February 28, 1901.]
run an excursion to Macao next Sunday, the 24th instant, but Mr. Arnold positively refused the charter and told the gentleman that the Company is not going to run an excursion, on the ground that on these occasions the excursionists generally behave themselves in a disorderly manner under the influence of liquor, and thereupon the Company have made up their minds not to put on any more extra steamers forexcursions, and that this information he had received from the Captain of the Honam personally.
Shareholders of the Steamboat Co., what do you think of this? Do you allow such nonsense as this? Why you ought to call a general meeting to investigate matters and let the public know of a better cause for such a refusal.
If the Captain of the Honam cannot control the drunken excursionists, why does he invite them to drink by placing an additional bar in the 2nd saloon whenever there is an excursion? His complaints are contradictory, not to say ridiculous. We don't want any bar at all. I hope, however, that the worthy Directors of this Company will investigate matters, and let the Honam bo pat at the dispocal of the gentle- man who applied for the charter, thus giving an opportunity for those who used to go to Macao every year for this special procession to| go again, as well as for the benefit and interest of all the shareholders. Thanking you for the publication of this letter, I am, yours, etc.,
AN EXCURSIONIST.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.
Hongkong 22nd February, Sir,-Since the Steamboat Co. have been so disobliging to the public as to refuse the charter of the Honam for the usual excursion to Macao, under a most futile excuse, we, the undermentioned, are glad to inform the public in general that a projected excursion will be advertised in to-morrow's local papers, as soon as the arrangements are concluded with another local Company. Those wishing to avail of this opportunity, please look out for to-morrow's advertisements in this newspaper, as well as in the China Mail and Hongkong Telegraph.
Thanking you for the publication of this letter,-Yours, &c.,
EXCURSIONISTS.
SUPREME COURT.
Friday, 15th February.
IN APPELLATE JURISDICTION.
BEFORE HIS HONOUR SIR JOHN CARRING
TON, C.M.G. (Chief Justice) AND HIS HON- OUR-T. SERCOMBE SMITH (ACTING PUISNE JUDGE).
CHAN YIK CHO V. CHAN PO SHAN.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
prontissory note. You can always produce outside evidence to prove the meaning attached to a particular phrase in a commercial document. It has been held in the book trade that a dozen means thirteen, and in another trade that 100 means 120. I should, therefore, like to produce evidence to show that the meaning of the pro- missory note "allowed to demand payment at any time is You will demand payment. and I will pay you." The point was stated in argument, but not in evidence. This matter is of great importance to the Chinese community.
The Chief Justice-We must remember that we are dealing here with English law and, not with Chinese law. I am not going to strain the English law in order to suit Chinese cus- toms.
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Mr. Slade-It is not a question of Chinese custom, my Lord, it is a question of the mean. ing of Chinese words. "Outside evidence of merchants and others will have to be taken to prove what is meant by these words.
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The Chief Justice-I am in the dark entirely as regards this case. I think the best course would be for you to move for leave to appeal, and also move that on the appeal additional evidence be taken.
This was agreed to, and the Court adjourned sine die.
Monday, 18th February.
CRIMINAL SESSIONS.
BEFORE HIS HONOUR SIR JOHN CARRING- TON, C.M.G. (CHIEF JUSTICE). The Criminal Sessions opened this morning. Tho calendar contained only two cases, viz :--
1. Wong Mau-being a member of an nulaw. ful society.
2. Ho Su and Wong Fung Chau-murder.
THE MURDER CASE,
The Attorney-General (the Hon W. Meigh Goodman, K C.)- Will your Lordship allow me to mention case No 2 in the calendar. It is a charge of murder against two men-Ho Su and ship to fix a date for that. My learned friend Wong Fung Chau. I would ask your Lord Mr. Robinson appears for the defence. I think it is desirable to fix Thursday; otherwise I do not think we shall be able to get through by Saturday night. There are 16 witnesses on bo-
half of the Crown.
His Lordship-Can we not take it on Fri- day?
The Attorney-General - There is a meeting of the Legislative Council on Monday, and I shall not be able to appear on that day if the case runs over Saturday.
His Lordship-Very well; say Thursday at 10 o'clock.
TRIAD SOCIETY CASE.
Wong Mau pleaded not guilty to an indict- ment charging him with being a member of an unlawful society.
The jurors were Messrs. W. G. Humphreys, H. Arnold, C. G. Heermann, J. J. Guttierez, M. da Silva Guimaraes, M. Watson, and P. E. Silva.
Mr. Slade moved for leave to appeal against the decision given by the Acting Puisne Judge in this case on Friday of last week. It was a promissory note case. The defendant was alleged to have signed and delivered to one Li Lui Chin a Chinese document, which was translated as The Attorney-General said the prisoner was follows:-"Now borrowed from Mr. Li Lui Chin charged with being a member of the Triad the sum of $600 exactly, in Hongkong current Society on the 16th January last. The facts of bank notes. It is allowed to demand payment the case were very simple. On the 16th Jan- at any time. This is proof." The instrumentuary Lance-Sergeant Birchall was cruising was endorsed by Li Lui Chin to the plaintiff, about the harbour on police duty, searching for Chan Yik Cho, as if it were a promissory note. arms and things of that kind, when he came The two questions for the Court were:~~ ~(1) Does | across rowing boat No. 2,795 off Wanchai. this instrument satisfy the definition of a promis. sory note which must contain an unconditional promise to pay? (2) If it is a promissory note, has the plaintiff endorsee proved that the note was made by the defendant? His Lordship dealt at some length with these points, finally
BEFORE
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Thursday, 21st February.
CRIMINAL SESSIONS.
HIS HONOUR SIR JOHN CABRING- TON, C.M.G. (CHIEF JUSTICE).
THE YAUMATI MURDER CASE, Ho Su and Wong Fung Chau were charged with the murder of Leung Hin, marine store dealer, 17, Station Street, South Yaumati, on the 9th January,
There were six people in the boat. Birchall or dered the people to come on to the police launch while he searched the boat, and they did so, though the prisoner seemed unwilling. On searching the boat Birchall found a revolver and on searching the prisoner's pouch he found
They pleaded not guilty.
The Attorney-General (the Hon. W. Meigh Goodman, K.C.), instructed by Messrs. Dannys & Bowley (Crown Solicitors) appeared for the prosecution. Mr. E. Robinson appeared for the first prisoner, and Mr. M. W. Slade for the second,
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The jurors were Messrs. John Burgess, J. A. Ross, H. Arnold, Oscar Wegener, WE. Pucher, S. Weinberg, and R. W. Dale.
Mr. R. A.-Collins's name was called, but there · was no response, and his Lordship directed that Mr. Collins should be warned to attend the Court at two o'clock in the afternoon, a
The Attorney-General said the two men in the dock were charged with the wilful murder: of a man named Leung Hin at Yaumati, on the 9th January last, the deceased mau was a marine store dealer and lived at a shop or store at No. 17, Station Street South, Yaumati. His shop name was the Wo Li, and as far as one could ascertain the business was a fairly pros perous one. As usual among the Chinese, several persons had shares in the business. The people at the shop were two coolies, an account. ant, and the second prisonor, the latter being employed at the store as tin-smith. The firm kept several hundreds of dollars in a safe, a large iron one, and as a rule the key of the safe was kept in a drawer in the counter, the drawer being locked and the key kept by the account- accountant appeared to have gone away on a ant. Somewhere about the 6th January, the
short holiday, and he loft the key of the like a thousand dollars, in the drawer in the rafe, in which there was then something
the drawor to the deceased man. In addition counter locked up as before, giving the key of
to the man he had mentioned, there was a cook
witness. The shop coolies and the cook had at the shop, and he purposed calling him as a been employed by the deceased man for tome time, but Wong Fung Chau, the second prisoner, had only been thoro since August last year. The first prisoner was at one time employed as cook, bat he seemed to be without occupation in January, and was in habit of taking his meals with his friend, the second prisoner,
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that the coolie; and the cook must have had abundant opportunities of seeing the first prisoner. On the 9th January last, about the middle of the day, some conversa- tion took place between the deceased man and the second prisoner as to buying some goods. In the evening, somewhere about seven o'clock, the people at the shop had their meals, the first prisoner joining them. Subsequently, at about nine o'clock in the evening, the two prisoners were seen going towards the Reclamation with the deceased man. On arriving there the de- ceased man was set upon and most brutally and cruelly hacked with a chopper. He was sent to the Hospital and seen by Dr. Bell, who had deposed that both wrists were nearly cut off; there was a cut across the nape of the nook going down nearly to the spine; there were three scalp wounds on the left side of the head and eight scalp wounds on the left side of the head; and there was a cut on the lip and another on the chin. Dr. Bell said that all these cuts and gashes might have been inflicted by a chopper such the one produced, and which was picked
holding that the instrument was not a promís a paper which was clearly connected with the on the spot early the next morning.
sory note and that the plaintiff must be non- suited with costs.
The Chief Justice-I have not yet got the papers, and I understood it was only to be mentioned to-day. I think we are both dispos- ed, instead of your giving notice exparte for leave to appeal, to give you leave to serve notice on the other side and—
Mr. Slade I was going to suggest another ourse, and that is that your Lordship allow the case to be re-heard; simply take evidence of Chinese as to the meaning of the words in the
Triad Society. When taken to the Police Station prisoner said he picked the paper up in the street. It was, however, a very clean bit of paper to be picked up in the street. It was a singular thing that a Triad Society paper should be lying about the street. When before the Magistrate the prisoner said he had nothing to say and that he did not know anything about the paper.
the attack was made covered with blood. After being attacked the deceased man sɔemed to have been able to stagger part way home. He collapsed at the corner of First Street and Station Street. He would be able to prove that the two pri- soners were seen walking towards the spot where the crime was committed somewhere about nine o'clock in the evening of the 9t. January that shortly afterwards a shop-keeper heard cries of “Save life," and that immediately after- The prisoner was found guilty and sentenced wards he saw the prisoners come up from the to four months' hard labour.
Reclamation and go up Fourth Street. What
Evidence was then led.
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