ATUITA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.
hongs in Iwatatis have decided mber of Commerce, the first meet- as held at Jardine's on Saturday, t at which rules were passed and
The rules of the Amoy Cham dopted en bloc. Mr, Best, Agent for atheson & Co., was elected President, rver, of Smith, Baker & Co., Vios There was also a Committee elected, Messrs. Gillingham, Low, and
NATIVE VOLUNTEER CORPS-
AT SHANGHAI the Shanghai magistrate, enter
on Sunday evening 16th July, garden, Bubbling Well Road, undred well-known Chinese mer- gentry of this port, to talk over a magistrate has of, raising a Volunteer the English Volunteer system, consi- young men of the better classes, within al district. Nearly Tls. 50.000 was bed on the spot and there seemed to be ülerable enthusiasın, especially among the Chinesa present, who were refreshingly ough to say they were quite willing to I learn their drills. "on condition the promise not to interfere with the Uou,” Arms and ammuntion will be by the Kiangnan Arsenal.-N. C. Daily News.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
ing that there might be come chance of saving life, but it was too late, the deceased was quite cold. Deceased was undressd at the time, and the gas was turned right on.
By the jury-The deceased had been in trouble for some time land had been depressed over his financial embarrassments. Notwithstanding that there was nothing in his manner which would lead him to suppose that the deceased contemplated self-destruction;
Dr. W. Cooper deposed to being called by the police at 7.30 p.m. last evening. On enter ing deceased's room there was a strong odour of gas. He examined the body and found it was quite cold, death having ensued three or four hours previously. He considered death was caused through asphyxia, caused by inhaling the gas through the tube. The eyes were open, and the fingers were clenched.
Mr. Sampson, recalled, stated that there was no occasion for any lamp being in use when he first saw the deceased, and there was no indica- tion that a lamp had actually been burning. He did not notice whether the tube was twisted under the arm of the deceased.
Inspector Kelly deposed to being called by the last witness and saw the body in the position described by Mr. Sampson.
The Chinese "boy" who had been servant to Mr. Patch for the past six months said that his master had not eaten any food except tea and toast for about two weeks. Yesterday morning he went to his room at about half past seveu and asked the deceased whether he wanted any tea. He got a negative answer, and he went again in the afternoon when the deceased told bim that he did not want him in the room! He however again went into the room and found his
SHOCKING SUICIDE AT SHANGHAI. master dead, and he immediately went away to in-
ASPHYXIATES HIMSELF.
Shanghai, 17th July. Considerable regret is being felt within the Calament at the death of Mr. H. D. Patch, of Shanghai Brewery, which occurred yesterday oon at his quarters close to the business ses. The sorrow is all the more heigh- the fact that the deceased came by his manner which leaves no doubt "that set of self- destruction.
form Mr. Gaude. The rubber tube the deceased took to his room from the office about two weeks ago, and about a week ago he noticed that his master bad fixed the tube to the bracket with the other end on the bed. He disconnected it. telling his master that it was no good as such a smell came from it. The decoasad was always a good master to him.
Mr. H. Capel deposed that he lived in the next room to the deceased who was a mau of very eccentric habits. It was his custom to lie
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'down on his bed even in the hottest weather. and close all his windows. Witness left the Brewery early yesterday morning and re- turned at about eleven o'vlosk SO that he knew nothing of what had trauspired during the day. He did not think that the "boy" had exactly stuck to fats when he
stated that the tube had been affixed to the bracket the week previons, for if that were so, as he lived in the next room, he must have swelt the
gas.
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July 29, 1899.
merican
charges of forgery. He was an and apparently a man of some education, smart in appearance with a certain affecta- tion of gentility-altogether sta character by no means rare in ports like Yokohama. He lodged at a boarding house on the Creek side, and was an habitué of the saloons of Honmura Road and the vicinity. It is stated that he was a native of Abingdon, Virginia, and was a medical student.
Rumours as to the motives and circumstances. of the crime are more plentiful than facts, but it would appear that Ward, in the intervals of his other occupations, paid his court to the Japanese woman Tonooka, who was virtually the proprietress of the Rising Sun. Tonooka is a native of the village of Inasa, Kamo district, in the province of Ise, and her her mode of life since she wandered into the squalid precincts of China Town may be imagined. She had been the mistress of several foreigners, and finally invested her savings in the grog-shop at No. 133.
One of her former patrons was Robert Miller, the man now under arrest. Miller is a man of middle age, an American by nationality, a sailor by calling, and apparently a lounger by inclination. He deserted from an n American sailing ship some time ago, and has since been hanging about the back streets of the Settle- ment. Some three years ago he cohabited with the woman Tonooka, but finally left her with out money, and naturally enough she turned to other directions for her support.
Since his return to Yokohama, Miller has, it appears, paid visits to Tonooka, with the idea of regaining her favour, and on Sunday he went into the saloon and asked for drink, which was refused him. He appears to have become very angry at this rebuff, and probably the knowledge that. Ward was on particularly good- terms with the hostess kindled his fury against both the man and the woman. Ward, indeed, was spoken of as likely to take over the business and have it registered in his name.
Though the house where the crime was com mitted is in a most crowded quarter, no sound seems to have been heard by the neighbours during the night. Early in the morning about six o'clock-the momban of the next house saw Miller leaving the place in company with a Japanese gambler, and an hour or so later a female servant, going to her duties, was shocked on entering the Rising Sun premises to find the body of Ward lying in the bar near a sofa, his throat out, and a pool of blood round him. Upstairs an equally ghastly sight met the eye.
The two Japanese women were lying one on the floor and the other in a European bed, cut and stabbed about the head, one of them-Tonooka-having an ear cut off. It was quite evident from the nature of the wounds. that the murder could not have been perpetrated more than three hours before the discovery of the crime. The motives of the murderer, whoever be my be, it is impossible to guess. Especially mysterious is the killing: of the girl Suzuki, who was simply a waiting maid. The only theory is that she awoke to detect the assassin at his work and paid the penalty of her watchfulness.
leceased had been a resident in China twelve years, and had been connected the brewing industry the best portion of period. Success had not always followed ortions in his commercial life, and failure - realise his brightest hopes, brought with -depression in spirits, which his friends od was rapidly making him more bringing a disinclination to enjoy life had previously done. A few days ago he nsferred all his interest and responsibilities the Brewery to Messrs. J. W. Gande & Co., since then he appears to have become very lespondent those around him noticing that he become more reticent in his manner, and ly in mien. No serious notice was taken of the change in his manner so his first cousin, Mr. Sampson, made a I call upon him yesterday afternoon he was prised to find Mr. Patch lying on his bed on left side, quite cold with a gas rubber tube Against his face, death having evidently caused by asphyxia. The police were at once summoned and the body removed to the Skantung Mortuary where Dr. Cooper made a
mortem examination this morning pending | HORRIBLE CRIME AT YOKOHAMA, vouch for the truth of these statements.
I formal enquiry into the cause of death.
THE INQUEST.
SA Bourne, the Coroner, at 11 morning, opened on enquiry into tances attending the death of Henry
se body was found on the ening at his quarters in the Brewery
kham Road as above stated.
ander Sampson said he was a first deceased, and yesterday afternoon nd of afternoon cali upon him. He ́ ́t the door, and received no answer sequently gained admittance to the hen he found there was a very
of
gas. The windows were all fon opening them found that there was tube suspended from a bracket bed on which deceased was lying, and to the month or nostrils of decena. lso a piece of rag on the top hanging downl over the fore- removed the rabber tube think-
Mr. J. W. Gande said that he saw the deceased on Friday, and he then seemed in his asual state of health. He was always in finan. cial difficulties. and witness took over the Brewery on July 1st, including all the business debts, but not his private ones, and matters were now put straight. Mr. Patch was always a reserved man.
The jury after a short deliberation returned the following verdict:-"That the deceased died from asphyxia caused by gas taken by himself while in an insane condition."-China Gazette.
MURDER OF A FOREIGNER AND TWO JAPANESE WOMEN.
Yokohama, 18th July. A terrible crime was discovered about 7:30 a.m. on Monday in China Town, Yokohama, a young American, named Nelson Ward and two Japanese women, Tonooka Sue (24), and Su zaki Hatsu (20), being found murdered at a low saloon called the Rising Sun, at No. 183. The Japanese police were speedily informed of the facts, and enquiries lasting most of the day were made by the officials, the result of the investigations being the arrest about one o'clock offa man named Miller, an ex-sailor, who is well knowu in the saloons and low resorts of China Town.
The story of the crime is a peculiarly horrify ing one The murdered man Ward had already made himself somewhat notorious in Yokohama, and in point of fact would probably have been arested, had he lived, on various
A garment belonging to Miller is said to have been found stained with blood and there were, it is said, traces of blood on clothes he bad taken off before he was arrested, but we cannot It appears, however, that quite early in the morn- Miller entered another saloon called Jim's Place No. [36.and in very excited manner asked for a drink, vowing that he would shoot the bar- keeper if he were refused. He also asked for room, with which he was accommodated and he there changed his clothes, afterwards going to sleep. From his peculiar conduct and from other clues suspicion at ones fell on him and after being kept under surveillance all the morn- ing he was arrested about one o'clock, When, a representative of this journal visited the Kagache Police e Station, Miller was lying" ap- parently asleep on a bench,
Police at about eight o'clock, and Mr. Ikariya. Information of the crime was given to the
Station, at once took the matter in hand. Later ma, Superintendent of the Kagacho Police, Mr Tsutsumi, public procurator. and Mr. Miyajima, Judge for Preliminary Examina- tions, accompanied by Dr. Fujii, investigated
T
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