138
Thomas Jackson, Dr. Wright, Messrs. Chan Hi-wan, Tam Tss-kong, H. N. Mody. Lau Chak-min, Lo Tat, J. P. Madar, Ip Cheung Choi Che Bee, Wm. Whiley, Tsoi Lap. tas, Chan King-Iu, Yeung Nai-on, Luk King-fo, Lan Yau, Wong Kam-fuk, Leung Yan-po, Mok Kun-yak, Mok Man-cheung, Ip Sham Kam, Ng Kwok-ching, So Shau- ming, Chan Pak-Cheung. Hu Shun-chün, She Po-sham, Ho Tsik-shin, Sin Tak-fan, Leung Shiu-kong. Ho Fuk, Lo Cheung Shiu, Tse Shi-ping, Lo U-shing, the Committee of the Tung Wa Hospital and Messrs. Gaupp and Co.
IMPERIAL DECREES.
PROTECTION OF FOREIGNERS IN THE
INTERIOR.
in their
The following Decree was issued on the 1st inst.:-In our treaties with foreign countries there are certain clauses set down, plainly allow ing all foreigners to enter the interior provinces, and in our anxiety to preserve friendly relations with our neighbours we have again and again commanded the officials of the provinces to take great care in protecting such foreigners. In stead of doing 80 there have been many of
officials our
who, carelessness and recklessness, have neglected their duties, thereby encouraging the rowdy classes to trouble and disturb said foreigners, murdering and grievously injuring them, there- by bringing the present catastrophe upon Em. peror and country. All this has been due to the ignorance of our officials of foreign affairs. From henceforth all of our Ministers and of. ficials must correct their attitude and strive to be friendly with all foreigners they may meet, so as to afford a good example to those under them. We must remember that there are over 100,000 of our countrymen in foreign countries who owe their safety to the protec- tion to the governments of the countries they sojourn in. No one there has a thought of hurting the Chinese there. In return, our high officials should impress upon their subordinates to see to it that whenever foreigners enter their territories similar courtesies must be held out to the strangers and every effort made for their protection and comfort. If hereafter there be any instance of trouble and insult given to fore igners by false patriots. the local officials must hasten at once to put a stop to the disturbance, failing to do which the culpable officials will be instantly cashiered and dismissed for ever from the public service; nor will they be permitted hereafter to volunteer for service in other provinces.
The translator of the above in the N.-C. Daily News, to whom we are indebted for the above translation, appends the following note:-The above decree is aimilar to former decrees on the like subjest and may be taken for what it is
worth.
# THE REFORM DECREE.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
it
first announced,
REMARKABLE FRAUDS
IN HONGKONG.
[February 16, 1901.
N.-C. Daily News, which bases its statement on
The Reform Decree" was, according to the | chant, that he was just then rather short of à private telegram from Hsian from a high got to Hongkong, where his ship, the Brooklyn,
money, but would send a cheque as soon as he - official to his family residing in Shanghai, was lying. really drawn up by the Emperor himself after Hongkong, and decided to sail with L. Chan Ming had business in a Grand Council gathering and ordered by His They got to Macao, and transhipped to the Majesty to be telegraphed to all the Viceroys Heungshan, by which vessel they were taken to and Governors of provinces to guide them as Hongkong, arriving here at eleven o'clock in to what reforms should be inaugurated by them the forenoon of the 9th inst. The Heungshar when the Emperor returned to Peking. In had no sooner made fast to the wharf than Lee stead of this special decree, which had already hurried ashore, hailed a ricksha, got in, and dis- been seen by several of the Grand Councillors, appeared. Chan Ming, not thinking there was being telegraphed to the provinces at once, the anything seriously wrong, but nevertheless not document was handed to the Empress Dowager, altogether easy in his mind, took a sampan and who expressed great wrath at the Emperor's boarded the Brooklyn, where, to his dismay, ho composition, and in conjunction with Lu learnt that no such person as Charles E. Morgan Chuan-lin drew up a shorter one of 1,000 odd was known. The embroidery dealer then hurried characters exonerating the Empress Dowager ashore and reported the matter at the Central from being a Conservative, declaring that she Police Station. That same evening the chand- was just as favourable to reform as the Emper-lery merchant, having learnt from enquiries or, while the Emperor himself is made to say that he also had been swindled, reported the intended to sweep away all old useless laws and Sergeant Edward O'Sullivan, of the detective that he only wanted a few changes and never incident of the borrowing of the $100, and customs. Kang Yu-wei and his reforms are also staff, was employed on the case.
On Saturday remind one of those superficial decrees issued by pany with an American woman from Gage branded as traitors, and the whole of the decrees the sergeant discovered that his man,-in com- the Empress Dowager in 1898 immediately after Street, had taken out two first-class tickets for the coup d'état. In a word, the decree drafted Manila, undur the name of Mr. and Mrs. John by the Emperor on the morning of the 29th of Loe, by the Loongsang, dus to sail at noon on has now taken its place drawn up by the Empress boarded the Loongsang, but was reported to be January last is just opposite to the one which Sunday. Lee had gone ashore when the detective Dowager and her advisor Lu Chuan-lin, which at the house of his friend in Gage Street. is now published as an open deeree and not the A watch was set, and presently Lee, with the private message to Viceroys and Governors as woman and another man, came out. Chairs-
were called, and the party proceeded on their way to the wharf. The woman and the stranger were in front, Lee bringing up the rear. As- sured by Chan Ming that there was not the slightest doubt as to the identity of the man- although he was now dressed in plain clothes, daring frauds had its natural culmination in Sergeant O'Sullivan stopped the chair and A series of extraordinary and remarkably those in which he appeared in the Polios Court the Police Court on the 11th inst.,_ when arrested Lee. The two in front proceeded on John Lee, of America, described as a Doctor their way totally ignorant of what had occurred, of Medicine, was brought up on two charges of and missed their companion only when they fraud—(1) obtaining the sum of $100 by false arrived at the wharf. Lee was taken to the pretences at Victoria, in this colony, on 6th Central, where, on being charged, he rode the February, and (2) being in unlawful possession high horse, and wrathfully protested that he of three pieces of silk embroidery, one tiger was an officer and a gentlemen, and declined skin, two pieces of ivory, and one ivory-handled positively to answer any questions. He was fan, total value $195, at Victoria, in this colony, lodged in a side-room for the night, and on shaven man of about 30 years of age, with a doubly sure, Sergeant O'Sullivan took him on the 10th inst. The defendant is a tall, clean-Sunday morning, by way of making assurance clear-cut but not altogether intellectual face. He was dressed in patent shoes and dark clothes an assistant surgeon on that ship was indig
on board the Brooklyn, where his claim to being of a good pattern, over which he wore a long nantly repudiated. Lee was then taken back dust coat. He did not appear to be at all im. pressed by his position as he stood in the dock, his American female friend, who was in tearF, to the police station, where he was visited by Lee arrived in Hongkong from Kobe by the Ger- The reason for her grief was that Lee had per- went to the Hongkong Hotel that same evening, to pay their passages to Manila. Lee, in whose man mail steamer Hamburg on the 5th inst. He suaded her to pawn her rings and other jewellery arrayed in the complete uniform of an assistant possession when searched was found money to surgeon in the American Navy, and asked to see M. Haynes, the manager of the hotel.
the amount of $30, appeared to take pity on her Haynes went to him, and Lee put a great many soon after went away, and at three periods dur- Mr. plight and gave her this sum. The woman questions and displayed keen interest to knowing the day there arrived for Lee bouquets of how many American naval officers were staying flowers, letters, etc., luxuries rather out of place in the hotel, what ships they belonged to, and in a cell. Sergeant O'Sullivan brought the Lee stayed the night there, and prisoner's baggage and that of the woman ashore, next day, at five o'clock in the afternoon, and in the latter's boxes were found the silk went to a chandler's shop at 23, Lee Yuen goods, ivory, etc. It is believed that one-half Street. The owner of this shop has of Lee's crimes have not yet been brought extensive dealings with American warships home to him, and it would take up too arriving in the harbour, and has a launch run- much space to recount all his doings. At ning in connection. with these ships. Besides Kobe, for instance, he went this, American naval officers are in the habit name
under the of calling at the shop when they are ashore and getting whatever they require. Acting on this knowledge, Lee went to the shop, still attired as an American naval surgeon, and represent ing that he was in a great hurry and had un- fortunately come ashore without money, ask ed the loan of $100 to transact some business. The proprietor of the shop, deceived by the uniform-complete, as it was, in every detail-handed over the money, and the pseudo naval surgeon signed an IO U for the amount, affixing thereto the name of Charles E. Morgan, U.S.S. Brooklyn. Leaving the shop, Lee made direct for the Canton steamer, and sailed at half-past five for that port. Arrived in Canton, and still wearing the sur- geon's uniform, ho visited an embroidery dealer's shop, and bought goods to the value of $195. This shop is a branch establishment of one at 8, Queen's Road Central, Chan Ming being the name of the proprietor. Lee represented to meant by "unlawful possession.” Will you ex- Defendant-I don't quite understand what is Chan Ming, as he had to the chandlery mer-plain the meaning of that legal term?
A copy of the "Reform Decres” arrived in Shanghai last week. The N.-C. Daily News says that it is a private message to the Viceroys and Governors of the Empire and not a general decree to officials and people of the country. The decree commences with the Emperor's attempts at Reform in 1898, most of which were good for the country. Unfortunately there were traducers and hackbiters at Court who disturbed the friend- ship between the Empress Dowager and the Em. peror, prevented unanimity, and made their Ma- jesties bitter enemies.. These intrigues have now come to light and their Majesties are now con- scious of their respective failings; they are now determined to act with unanimity and mutual friendliness for the best welfare and interests of the empire. Amongst the reforms needed by the country first and foremost is the speedy con- struction of the Yangtze Valley Railway, and railways connecting Shanghai, Foochow and Nanking. Another reform is to change the present methods of literary examinations. |
The decree closes with: "Our Viperoys and Governors of the Empire must not think the above are empty words; they must know that we are determined to carry our reforms through without fail and they are further commanded to send us recommendations of reforms as well as to! trustfully state what they think of our own sag. gestions.
80 on..
of a German Count. Lee speaks German Von Sydor, and posed as the son fluently, and this accomplishment helped him to carry the deception through with entire success. To crown all, he gave a dinner to the German Consul at Kobe and to the officers of the German fleet then in the harbour, quite captivating his guests with his reminiscenses of the Fatherland.
him, Lee, addressing his Worship in reference When the two charges had been read over to to the first, asked-“ Do you wish me to plead ?”
His Worship-Yes, Defendant-Guilty, sir.
you have to say.
His Worship-I should like to hear what
Defendant I don't think I can say any. thing in my defence on that charge.
second charge—that of unlawful possession ?
His Worship-Well, with reference to the
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