, no reply to this were pirates on board his vessel. alternative has been forthcoming The only other thing I need com- They communicated with the agents from the café proprietors. Replying to other questions by ment on is the long delay which or

there who quite rightly sent a wire- the Jury, witness said that the $79curred between the time re-inforce-

less message to Capt. Hay who in that were confiscated did not belong ments reached the Station and the

turn transmitted the message to to Dalip Singh. If appeared on time it was finally rushed. On that

the local agents. his record card, then the entry was it is entirely within your province wrong. There was no money taken to make what comments you desire. from B543 at all, and his box was You have heard all the evidence on not searched. B543 had not com-the point and it is for you to say plained about the Indian A.S.P. whether the explanation that has Mohinder Singh. Both were Sikhs. been made is justified or Lot It to the New Territories where he Witness concluded: "The evidence is not my province as coroner to had been stationed for a year be- of the Indian police in the bar-make any remarks in that con- fore he came to Central tracks at the time appeare, I under nection. With that gentlemen I Foreman of the Jury (Mr. A.. L. stand, to be very unsatisfactory. I would ask you, if you desire to Shields): Did you know when you would like to point out that in retire or if you would wish to arrived at Lok Ma Chau that there qualifying my statement about these adjourn were six Chinese inside ?

men doing their duty that they stay. ed in the station and did not rush out. These men armed themselves and remained in the barracks and did not bolt from the Station as had been done in a previous case.

The Chinese in the Station, Witness: I was not aware of that fact. My main inquiries were as to what the disposition of the force was around the Station and as to whether they had any news of the Sergeant's wife-I was not aware that there were any Chinese in the Station at the time..

Coroner Bums Up.

The jury retired for half an hour at the end of which they returned the following verdict..

Jury's Verdict.

"We find that Mrs. Madgwick and Be, Chajja Singh, were murdered by B543, Dalip Singh, by shooting and that Dalip Singh committed suicide by shooting himself. We

<

“Much Ado About Nothing.". The skipper said there was not the slightest incident during the whole trip. He took all the necessary precautions, and, as the B.. Anhui was near him at the time, he asked that she should keep near him in case anything untoward hap pened. Capt. Hay concluded: "It was £ private telegram sent from me to my owners, and if I had known that, it would cause this hulloobaloo, I would not have sent

Although the Police were quite A time over their interrogations, there were no arresta made. Only four deportees were taken ashore by the S.C.A. officials, but apart from that nothing happened.

BLIND,

AN OUTING, TO SHEK O.

Fears are still being entertained by the more prosperous restaurant and café owners that they will be arrested by the Government. Most of them have gone to Hong Kong, Macao, or to their villages in the interior of Kwangtung. The three managers of the best-known restau- rants in Canton, who were arrested and released on certain conditions, have, according to a report, also left the city.

THE BAHAI MOVEMENT.

LECTURE AT THE UNIVERSITY.

"What is the Bahai Movement ?" in the subject of a public lecture which Miss Martha L, Root, New Bahai speaker, will give at the York journalist and international

on Tuesday. The lecture will be Hong Kong University, at 8.30 p.m. given in the University Union Hall. under the auspices of the Univer sity Union, the President of which,

Mr. Chung Hok Nang, will preside. All interested are cordially invited, Miss Root; who "returns to-day nesday evening in Canton on this same theme. She also broadcast two other lectures' there, one on New Universal. Education and the other on "Esperanto asa Universal Auxiliary Language.”|| Lessons in Esperanto are broadcast each Wednesday in Canton. Thero is also an Esperanto Institute in Canton and the Esperantists of the city gave a reception for Miss Boot in this Institute,

The Coroner, addressing the Jury, said: I don't think there is any do not find that Dalip Singh had The Hong Peng carried: 1,820 pas necessity for ms to sum up the any legitimate grievance, or could sengers, 671 of whom had booked Tou did not know if they had result of this investigation at any the Police authorities from his "de for Hong Kong. They were mostly evacuated -1 was informed that great length The salient facts that meanour be expected to anticipate of the coolie class while the reat the police had evacuated but I knew clearly emerge are as follows. You his subsequent actions. nothing of the Chinese."

have it on record that this constable

We find that the Indian Police are proceeding to Swatow or Amoy, Did you know that the station B543 was undoubtedly suffering inside the station were lacking in for which ports the vessel is leaving

at 2 p.m. to day, guard had come out at 6.30 p.m. from a sense of grievance, although initiative in handling the situation ahead of the other men 7 All I was be gave those at the Station little which called for prompt measures. told was that the men who were sign of it. This may account for We find that there was undue de. originally in the Station had all his action on the afternoon of July lay in entering the station after ANNUAL PICNIC FOR THE from Canton, broadcast last Wed got out.

Mr Sparrow told me 21 when at 5 o'clock outside the the arrival of re-inforcements, but that. Bank pa

station he opened fire on his own the frequent changes in command Evidence that we have had was officer in charge. It is pretty clear initigate the responsibility of any that an Indian came out and picked that he fired two or three shots particular officer. up Sergeant Madgwick's revolver, down the station path and it is." We recommend that at all out- and later several of them left the also clear that the only action the lying Stations a European officer Station and were not fired at-station-guard then took, wap belt

The St. Peter's Branch of the was not aware of that.

inside the station and sound the

Victoria Diocesan and Missionary That was known to your officer in alarm. He himself maintained that

Association has in the past thrée charge before you arrived 1-I take he emptied his revolver from the

years organised with the assistance it that was sosed

fonts #hawold porner of the station at the recum

of generous friends a summer picnic for the girls of the Blind Are you still satisfied that they bent figure of B543 who was firing were justified in not making an down the path. It is a most signi The Coroner said that he agreed Home, Pokfulam. The picnic has attempt, particularly knowing the ficant fact that none of the shells with the jury and would forward taken the nature of a motor ride Cirinese were inside 3-Putting my fired was picked up although he their recommendations to the pro to Sher O where the girls, general self in their position my one object clained to have reloaded as soon as por quarters. He associated him-ly about 60 in number, are given was to try actually what the post- he could

self with the expressions of sym- ten and a small present each. tion was and it was extremely The next fact that clearly emerges 'pathy made by the Jury to Sergeant It has been decided to follow the difficult to get full details because is that of all persons the one who Madgwick and other relatives of same plan this year, the picnic to first of all you had to find the other went out to see what was happen the victims. He thanked the jurors take place on Saturday afternoon, officers. I made it my business to ing was Bo. He left the compound for the time and attention devoted October 4. The Comraittee or find out as much as I could with a turned to the west, renlized appar- to the inquiry which had been genising the picnic would gratefully view to getting in the Station Tontly that B543 was out for mis rather long drawn out, and he said welcome the loan of cars or dona did not make any inquiry as to chief, turned, and was shot on the he would recommend to the proper tions. Offers and gifts should be whether any Chinese were there, I back and died as a result of the quarter that they be exempted from sens to the Rev, L N. Watkins, St D.S.P. had made any inquiry or wound. The evidence of the Chi. serving again for a certain period. John's Cathedral, Hong Kong.

should always be present at the station even if this involves aug mentation of the European staff.

"We wish to record our sympathy with the relatives of the victims of this tragedy."N

While in Canton Miss Root had an interview with Chen Ming Shu Governor of Kwongtung Province, The Educational Association of Kwongtung Province and Sun Yat Sen University jointly arranged for Ming Boot to lecture in Sun Yat Sen University on Interna. tional Education for the Now Age She also spoke before five hundred students in the High School of Sun Yat Sen University, Miss Hont leave, for Shanghai on Beptember 18.

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