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May 5, 1906.)
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POLICE COURT.
Saturday, April 28th.
Before Mr. F. A. Hazɣland) (First POLICE MAGISTKATEJ
THE MORPHINE SEIZURE'
The hearing of the claim for eleven cases of morphine confiscated by the Opium Farmer was continued.
Mr. F. B. Deacon (of Messrs. Deacon, Looker and Deacon) appeared for the Farmer Mr. J. Hastings represented the Kwong Wing Sang firm of Shanghai whose claim was for seven cases, and Mr. H. G. C. Bailey (of Messrs. Johnson, Stokes and Master) appeared for Messrs. McEwen, Frickel and Co., the claimants of four cases.
Mr. Hastings-I take it, your Worship, that it is for the Opium Farmer now to prove the facts enfifling him to an order?
His Worship-How?
Mr. Hastings-That is to say that the opium has been found without apparently being in the possession of any person.
His Worship-That is a legal point, as you submitted.
Mr. Hastings-But this is a re-bearing, your Worship.
His Worship-I understood the arrangement between the parties was that you should first call the owners to prove their claim.
Chu Yee-kam was called by Mr. Hastings. He said he was the managing partner of the Kwong Wing Bang, a Chinese firm carrying on business in Shanghai; he arrived in Hongkong on the 24th instant. His firm ordered certain morphia from England through a European firm in Shanghai, The marks produced were the marks of his firm, and were on seven cares of morphine, the property of that firm. The bills of lading for the goods were with the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank at Shanghai; they were pledged to the Bank for advances. The firm's usual course of business was to pay off these advances, get the bills of lading and send them here to his agent with instructions to land the goods pending further orders. The morphia was not intended for sale or use here but for exportation. He first heard of the seizure of his goods ou the 20th instant.
By Mr. Deacon-He purchased the goods from Messrs. Thomas and Co. in Shanghai, to whom he paid the money. His contract was with this firm, and be had a contract in the present case. He knew the marks shown him were the marks of the cases consigned to him under the contract because he received a memo. of arrival containing them from Messrs Thomas & Co. The goods were to be exported from Hongkong to various parts of China; such was his usual course of business for over two
years, during which time he had imported about 1,000lbs. of morphine. There were still twenty or thirty cases to arrive. His agents in Hong kong were the Yu Loong of Wing Kat Street; they were not licensed to deal in these goods, neither did they make any return of them at the Harbour Office. He heard of the seizure of these cases from his agents, and he came to Hongkong in consequence of that seizure. He did not bring the letters and notice connected with the matter because they were looked up in his shop He did not know whether he was required to have a licence to handle these goods in Hongkong, neither did he know anything about the regulations here.
To Mr. Hastings-Healways sent instructions to his agents in Hongkong as to where the goods were to be sent, at the same time that he sent the bills of lading.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
To Mr. Bailey.-The four cases referred to in the bill of lading produced also arrived on the same steamer, and the same intractions were given in regard to them as to the other seven
CAFES.
To Mr. Deacon.-The cargo did not necess- arily go through the hands of the Godown Company; the steamers often give delivery alongside into consignees' ową lighters. The Godown Company held the goods free of storage charges for ten days, after which they charged consignees storage rent. In the event of the consignee not claiming the goods they might lie in the godown a year.
Evidence of a similar nature was given with regard to Messrs. MoEwen, Frickel and Co's. claim, and the case was further remanded.
SENSATIONAL OCCURRENCE IN VICTORIA GAOL.
ALLEGED MURDER OF A PRISONER.
In the afternoon of the lat. May it transpired that a prisoner in Victoria Gaol had that morning been murdered by a fellow prisoner. So far as can be ascertained, the two men, who were shoemakers, bad had a difference of opinion over something, and, waiting his opportunity. the assailant suddenly attacked the other man as he sat in front of him in the shoemakers' shop, plunging a shoemaker's knife, a sharp bow shaped instrument, twice into the neck of the unfortunate map. The victim was carried to the hospital, where he expired shortly after- wards,
Mr. E. A. Hewett said he was the Super- intendent of the P. and O. Company in Hong- kong. Cases bearing the marks produced arrived on the steamer Devanha, on or about the 7th inst, and he arranged with the Godown Company that the steamer should be discharged in the stream and not alongside the wharf, and that the Company would take the cargo in their own lighters to the godowns; a small portion was taken by P. and O. lighters, and one case was seized on his lighter, the other six cases being seized on the same day, when they were in the posses- sion of the godown company on his behalf, as the company was responsible to him for those
cases,
An inquiry into the circumstances of the death of Li Shing, alleged to have been murdered in Victoria Gaol, was conducted by Mr. F. A. Hazeland yesterday afternoon at the Magistracy. The jury were Messrs. G P. Carry, E. V. Ď. Parry, and W. C. Barrett.
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E. J. Pierpont, ohief warder in Victoria Gaol. said the body the jury had viewed was that of Li Shing, aged 37. a coolie, of Sun-woo-shung village, who was received into prison on 18th July, 1901, convicted of robbery, and sentenced to seven years' hard labour and twenty strokes wi h the birch. About 7.30 yesterday morning when he was visiting the West Yard gaol, be heard someone shout from the shoemakers' shop He immediately ran there and saw prisoner 115 standing up with a shoemaker's knife in sach hand. Wardr Driscoll was standing over prisoner with his baton balf raised. Witness told him to remain still and then, ringing the alarm bell went to the door of the shoemakers shop and ordered all the prisoners to come out. This they did, falling in two deep outside. that time the principal warder and other officers arrived on the scene. Then he noticed prisoner 19 (deceased) on the floor, and had him carried to the hospital. He ordered prisoner 115 to put down the knife and after the order had been repeated several times prisoner did so. The name of prisoner 115 was Wong Tai. He was sentenced to eight years hard labour for piracy. He noticed that the decessed had a wound on the right side of his neck and that he was covered in blood.
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To a juryman-He had heard some Chinese which induced him to think there was jealousy between the two.
Dr. William Moore, prison surgeon, said that in response to a telephone message yesterday morning about 7.3), mying that prisoner 19 had been stabbed and was already dead be went to the Gaol and saw the body of the deceased in the Hospital. His clothes were covered with blood. There were three outs on the right side of the neck. Two of those wounds com pletely severed the internal jugular vein, and the carotid artery, and death, which must have ensued very rapidly, was caused by hemorrhage, The knife produced could have caused the wounds which he saw on decessed's neck.
The Jury found that deceased was killed by prisoner Wong fai, and his Worship committed him for trial at the Criminal Sessiona,
AN EXTRADITION DIFFICULTY.
Two Chinese named Li Mao-kat and Pong Ki-fong, were recently examined with reference to their extradition by the Chinese Government on charges of murder and robbery, but as the French authorities claimed that the offences were committed within their territory the meu were released, only to be immediatety re-arrested, The French authorities at Kwango how.wan now demanded their extradition.
Inspector Hauso n stated that he was unable to procure witnesses, as Colonel Yeung, of the Shameen Guards, had refused to allow them to give evidence for the French authorities. The Inspector was of opinion that the best way to get over the difficulties would be to call the witnesses and make a note to that effect on the depositions.
William Driscoll, a warder, said he was in charge of the shoemakers' party numbering 27 in Victoria Gaol. Yesterday morning at 6 am. he found everything quiet. There were 17 benches in the shop and deceased was sitting at At 7.40 he No. 6. Wong Tai being at his rear. saw Wong Tai, without the slightest provoca tion and without saying a word, pick up the shoemaker's knife, swing himself around the seat and stab the deceased, who ran towards wit. ness and fell down. The warder then went to Wong Tai and told him to put down the knife. Instead of doing so he picked up another, hold- i ing one in each hand, and after a slight hesita- tion replaced the knives on the bench and walked towards his cell.
To Mr. Craig-Previous to the attack both men were engaged in making boots. Deceased did nothing to provoke Wong Tai, and witness could not ascribe anything for the attack. He believed that there was a slight jealousy between them because deceased was a better shoemaker than the other.
To his Worship-There were two blows delivered on the rightside of the neck. Both Mr. Pierpont and he ordered Wong Tai at the same time to put down the knives.
His Worship-That would do.
Colonel Young-I cannot call the witnesses. Iuspector Hanson – I have no power to call the witnesses, your Worship, as they belong to the Chinese Government. Cul Yeung is evidently afraid of the Viceroy.
His Worship-I don't know what the French Consul is going to do in this case. Is he going to produce further evidence?
Colonel Young explained that he had charge of the witnesses and answerable for them to the Viceroy of Canton. These witnesses bad come to Hongkong to give evidence for the Chinese Government and he was afraid he could not allow them to give evidence in this case without first consulting the Viceroy.
His Worship-Do you know if this village is under French juristiction ?—Yes.
His Worship-It will only be a waste of time now. We don't want these men (pris. oners). The soner they are out of our hands the better. But it is not right that they should be kept in gaol. (To Col. Young) -How long do you expect to be away?-Forty-ight hours.
Inspector anson said he thought it was the intention of Col. Yeung to go to Canton to. night and he would probably take his witnesses
too.
On arrival at Canton he would possibly secure other witnesses-frame another charge, that of armed robbery in China-basten back to Hongkong, and renew his application for the defendants, on a new charge, before the French Consul had time to act. Col. Young did not want to lose the prisoners, as he was in charge of the case for his Government. -In- spector Hanson also remarked that it was reported the defendants had robbed both French and Chinese villages,
His Worship granted a remand until Monday next, by which time Col. Yeung is expected back from Canton.
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It is explained that owing to an expression alleged to have been heard from some member of the Russian Commission which hus beáa negotiating with the Chinese Government con. cerning Manchuris, which was taken as a veiled threat of a hostile nature to the present peaceful relations between Chius and Russia ", there was some alarm at the Peking Court, with the result that H. E. Viceroy Yasu Shih-kai was went for by the Empress-Dowager to consult about matters. One of the pofats to be settled during the conference at Court will be the preparedness of the Imperial forces to make any stand against a foreign enemy.
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