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August 1, 1895.}
DEATH OF LIEUTENANT OMMANNEY.
At noon on Thursday the body of Lieutenant Ommanney, of the Victor Emanuel, was found in the sea near Shaukiwan. The deceased had been in the navy eighteen years and arrived in Hong kong only as recently as the end of last January, Since bis arrival here he has not been in good health. It was only on Sunday, 21st July, that his wife, who came with him to the colony, died, but her husband was too ill to attend herifuneral. It is feared that this recent trouble preyed upon his mind to such an extent that he decided to destroy his own life. The body was fully dressed in deceased's private clothes.
The remains of the late Lieut. Omanney were interred on Friday morning with naval honours.
THE INQUEST.
The death of Lieutenant Ommanney was the subject of an inquiry on Saturday before Hou. H. E. Wodehouse. The deceased, who was forty-two years of age, was first lieutenant on the receiving ship Victor Emanuel, and his dead body was found in the sea near Shaukiwan on the morning of the 25th inst.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Witness-He appeared to have some trouble on his mind and was worried.
The Magistrate-He did not give you the idea of a man who was under the influence of drink?
Witness-No.
Mr. F. Trowler, overseer of works, Quarry Bay, said-At 6.45 a.m. I was going to my work when I saw something floating in the water about 30 yards from a small temporary jetty. I went out on the jetty and saw the body of the deceased. I called an Indian constable, and the body, which was fully dressed in a serge suit, was recovered and taken to the mortuary.
P.C. Patterson spoke to taking the body to the mortuary. The deceased was wearing a silver watch, a gold chain, a gold pencil, a gold whistle, a silver match box, a set of gold studs. silver sleeve links, and $9 paper money and $1.85 was found in his pockets. There was nothing to show how he had got into the water. If he had gone to sleep he could have fallen into the water from the road.
Dr. Marques said-I made a post mortem examination of the body. The cause of death was syncope, as the result of drowning. There wero no marks of violence on the body.
Commander William Francis Tunnard of the Vistor Emanuel said-The deceased's name is Mr. Cyril Holdsworth, proprietor of the Eastern Mica Works, Shankiwan Road, said Francis Simpson Ommanney, and he was the first lieutenant on the Victor Emanuiel. He On the 24th July, at 7.45 p.m., the deceased came had held that position since his arrival in to my house, and asked me to give him change the colony on January 30th. He was 42 for $10. I gave him eight single paper notes and $2 in silver. I then saw him pay his 'ricksha years of age. He was a widower without a coolie 33 or $4. He appeared to be wander family. His wife died on Sunday morning, after having been delivered of a stillborn child. ing, and I asked him to sit down and rest. sat down in the dining room, where we were have performed his duties on board ship and lived on shore. He came on board ship on Sunday even- ing dinner, and said his name was Lieutenant Ommanney. He appeared to be very troubleding and was very much upset by his wife's death. and restless. He asked me for a whisky and Ou Tuesday morning he was considerably better. soda and I gave him one. lie then rose and said he had a little further to go, but perhaps he would call as he came back. I saw him down-
He
After that I
stairs with the light of a lamp, and he walked very steadily. He went out at the gate and 1 saw him walking away in the direction of Quarry Bay, which is east of my house. did not see him until I saw his body at the mortuary. I had no previous acquaintance with him, and had never spoken to him before that night.
and on that morning I saw him for the last time, He was then in perfectly good health. He told mo he wished to go back to his house, as he had to pack up his wife's property, and he left the ship for that purpose. His intention was to pro. ceed to England as soon as possible, and he tele- graphed to somebody in England. I advised him to go to England, and on Wednesday morn-
ag an answer came to his telegram.
The Magistrate-Do you know who last saw him P
Witness-As far as I can understand Mr. The Magistrate-Did he have any conversa-Smith, of Quarry Bay, was the last man who saw tion with you while he was in house ?
your Witness-No, sir,
The Magistrate-Did you ask him to have
dinner ?
Witness-Yes, I asked him to have dinner,
bat he would not.
The Magistrate-Were you alarmed about him at all?
Witness-No.
He said the 'ricksha coolie stopped him, and he came up stairs.
The Magistrate-Where was he bound for ? Witness-I do not know. He said he had a little farther to go; thal was all he said.
-
him.
The Magistrate-His behaviour that evening was most extraordinary. He went into the first witness's house a man whom he had never seen before--at dinner hour, and then asked for change for $10. He then paid his 'ricksha ooolie :3 or $1, and behaved altogether in a very queer way indeed. What caused him to go out at all? Has the ricksha coolie been found?
Sergeant McDonald-No, your worship. The Magistrate-Have you made any efforts to find him?!!
Sergeant McDonald-No, I have not. I do The Magistrate-Were you alone in the not think he can be found now. He got so much dining room?
gentle-money from the deceased that he would not be
Witness-No, there were three other
men with me.
The Magistrate-Was he sober P Witness-He could walk steadily, and could speak plainly.
The Magistrate-I want to know whether he
was sober or not!
Witness-I do not think he was perfectly sober. He appeared to be suffering from a pre- vions excess of liquor.
The Magistrate-Was he sober P Witness-I should say he was sober. The Magistrate-Did he appear to be under the influence of liquor ?
Witness-No he appeared to be wandering and unsettled in his mind. I think perhaps it was trouble; I do not know, but he could not rest. The Magistrate-It was a curious thing for him to ask you to change $10.
about the streets.
Chan Kok, servant of the deceased, said that on 24th July, at 10 a.m., he went up to his master's house. Witness left at 2.30 p.m., and deceased was talking about preparing to leave. He did not know what became of him afterwards
This was the whole of the evidence, and the Magistrate returned a verdict of Found drowned."
GAP ROCK LIGHTHOUSE VISITED.
On Monday, 22nd July, the Fame Captain Stopani, made her periodical voyage to the Gap Rook lighthouse with provisions for the keepers. The Daily Press reporter was in want of a sea blow, and the Acting Harbour Master, Hon. W. C. H. Hastings, kindly gave him permission to go with the. Fume. It was a most delightful day, and an exceptionally pleasant trip was made, the sea, for a wonder, being smooth, and the wind particularly crisp. The lighthouse was reached The Magistrate-Was he perfectly polite in about noou, and the coolies at once busied them. his manner ?
Witness-Yes, I thought it rather astonishing. He wanted to pay the 'ricksha.coolie.
The Magistrate-How long did he remain in
the house ?
Witness-About ten minutes.
Witness-Oh, yes.
selves with loading the small boat with pro visions. There was a strong swell on at the The Magistrale-Did he apologise for the time, but, for Gap Rock, the sea was really trouble he had put you to ?
smooth, and to jump into the boat was not Witness-Yes.
a matter of very great difficulty. The landing, The Magistrate-Generally speaking, did he too, was comparatively easy, but put one strongly appear to be off his head ?
in mind of the celebrated skating party in Pisk-
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wick. "These are rather awkward skates,” re- marked Mr. Winkle to Sam Weller.
"It's a rather awk'ard gen'leman in 'em sir," retorted Sam. The Daily Press representative certainly felt very awkward as the chair-something like a baby's swing chair-was lowered into the boat by the derrick-crane, and when an opportunity offered itself he daught hold of it, seated himself in it, and was hoisted up in mid air, and at length, to his great relief, was deposited safely on the rook. It is not inended in this article to give a description of the size and shape of the rook, the height and position of the tower, the number of rooms, or the power of the light, as all these particulars are pretty well known. to Hongkong residents. A talk about the keepers is really the object of the writer. There are two European keepers always on the rock; they have a month on duty and a fortnight off. Not evere- one would undertake a lightkeeper's work. It is not at all a bright prospect to have to make your home-your home, sweet home-on a small barren rook, away from all civilization, and with nothing but passing ships and a game of dominoes to break the monotony of, the day. Many people would suffer from ennui at even the thought of such a life, but the Gap Rook keepers seem to be happy enough; doubtless because they are obliged to make the best of a lonely existence. Day after day passes in pretty much the same way. They cannot go for å walk, except it be round and round the tower, and they cannot call in their next door neighbour to have a pleasant chat with, or to growl at because he persists in practising the scales on a cornet long after everybody is in bed. No, they have none of these pleasing incidents to dwell upon, and yet they manage to keep a cheerful countenance, and to drive away dull care. Sometimes they do get some exciter ment. Sharks occasionally pay then a visit. and give them quite a lively exhibition of, their gambolling capabilites. Up to a fow months ago whales were to be seen there, but they never come now, and the reason is believed to be this. They used to play at "tick' round about Jubilee Island, and the keepers, when off duty, had a good opportunity of watch- ing their curious antios. Well, one day one of the whales died, and the others went away and are still mourning his death. He was of enormous size, and it is supposed that, like a Chinaman, he had a weak spleen, which was ruptured by a The most likely blow from a companion's tail. theory, however, is that he had a weak heart and the excitement of the game killed him. How ever, the whales have not been seen since, and ■ reward of ten cents is being offered for informa. tion of their whereabouts.
A very interesting tour was made round the lighthouse, and the conductor, Mr. Nicholas, ex- plained the whole working of the light in a thorough manner, and also fired two fog signals: The detonators make a tremendous noise, and such a load explosion ought to frighten away the thickest of fogs, but, as a rule, it doesn't. "The visitors' book is an object of interest. As may be imagined, the callers at the lighthouse are very few, and since the light was first shown in 1892 Neither the Prince of Wales nor only about four dozen people have landed at the rock. Jem Carney has honoured the place with his presence, but most of the names in the book are well known. One of the entries recounts an amusing experience of Commander R. Murray Ramsey, the Harbour Master. On a very rongh day he was endeavouring to jump into the small boat from the steamer, when a strong wave carried the boat ont of reach just as
Master the Harbour
him. had lowered self. The consequence Was that he fell into the water. well known resident was other occasion a jumping into the boat when he slipped, and his head caught the edge of a seat. He was stunned for a couple of minutes, and when he recovered the boat was about thirty yards away from the steamer. In a half dazed manner he looked up
Jeoshophat, what a jump! and exclaimed Perhaps this tale is not true, but there can be no question of the serious risk there is in land- ing on a rough day, and yet up to the present no one has been lost, a fact which speaks well for the great care which is taken for the safety of both visitors and the Chinese orew.
It is said that on an-
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The day was certainly a most enjoyable one altogether, and of the limited means of spending a day's holiday by Hongkong residents, a visit to the Gap Rook is certainly one of the best.
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