DE OF A SOLDIER.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
KE
was seldom, indeed, that messes to speak direct
Corporal Bates of the Royal Engineers, itted suicide on Thursday night by ng himself over the verandah of Welling- Barracks, his neck being broken by the fall. The deceased had for a few days previously been behaving strangely and is said to have expressed his intention of committing suicide. On Thursday he was fined at the Police Court for being drunk and was afterwards handed over to the military authorities. He was placed in the cells, but, having requested to be taken out to obey a call of nature, he seized the op. portunity to rush up the stairs and take the then called upon those summoned to appear there is this characteristic of
leap that ended his life.
At the Magistracy on Monday Hon. Com- mander Hastings held an inquest on the body of Corporal Bates, of the Royal Engineers, who committed suicide at the barracks on the 15th inst. The jurors were-Messrs. J. M. Tavares, E. C. Shepherd, and H. M. Basto.
Dr. Stedman gaid-On the 15th inst., with Surgeon Captain Edye, I made a post mortem examination of the body of the deceased. We found à recent bruise on the back of the head and a small graze over the right eyebrow which appeared to be of two or three days' standing. On moving the scalp we found a fracture of the left parietal bone, and on opening the skull the membranes of the brain were found to be broken under the fractured bone; the brain substance was: lacerated under the fracture and also on the under surface of the small brain. The base of the skull was broken into several pieces, the fracture extending into four bones. There was also partial dislocation between the first and second vertebra. The internal organs were healthy with the exception of extensive bruising at the back of both lungs and also some bruising at the back of both kidneys. death was fracture of the base of the skull and partical dislocation of the neck, probably caused by a fall on the back of the head.
The cause of
Surgeon-Captain Edye gave similar evidence. The corporal of the guard at Wellington Barracks said that on the morning of the 15th inst the deceased asked him for permission to go to an out-house. Deceased ran past witness and on reaching the top verandah he threw himself over and fell to the pavement below, a distance of about forty feet. Witness tried to overtake the deceased and ran after him up the steps.
Captain Mould, R.E., said the deceased en- listed five and a half years ago and was 25 years of age. On the 13th inst. he was on duty, but he left his post and was subsequently arrested by the police for being drunk and incapable. He was fined $1 at the Police Court. There were no entries against him in the defaulters'
sheet:
Corporal Smith said the deceased was naturally of a lively disposition. In December he was admitted to the hospital and on being discharged in the early part of January there was a marked change in him. He rarely spoke to anyone and used to lie on his bed muttering. The jury found that deceased committed sui- cide whilst temporarily insane.
THE CAREW CASE.
[SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DAILY PRESS."]
SHANGHAI, 14th January. Miss Jacobs has been remanded on bail until Monday week.
The trial of Mrs. Carew was resumed yester-
Dickinson was compelled to read his love
· letters in Court, which caused sensation.
The trial of Mrs. Carew on a charge of mur- dering her husband commenced in H.B.M.'s Court for Japan at Yokohama on the 5th Jan. before Judge Mowat and a jury. The Gazette observes that Mrs. Carew came up to the Court in a closed rickisha. She was attired in deep nd the vehicle was proceeding at a walking pace followed by two men. Accom- and the warder, Mrs. ed the Court within two minutes of as she took her seat at the back of reserved for her connsel it was her face wore an expression composure.pk The Judge was into Court by Mr. Troup, at on the Bench. When the Judge
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was seated, Mr. Moss, Clerk of the Court, im- pressively read the charge, to which Mrs. Carew replied in clear and distinct tones, with- out betraying the slightest quiver in her voice, "I am not guilty." Mr. Lowder then said "I have to apply under advice of her medical attendant that the prisoner be allowed a seat." Certainly," replied the Judge. Mrs. Carew then moved into the dock, Mr. Kircher bringing a chair. Mr. Lowder stated that he appeared on behalf of the prisoner and Mr. Wilkinson and Mr. Litchfield that they appeared on be- half of the Crown, the Judge acknowledging the statements by gravely bowing. Mr. Moss on the Jury to "answer to your names and save your fines." Those not replying were Messrs. H. I. Chope, H. E. Campbell, C. B. Bernard, A. Owston, H. A. Vincent, G. K. Dinsdale, J. A. Singleton, J. Walter, H. Moss and H. E. Harries. On these names being repeated, Mr. Singleton answered. The Judge stated that Messrs. Chope and Campbell had left the port; Messrs. Vincent, Moss, and Harries had sent in medical certificates that they were sick, and Mr. Leopold that he was suffering from deafness The Judge added: "Those gentlemen who have not answered to their names will be fined the usual fine of $50.” This applied to four, Messrs. Bernard, Owston, Dinsdale and Walter. Mr. Moss then informed Mrs Carew that if she wished to challenge any of the jury she must challenge them before they were sworn, and before they were sworn she should be heard. The drawing of the five jurors was then com- mienced. The first to be drawn was Arthur Henry Cole Watson who took his sent unchal lenged. James Raddigan was challenged by Mr. Lowder. Lobert Courtney Kenrick John stone was not challenged. Nor was Duncan MacLaren. Henry Moss was next drawn, but, being sick, excused. Charles B., Bernard was fined. Joseph Brow was challenged by Mr. Lowder, as also was the next drawn, William Sutter. Andrew Patterson passed unchal lenged and took his seat in the jury-box. Charles Barton Steadman was then drawn and proceeded to the jury-box when he paused and, addressing the Judge said "Your Honour, I claim exemption; is th's th,
• On what grounde On the ground of deafness; I have a medical certificate." "You are "exonsed.? Heury Tennant was challenged by Mr. Litch. field. Charles Sale's name was then called. Mr. Lowder: "I challenge Charles Sale." Frank Percy Solomon was excused on a medical certificate. The next name drawn, and, as it proved, the last, was that of Joseph Davieson, who passed unchallenged, and the list was filled. The Jury thus consisted of Messrs. Watson, Johnstone, MacLaren, Patterson, and Davieson, and having been sworn, the other gentlemen
time to state it P**
called were excused from further attendance.
The indictment was as follows :---
"In her Britannic Majesty's
Court for Japan.
46
ff
Kanagawa to wit.
Henry Charles Litchfield The Crown Pro- secutor in Japan for our Lady Queen presents and charges that at Yokohama Japan Edith May Hallowell Carow on the twenty-second day of October in the year of our Lord 1896 feloniously wilfully and of her malice aforethought did kill and murder one Walter Raymond Hallowell Carew against the peace of Our Lady the Queen her Crown and Dignity."
Mr. Wilkinson opened the case with a long ad- dress in which he outlined thefacts-the address consisting of a review of the evidence given at the inquest and the magisterial examination. He impressed upon the jury that in nearly every саве of this sort, the evidence by which it is songht to bring home the charge to the prisoner is circumstantial evidence. Direct evidence would be given to establish certain facts, and they would be asked from those facts to draw certain conclusions. It would be for them to determine whether the direct evidence proved the facts alleged by the witnesses. Upon that point he did not antici- pate that there would be much conflict or that they would have any great difficulty in arriving at a conclusion. Their difficulty would foundation f considering those facts as conclusions they would be asked to
•
of poison, and the law there should be. If it did ing would go practically went on to say-One will occur to you and tha could the prisoner have for husband ? Now, subject to correction I tell you that as it is not necessary that any mo assigned or proved. It is alway satisfactory that a motive can be found crime of which there is otherwise proof that have actuated prisoners found gu murder, that the motive is often en from an ordinary point of view, in From a high moral point of view it always is inadequate, but the ad the motive is, of course, one point to will pay attention, thongh I may it is опе that ought not in the of experience to weigh against the evi of guilt if that evidence is in itself clusive. Now, there appears to be, what some cases of this sort there is, a motive however indequate from a high point of view which seems to be something like the motives which from time to time have operated upon men's minds-diseased minds it may be who have given themselves to crime. Evidence will doubtless be given that so far as the outside public were concerned the deceased and his wife lived on terms of cordial affection. The prisoner herself gives one point only on which they ever had discussion and that was money matters. (Counsel read Mrs. Carew's evidence on this point.) That is the explanation given by the prisoner of what she said was the only room- troversy that she had with her husband, and she stated facts which, if true and correct, would show that their difficulties had been made up. Assuming all that to be true, then there was, as the case stood, practically no motive at all. But, gentlemen, there comes in another episode in the case. I have mentioned the name of Miss Jacob, the nursery governess. For rea- sons she entertained the idea that letters to her
did not reach her, and, rightly or wron she formed the opinion that her mistr
She was concealing or destroying them. to the waste-paper basket to look for some ti 800 of them, and though she did not find them she found letters in a handwriting she recognized to be that of Mr. Dickinson, who had been in the habit of writing frequently to Mrs. Carew. Other circumstance that had occurred made her read the letters and subsequently, taking advice from a friend, Miss Christoffel, she collected the fragments. That was about Sept. 24th, and on three other occasions, fragments of letters were taken from the basket. All this was done before Mr. Carew became ill. After Mrs. Carew had given her evidence at the in- quest these letters were sewn together, and pro- duced, and they may be characterised, gentlem as letters which no modest woman who retained her fealty to her husband could accept from any man whatever. I don't wish to read all those letters to you.. It will be your duty to hear them read from beginning to end and I do not propose to read any part of them in sup- port of the proposition I have just made now, I shall read those parts that refer to the alleged relations between herself and her husband. Among those letters was one which evidently had not reached Mr. Dickinson, though Mr. I
letter in Bame son states that he received terms. It reads "Forgive me, my de come to you in my trouble. There is the matter, but I should like matter which must be He is so far quite indifferent as t beyond calling you a
suit is seedy, Miyanoshita
She then ask his advice abor ways than one. meeting a certain lady whose name will be men-- tioned to you. – She had been
Shall I refuse to meet perone, or keep quiet by rather think the latter
ecided
ames.
vitedito he ands
bully me 25This is man other than her the situ you here that's ing How:
That letter was answered]
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