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Then the prisoner spoke to her about the thieves coming into the house and stealing her money and killing her man. The old woman then went into the cubicle where the dead body was lying, and after she had seen the body she commenced to cry. When he first entered the room the prisoner was very pale and looked very wild, her eyes glaring. After seeing the body the old woman went down-stairs and re- turned with a bundle of clothes. On her return she had another quarrel with the prisoner. The latter said, “Do not take any notice of her, she is a bad woman; she has a black heart and has threatened to do me an injury." The prisoner said the deceased man was on the bed by the window, and that on her calling out for help the deceased had come into her room to her help; that while she was in the room the thieves covered up her face and stole her money. He remained in the room until Inspector Ford
came.
In reply to Mr. Sharp, the witness said he did not know that the man had been stabbed until the police came and removed the body. From the way the body lay the man might have been stabbed while standing by the bed-side and fal- len backwards. When he was in the room the prisoner told him the same story throughout that the thieves had beaten her, stolen the money, and killed her man.
In reply to his Lordship, the witness said he saw no signs of a struggle having taken place in the cubicle. The prisoner seemed frightened and excited but did not seem to show any grief in consequence of the death of the deceased. At that time he accepted the prisoner's statement about the robbers.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND Monday, 25th March.
CRIMINAL SESSIONS.
BHFORE HIS HONOUR Sir John Carring TON, C.M.G. (CHIEF JUSTICE).
THE WANCHAI MURDER CASE. A widow named Wong Po, residing at 143, Queen's Road East, Wanchai, was charged with the wilful murder of a man named Kwong Cheung, of the same address, formerly a messenger in connection with the Supreme Court, on the 5th February.
The following composed the jury-Messrs, P. A. Cox, John Galbraith, Wan Ki Mei, George Hunter, F. A. C. Hahn, George Patton, and Gustave Meyer.
March 30, 1901.
beyond all reasonable doubt and shown that the facts proved were not only consistent with possible guilt-but inconsistent with the inno» cence of the prisoner. He submitted that the prosecution had not done this. The case for the prosecution was beset with doubts. The prisoner's story practically explained all the facts. The prisoner's story was a reasonable one, and applied to the facts he thought it practically explained them all, whereas the case for the prosecution was beset with difficulties from beginning to end.
It was a quarter to three in the afternoon when the learned counsel for the defence con- cluded his address.
The Attorney General replied. He discoun- tenanced the robber theory, arguing that it was not likely that robbers would have left untouch- ed the money in the deceased man's girdle and his watch and chain.
His Lordship then summed up.
It was half-past five when the jury retired to consider their verdict.
They returned at twenty minutes to six, and in response to the Clerk (Mr. J. W. Jones) the Foreman of the jury (Mr Cox) said that the jury were unanimously of opinion that the prisoner was guilty.
On being asked if she had anything to say why sentence of death should not be passed on her, the prisoner made a statement almcat identical with those made by her in the charge room at the Police Station and at the Magistracy.
The case for the prosecution being concluded, Mr. Sharp addressed the jury for the defence, He said there was no doubt a murder had badu committed, and there seemed to him to be no doubt that it was a murder of a particularly dastardly character. The only question the jury had to consider was, Who did it? There were no doubt circumstances of suspicion against the prisoner. It was perfectly clear that so far as the usual inmates of this honse were concerned the prisoner was the only person in the house besides the deceased. This was a circumstance of suspicion against the prisoner, bat he should have to read to the jury a few authorities out of an enormous bulk to show that there was nothing more dangerous in dealing with cases of this character than to rely upon what was His Lordship, assuming the black cap, said- called circumstantial or presumptive evidence. Wong Po, you have been found guilty of the This was a typical case of the most dangerous murder with which you are charged. As far as Inspector Ford, of the Hongkong Police kind of circumstantial or presumptive evidence. I understand the evidence I think it goes Force and in charge of the Eastern District, Circumstantial or presumptive evidence was clearly to show that the verdict of the jury said that on the morning of the 5th February, evidence which did not purport to prove directly, is a right verdict. I believe you cruelly and at about 10 past 11, he received certain in as the evidence of an eye-witness did, that the treacherously took the life of this man formation with regard to 143, Queen's Road person charged committed the crime, but it and then concocted this story to shield East, in consequence of which he visited the purported to raise the presumption or inference, yourself. The sentence of the Court upon you first floor of the address given. On going into of a greater or lesser probability, that the is that you be taken hence to the place from the second cubicle he saw the body of a China-person charged did commit the crime. whence you came, and thence to the place of man. He was lying on his back across the bed More miscarriages of justice had been execution, and that you be there hanged by the slightly inclined to the left, his head being over due to reliance upon circumstantial evi-neck until you be dead, and that your body be on the left side, and the legs from just above dence than from any other cause. Frequently buried in such place as His Excellency the the knee hanging over the side of the bed. He circumstantial evidence had been relied upon Governor shall order. And may the Lord have examined the body and found two wounds on and produced a miscarriage of justice when the mercy on your soul ! the chest and two slight wounds on the right evidence was even stronger than in that case. hand. He then had the body removed into the The principle always to be applied in cases of first cubicle and undressed it, taking off a blue circumstantial evidence (was this: Were the singlet which was next to the skin. In the facts proved inconsistent with the story told by singlet were two holes corresponding with the the prisoner? He contended that the facts wounds in the chest. There were also corres- proved in this case were wholly consistent with ponding holes in a blue cotton vest. There the innocence of the prisoner. The prisoner's was blood on these garments. The de story as told to the police and others was ceased was also wearing a pair of blue cotton consistent from beginning to eud. He trousers. On taking off the trousers he dis-submitted that if the story had been covered a wound in the abdomen. The trousers were kept up by a girdle and wallet. There was no cut in the trousers to correspond with the wound in the abdomen.
Evidence was also given by Inspector Collett and Sergt. Watt as to an inspection made by them of the premises at No. 143, Queen's Road Fast.
Dr. J. C. Thomson, who made a post-mortem examination of the body of the deceased on the 6th February last, said there were two wounds on the chest and one on the abdomen, each about an inch and a half in length. The first wound was between the second and third ribs on the right side and entered the right lung. It was about three inches deep. The second wound was between the fourth and fifth ribs on the right side and passed through the right lung and wounded the liver I was about four inches in depth. The third wound was in the lower right-hand part of the abdomen. This had passed down along the bone and injured no structure of any importance. There was a out across the knuckles of the right hand, chief- ly over the last finger, and there was a braise made by blunt instrument on the right side of the forehead. There were several small bruises around the lips. The right side of the chest was full of blood. He was opinión that the cause of death was hæmorrhage from the right lung and liver due to the wounds
Is on the chest. The blow on the right side of the forehead would, he should say, be sufficient to stun the man. The knife produced could have infic ed the injuries he had indiosted.
of
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Other evidence followed, and the hearing was further adjourned.
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Tuesday, 26th March.
CRIMINAL Sessions.
BEFORE HIS HONOUR T. SERCOMBE SMITH (Acting PUISNE JUDGI).
THE ARMED ROBBERY AT KOWLOON CITY.
Tse Lak, Ko Wing Sang and Lai Fun were charged with being concerned in an armed rob- bery at Kowloon City on the 23rd February. There were three counts in the indictment, viz., (1) larceny in a dwelling-house with menaces; (2) receiving stolen goods; (3) robbery being armed.
The prisoners pleaded not guilty.
The following composed the jury:-Messrs. Hugo Albrecht, V. A. de Faulo Collaço, S. Weinberg, A. H. Hamet, D. E. de Souza, J. A. Tarrant, and J. M. do Rozario Xavi r.
fabricated upon the instant discrepancies and inconsistencies would have crept in. The prisoner's story was that a number of men-six men the prisoner spoke of throughout entered the house for the purpose of robbing either the prisoner or the deceased or both, perhaps at the instigation of the wife, who was jealous of both the prisoner and the deceased. He did not for a moment suggest that the wife instigated the murder. He merely suggested that these men were instigated to robbery only, and that this robbery accidentally lel to the mur- Mr. E. H. Sharp, at the request of the der. The prisoner said that when she saw Attorney-General, stated the case for the pro- the first of these men she called out, and the secution. He said the scene of the robbery was prisoner replied and came from the next room a grocer's shop in Kowloon City called the Yoo to her help and was murdered by thieves-as, Sing. The accountant and staff appeared to he suggested, without premeditation on their live on the premises, but the master did not do part. The thieves then fled, alarmed at what so regularly. On the 23rd February, about they had done and the terrible consequences six o'clock in the evening, the master which would ensue to themselves if caught and left the shop, leaving the accountant and thres no doubt alarmed by the noisɔ and commotion or four fokis behind. At about five past seven, which had arisen. The prisoner, immediately when it was quite dark, a gang of seven men or very shortly after the murder, recovering entered the shop, and having shut the door they from her fright, got up and went to the door seized the accountant and the fokis by the and opened it. It was perfectly clear that if queues, bound them together, and took them | the thieves were not instigated by the wife they to the back part of the shop, into...
were familiar with the ways of the house and room called the samshu room. Two of the probably with the relations existing between gang, who would be identified as the first the dead man and his wife and the prisoner, and third prisoners, stood over them with -re- Learned Counsel then proceeded to point out the volvers, threatening to shoot them if they made motives which the wife had for animosity against a noise, while the others cleared out the shop. the deceased and the prisoner, commented upon They took $150, which was in 10 and 20 cɔnt the different points brought out by the evidence pieces, from a pillow box, and having taken the for the prosecution, and quoted several autho: key to the safe from the accountant they took rities as to the law with regard to circumstantial from the safe $2,350. Of this sum $250 was or presumptive evidence. Concluding, Mr.Sharp in notes, 8259 in single silver dollars, and the said the question for the jury was, had the pro- | rest in 10 and 20 cent pieces. The reason why secution proved this charge against the prisoner there was so much money in the safe wi
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