December 28, 1903.]
SUICIDE OF J. S. REUBEN,
The inquest into the cause of the death of Mr. J. S. Renben, at the Waverley Hotel on Monday morning, under circumstances already reported in these columns, was held on the 22nd inst. at the Magistracy, Mr. T. Sercombe Smith, Police Magistrate, presiding. The first witness called was Dr. Hauter, who said that on Monday afternoon the body of the deceased was brought to the Mortuary, where he, wit- ness, made a post-mortem examination of the remains, from which he found the causa of
death was carbolic acid poisoning. Chau Chua, called, stated that he was the room-boy at the Waverley Hotel. On Monday morning he went into the room as usual to give Mr. Renbeu his coffee. Witness noticed that he appea ed strange and immediately went and called his mistress, the proprietress of the hotel, who went back with him, and then found that the hau was dead. The police were immediately
notified.
was
Henry Evans, P.C., said on Monday morning he was called to the Waverley Hotel, and take to room No 12. He saw deceased in bed. He was lying on his side in bed with the bed clothes up to his chest. He was wearing a dark suit of clothes, but without shoes or socks. The body was quite cold. The table in the centre of the room was in great disorder, and on the table was a glass, in which, the doctor said, was carbolic acid. Witness sinelt the glass and thought it was carbolic acid, He then took He possession of the room and looked the door. sent a boy up to the Central Station, when Sergt. Sullivan came down and examined the room. The body was then removed to the Central Station, and later to the Mortuary by order of the inspector: oa duty. That was about 1.30 p.m. Ch the table were several letters; one was open (produced).
One Two other letters were found. addressed to Joseph Benjamin, Esq. Mr. Benjamin being in court, this letter was nanoca to him, and having read the same he said there
was the was something in it. The lefter handed to the Magistrate. In this letter deceased said he was short of money, aud had to pay a debt of $200 in the morning, but was too shy to ask his employers. or his Chris- tian friends, for an advance, and prayed that he might be forgiven for this act, which his trouble compelled him to. He said he was dying because he was intoxicated, but that his debts would all be paid, as among his papers he had a promissory note for $500. He did not mention the names of his employers. Another letter was addressed to a member of the com- mittee of the Jewish synagogue, and that letter was also opened by the addressee in
who stated that the court,
purport of the letter was a request to the com- munity to pardon him for this act, but he was driven to it by distress. The letter was written in Hebrew. Chun Chus, recalled, said he saw the glass on the table in the room. He saw something in it. He did not know how the deceased got the carbolic acid.
The watchman at the Waverley Hotel was called, and said he was on duty on the night of the 20th. He saw the deceased enter the hotel in the morning. The hotel closes at 12 m. He saw the deceased go out at 6.20 p.m. on the 20th. He came back at 11.30 p.m., and after going to his room for a few minutes, he came down again and gave him a large number of books to wrap up. The deceased took the books away with him in a chair, and returned at 1.30 am. Witness let him in He did not
seem to be in liquor, He walked slowly upstairs.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
SPORTING
NOTES.
(Daily Press, 19th December.) To-day sees rather a pause in cricket, as far as the leading players are concerned, before the two reat matches on the 25th and 26th inst. and 1st and 2nd prox. respectively, when the height of the local cricket season is practically reached. The Cricket Ground to-day will be occupied by the H.K.C.C. reserves and the A.O.C., who meet in a League match. The Club reserves are in the unenviable position of having to struggle to avoid the wooden spoon, place Never yet have they appeared at any but it is hard to believe that this is their proper thing like full strength-perhaps in their to-day-yet they have not been beaten by much opening match they were best represented until in any of their three matches. Last week, with almost an emergency team, they made a very creditable struggle against the unbeaten Civil Service C.C., and might have won had all chances been accepted. To-day they have a much
爽
better eleven. Two other League matches are down for decision, both in the Happy Valley, the Craigengower C.C. meeting the Tamar, and the Civil service the Parsees.
The
4917
parallel-bars, etc., have arrived." The Gymna- sium, by the way, ought to be used a great deal
more.
The overwhelming victory at bowling of the Hongkong over the German Club was totally unexpected. Indeed, up to within a week of the match, the Germans were favourites. The good performances of the Hongkong Club team in ate practice inclined the balance of opinion somewhat in their favour, and after Friday night's roll a victory seemed probable; but a margin of 979 points was never dreamt of. Seeing that the differences of points in the matches for the present shield have been only 121 (1899), 374 (1900), 145 (1901), and 257 (1902), this year's figures are startling in their dis crepancy. ' he first six individual scores were made by members of the winning team, Müller, the head German, having to be content with
seventh place. The most creditable performance perhaps was that of Chater, whose 1462 was only 18 points behind the score of Hinds. For
a newcomer in the team to do so well is more
thau auuanal. The Hongkong Club has now won nine matches in all against the German Club's seven; and to win the present shield requires but one more mateb.
The only item as regards hockey this week is the Club's victory over the Glory on Wednes- day by 2-1. There ought to be plenty of good matches in the near future preparatory to the Cup Competition (which comes off in January and February) as so many ships are in, besides which the 114th Mahrattas (the old 14th Bombay L.I.), who won the oup last year, are in from camp and will soon be seen in the field.
OMPAX,
The most interesting football game to-day is the Rugby match between the Club and the Navy, the latter owing to the presence of so many warships in the Harbour being unusually strong. The Club, on the other hand, is not at its best, prominent absentees being Lieut. P. H. Campbell, Fletcher, Hallifax, and Goldring. On recent form the Navy must start favourites. nder Association rules the V.R.C. and Naval Yard teams meat at Causeway Ba. The
The fifth club race of the Royal Hongkong. game should give some indication of the pro-Yacht Club takes place to-day and to-morrow; spects of the two clubs in the coming com-
the championship class sailing to-day, and the to-morrow. petition.
one-designers and second class Of late weather has been extremely treacherous, The draw for the first round of the Associa- varying from light gales to calms, in almost leas tion Shield seems likely to provide some interest-time than it takes to write. It is to be earnestly ing games. Of the six Naval teams entered. hoped that wherever the wind blows from this two are drawn together-H.M.S. Glory, the afternoon, it will have sufficient force to ensure holders, and H.M.S. Leviathan. The Albion good sport, and be constant, aud Oce i get byes, the Tamar meets the V.R.C., and the Cressy the Royal Engineers. latter, the Sherwood Foresters, and the Royal Artillery have all entered regimental teams, and it is obvious that the military intend to make a bold bid for the Shield this year. The alteration in the rules should make the chance of an Army victory as great as it was in the days of the Welsh Fusiliers, though the latter had only company teams in. Three civilian entries have ben secured, the H.K.F.C.. the V.R.C. F.C., and the Rovers, a new organisation. The H.K.F.C. ought to be able to oust the Naval Yard team, though the latter has not been seen at its best yet-a remark which applies to the old Club also. The V.R.C. meet perhaps the weakest naval team, in the Tamar, and may gut into the second round, but the Rovers look anos, esp.) 33 b Campbell. out of it against the Foresters. I fancy that the survivors in the five ties of the first round will be the Glory, the V.R.C., the H.K.F.C., the Cressy, and the Sherwood Foresters. The round has to be finished by the 30th prox.
*
The Regatta over, the V.R.C.'s next great event will be the athletic sport2, taking place in Training has not yet commenced. March. Aquatic sports, of course, are some nine months distant. The final function in connection with Victoria Regatta is the regatta dinner. It is to be held at Kowloon Hotel next Wednesday, commencing at 8 p.m. Mr. A. Chapman, chair- man of the V.R.C., will preside. The H.K, Boat Club has agreed to take part in the function. It would greatly assist Mr. H. C. Austen, of the V.R.C., if all those secretary
to
will at wishing
attend
kindly send in their namen 8.3 soon. 88 possible. There is a whisper that the V.R.C. carsmen, though not coming near the standard of Inter national crews, as was proved at the regatta, have not practised as much as might be ex ected. At all events, the secretary of the V.R.C., and the rowing captain, are trying to arrange for monthly scratch races to keep the men in training. It is to be hoped that there will be a
Lo Galla, boy at the hotel, called, said on the morning of the 21st inst., about 8.30, Chun Chus came and called him to the rcem of the deceased, He wes fully dressed, except for his boots and socks. He was dead. He did not notice any marks on his month. He did not notice a glass on the table. Smelling the glass he said there was no such disinfectant in the hotel. They used Jeyes' fluid. He did not know how the deceased got the Witness took the police to the room.
acid.
No bottle was found,
Verdict :-The cause of death was carbolic acid poisoning, the carbolic acid being self- administered.
lot of entries.
[
A new stock of goods for the V.B.C. Gym- nasium, such as boxing-gloves, fencing-sticks,
CRICKET.
H.K.C.C. v. UNITED SERVICES. Played on the Cricket Ground on Christmas Day and Saturday, this match ended in a draw. Scores and analysis were as follows:-
H.K.C.C.
First Innings. T. Sercombe Smith, o
Chichester,b Williams 46 W. C. D. Turner, b Hor-
sey
J. . Dixon, and b
Williams
H. Hancock, c Horsey, b
Williams
Cornabe, b Barron.. A. G. Ward, o Cornabe,
b Barron
F. Maitland, b Barron E. Mast, b Barron.
W. Dizon, lbw, b Horsey J. Hooper, not out.. J. Lee, b Harron....
Extras
Second Innings. d Campbell, b Wil
liams.
26
4
o and b Williams
11
0. Chichester,
8
Williams.
12
15 b Harris ........
45
27
15 b Rimington
30
19 not out..
0
4
5
6
5
Extras
14
160
Total...
171
Second Innings. o R. Hancock, b W.
Dixon
C
97
Total Innings declared closed.
UNITED SERVICES.
First Innings. Lieut. Heath, 11th Mah.
o and b J. T. Dixon
Irwin, R.N., lbw, b W.
Dixon
Dixon
Williams, R.N., b W. Horsey, E.N., b Sar-
23
combe Smith
59 Lieut. Hawkins, E.N., c
Dixon, b Hancock...... 15 Campbell, R.N., o Turner,
b Hancock- Lieut. Cornabe, B.N.,
not out
Lient. Barron, B.N., o Turner, b 8. Smith...... Capt. Harris, R.M.A., b
Sercombe Smith
Lieut. Rimington, S.F、,
c 8. Smith, b Dixon Major Chichester (capt.)
lbw, b. Smith
Extras
Total
1
st Turner, b H. Han-
: cook
14
38 lbw, b W. Dixon
0
run out
not out.
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