March 19, 1898.]
AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
Señor de Uriarte, Consul-General for Spain at Shanghai, communicated the official tele- gram to the local papers:-
Manila, 13th March, 11.30 p.m. Disturbance in the North of Luzon, district of Bolinao, entirely local, no importance; caused by Hill Indians rescuing criminals, while being conveyed to prison and assisted by Actas Indians cutting wires. Already soverely punished by force sent, and order is established. The rest of the Archipelago is entirely quiet. MURDER OF A CHINESE AMERICAN CITIZEN NEAK MACAO.
CLAIM FOR AN INDEMNITY. A Chinese American citizen named Wong was brutally murdered in the Sun Wei district on the 10th February. Wong was the son of an American citizen and was born in the United States twenty years ago, and some time back he came to Hongkong to complete his English Education, preparatory to joining in his father's business. A few months ago he went to his Chinese home at Tai Hing Po, in the Sun Wei district, which is about eighty miles from Macao and a hundred miles from Canton. On the 10th February he left his house at ten o'clock in the morning for the purpose of going to a market place about two miles away, and in doing so had to pass a palm tree grove. Before leaving the house bis elder brother gave him $4 to defray expenses. He was expected to return
at fire o'clock in the afternoon, but when the
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time came for retiring he had not put in an appearance, and his elder brother arranged with neighbours to send out a search party. The party returned about five hours afterwards and reported that they could find no trace of the missing young man. Early the following day the elder brother was talking with his neighbours as to the steps he should take when three or four strangers came up and one of them said, are talking about a man who has been killed. We heard that a body was seen in a palm tree grove about a mile from here; perhaps that is the person you are looking for." The strangers then went away. The brother was so mach upset that it did not occur to him to stop any of the men.
However, he and some friends immediately proceeded to the grove, and there they found the body of the missing man. The body was fearfully gashed about, no fewer than nineteen wounds being on it. The hands, arms, and head were terribly cut, and the throat Was so deeply cut as to almost sever the head from the body. It is probable that he was so shockingly hacked because he fought his assailants. The body was conveyed to the nearest Magistracy and there the Magistrate was requested to come out and inspect the body and give permission for burial. He did what was requested and then told the deceased's brother to wait ten days while enquiries were made. At the end of ten days the Magistrate posted a notice outside his yamen stating that the deceased had been murdered by some person or persons unknown. The brother asked for an official copy of this document, but the Ma. gistrate told him to copy it himself. After the burial the brother proceeded to Canton and reported the matter to Dr. Bedloe, the Ameri- can Consul. The Consul vigorously took up the matter and has referred it to his Minister at Peking for instructions as to what indemnity shall be demanded. In the meantime the Con- sul is endeavouring to obtain from the Viceroy a copy of the Magistrate's declaration, so that the brother might hand it to his parents on his return to the United States.
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There are some thousands of what are known as Chinese American citizens in the province of Kwangtung and Kwangsi having the full rights of American citizens and they are, it is said, regarded by the natives as good subjects for plunder, being generally wealthy, and it is hoped that some severe penalty will be imposed which will not only compensate the young man's family but also act as a punishment to evil-doers in these particular provinces. What is wanted is an effective police system for the protection of life and property.
In consequence of persistent rain the Manila Racer, which were to have been held on the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th inst., were postponed
or a week,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. THE DEATH OF MR. H. COOK.
INQUEST.
On Monday Commander W. C. H. Hastings (Acting Magistrate) opened the inquest on the body of Mr. Harry Cook, late secretary and manager of the New Club, who was found dead in bed on the 9th inst.
Mr. Hart Buck, of the firm of Messrs. John D. Humphreys and Co,, said-The deceased was secretary and manager of the New Club. He had been employed in that capacity since the 1st October, 1897. Prior to that he had been manager of the Mount Austin Hotel for a year. I last saw him alive on the evening of the 8th inst. at 7.45 in the New Club. About 1.30 p.m. on the 9th inst., in consequence of what the No. boy told me, I went up to the deceased's room. I knocked at the door, but I got no answer and I went into the room. The deceased was lying on his back on the bed, and his feet were almost touching the ground. He was wearing his pyjamas, a singlet, and a pair of black socks. Mr. Henry Humphreys was with me. We sent for Dr. Jordan, who came while we were in the room. We looked round and found no signs of anything having fallen from the deceased's hands, We sent for the police, and Inspector Gillies took charge of the room. Deceased gave so much satisfaction whilst he was at the hotel that we gave him a bonus of $500 when the place was closed. Up to the time he joined the New Club he was of abstemious habits.
Latterly he did not look as if he took care of himself, and he had not
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given satisfaction because he was very rarely at the Club. At 7.30 p.m. on the 8th inst. I saw the deceased in the office of the Club. That was my usual time for seeing him about Club matters. I did not find him distressed. He was in fairly good spirits but puffy under the eyes.. As I am about leaving for Australia I had instructed him to prepare a statement of accounts of the club so that I could tell how matters stood. He had told the book- keeper to prepare the statement, and the bookkeeper told me it was not ready. There was no altercation. I did not give the deceased notice to leave. I did not tell him that I con- sidered he had neglected his duties for some considerable time. His salary was $150 a month with board and lodging. He was not, to my knowledge, a married man.
I have been told he has been spending money freely of late. The morning paper was in the bedroom and apparently had been read. There was one glass, which had contained brandy, on the washstand. The defendant was not in trouble with me. do not know if he was in any monetary trouble. I cannot give any reason why he should have taken poison.
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Tong Shan, servant boy in the New Club, said-The deceased did not sleep at the club on the night of the 8th inst. He arrived there at 6.30 on the morning of the 9th. He did not dine at the club on the night of the 8th. He rarely slept at the club. An hour after he got to the club on the 9th I served him with a glass of brandy. He was then in bed. There was a fire in the room. At 8.30 he rang and asked me for another glass of brandy. At 9 o'clock I went into his room and found him asleep on the bed and coveredith the bed clothes. I did not
go up to the room again until 1.30 when a letter came for him from No. 44, Lyndhurst Terrace, When I went into the room I found the deceased dead and I returned the letter. He was lying across the bed on his back and is legs were hang- ingover the side almost touching the ground. told the No. 1 boy, who, informed Mr. Buck, I left both glasses I took up on the wash-stand. I have previously served the deceased with brandy in the morning. On one occassion he had three glasses of brandy, I have never seen him drunk.
At this point the inquiry was adjourned.
On Tuesday morning Commander W. C. H. Hastings (Acting Magistrate) resumed the inquest.
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not led a steady life. He had not drawn hi salary from me for February. I found after- wards he had slightly overdrawn from the safe and had put in an I.Q.U. for the amount, which- showed that he was not embezzling money The I. O. U.'s amounted to $400.
Mr. Hart Buck, recalled, said-When I saw the deceased in the office on the 8th inst. I knew the statement of accounts would not be ready. I have not yet seen the statement. I cannot say for certain whether the deceased's accounts are in order until I see them. I believe they are in order. I do not know why he should have taken poison except that he had
The Magistrate-Yon don't call that much? He had overdrawn to the extent of $250.
Witness-Of course he had the handling of a good deal of money. He could have taken a great deal of money from the safe if he had wished. The I.O.U.'s were not dated. I believe his accounts were correct up to the end of December. My own opinion is that this money was drawn very lately. The cheque for his salary had been made out, but be had not asked me to sign it. I cannot say if the money in the safe is correct until I see the accounts. He would not have made out the. I.O.U.'s unless he had taken the exact amount, I have no reason at all to doubt his honesty. The accounts up to the end of December were examined during last month and I was told they were correct. If they had been incorrect I, as Chairman, would have been told so. I am going away to-morrow and Mr. Henry Hum- phreys will have the accounts to see that they are correct.
said—I knew the deceased. He spent the night Ethel Halliday, of 44, Lyndhurst Terrace,
he had spent many nights at my house. I have at my house од the 8th inst. Recently known the deceased since last October. I sent a chit to him about one o'clock on the 9th inst.
I do not know what time he left my house; I after nine o'clock on the night of the 8th inst. was not awake. He came to my house a little
been drinking, but not very much. He was a He was in his usual spirits. He had evidently man who drank steadily, but I have never him for money lately. The 8th March was seen him drunk. I had not been pressing
received $100 from him my birthday and mine. as a present. The four letters produced are depressed and had not told me that he was in Deceased had not been unhappy or any trouble, He did not appear to have any delusion. I know that he occasionally took On one occasion he went from my house to strychnine to steady his nerves after drinking. Watson's Dispensary for some drops to steady his nerves. That was since the 27th January,
inst. I was summoned to the New Club. I Dr. Jordan said-About 2 p.m. on the 9th entered the deceased's bedroom on the top floor and found him lying across the bed with his legs hanging over and touching the floor. He was outside the bedclothes and dressed in his pyjama suit. He was dead and post mortem lividity. The pupils were somewhat dilated. rigidity was just setting in with well marked
advised Mr. Buck to inform the Police as I was There was no evidence of vomiting. I then unable to certify the cause of death: I should say deceased had been dead at least two hours. There stand there was a tumbler containing a small was no tumbler near him, but on the wash. quantity of liquid which smelt like brandy. The face was perfectly calm. If an irritant- poison had been the cause of death probably the face would not have been calm. The appear I had never attended the deceased, and had ances were quite compatible with heart disease.
Hotel. There was also an empty 6 oz. medicine only seen him once at the Mount Austin
bottle on the washstand.
Detective-Sergeant Gidley said About 8 p.m. on the 9th inst. I went to the New... Club and entered the deceased's bedroom, where I saw the body of the deceased, Mr. Hart Buck, Dr. Jordan, Mr. Graham, Mr. Japp, and Tong Sang were in the room. Dr Jordan told me that he did not know of any suspicious oir- cumstances attending the death. I removed the body to the mortuary and locked the bed- room door and took charge of the key. On the following day Inspector Ford and I went to the room and found five bottles and a box öf powder, which I handed to Mr. Browne, the Government analyst. I did not take charge of the tumbler on the washstand. Two of the bottles were empty scent bottles, two others contained some liquid, and the fifth was labelled " cough mixture."
The inquest was then adjourned until such time as the analyst is prepared with his report,
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