416
In this instance the police scoured the country and conld find only the one man in time,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Central Police Station, and were picked ont from among the other men by the prosecutrix. Kue Mi, declared, said she recognised the
goldings, bangles, and $70 in twenty cent pieces Altogether she valued the goods stolen from her at between 60 and $70.
His Lordship-What I am hoping is that a Japanese interpreter should be regularly attach.defendants, who had robbed her of clothing. ed to the court.
The Attorney General-There was a Japanese regularly attached, but he was charged with being one of the accessories to this crime, hence the trouble.
Mr. Blade, in opening the defence, remarked that from the evidence as a whole it seemed to bir that the jury must come to the conclusion that the deceased met his death on April 4th by reason of receiving a wound from a pointed weapon about five-eighths of an inch broad, which penetrated through his lung into his heart. The evidence of the police would also make it appear probable that the wound was inflicted on the second floor of the Japanese boarding house in Connaught Road Central. The serious questions the jury had to decide were firstly, who, if anybody, inflicted that deadly wound, and secondly, were the circum- stances under which that wound was inflicted such as would justify a verdict of murder. The first question they had to consider was whether it was satisfactorily established that the four accused were at the boarding house ou that night. Because, if there was any reasonable doubt that these men were not there, then the jury must necessarily bring in a verdict of not guilty. In considering that question they would have to come to a determination as to whether the evidence given on behalf of the Crown was sufficiently trustworthy to enable them to rely upon it. The Attorney-General suggested that the witnesses be called were inclined to conceal the truth, a most extra- ordinary thing to say about bis OWN witnesses when there was no evidence to show that these witnesses were afraid of the accused. Mr. Blade then dwelt on the material difference in the stories of some of the witnesses and stated that there could be no question of murder as there was no malioe aforethought provad, or reason for it suggested.
The jury brought in a verdict of manslaughter against the accused, and His Lordship sen- tenced each man to ten years' imprisonment with hard labour,
Friday, June 21st.
IN CRIMINAL JURISDICTION.
Witness was then questioned regarding the separate articles of clothing.
Are thess your trousers-Yes, I constantly wear these, but they took them away and I haven't got them to wear.
And this blanket ?-This blanket was given to me as a present by a foreigner in America.
Is this jacket yours-Yes, it was given to me to wear in my old age.
And what about the watch ?-Oh I had that to do my work by in America,
The Attorney-General-The pr secutrix iden. tified the pair of trousers worn by the seventh defendant as her's, but I am afraid I cannot put them in as an exhibit, because the police have nothing else for him to wear.
After hearing further evidence the jury brought in a verdict of guilty against all but the sixth defendant. The first second and the seventh defendants were each sentenced to seven years' imprisonment with hard labour. The third, fourth and fifth defendants were sentenced to five years' hard labour, and the sixth defendant was discharged.
When the latter defendant was told he was discharged, the jury having found him not guilty, he replied:-"I'm guilty with the rest." Then he was ordered to go.
DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL.
The Dragon Boat festival was celebrited ou June 15th with some of the old time picturesque ness at Aberdeen, and as usual attracted a large number of visitors, which included His Excellency the Acting Governor, Mrs. May, and a large party. Three boats all belonging to the neighbourhood of Aberdeen participated
in
the day's proceedings and with Ins pector Dymoni direoting the arrangements the events were perhaps more orderly than they would have been with out European supervision. There were four races, and in all the excite- ment was of the keenest. Victory did not always rest with the same boat, and at the close it would probably be found that honours were fairly even, an exception perhaps being made
BEFORE SIR FRANCIS PIGGOTT (CHIEF in favour of the lucky crew which secured the
JUSTICE).
ALLEGED ROBBERY.
were
Tin Fong and six other Chinese arraigned on the charge of robbery at Sheku- lung in the New Territory.
Mr. H. H. J. Gompertz, Attorney-General, instructed by Mr. G. E. Morrell, Crown Solicitor, prosecuted, the accused being undefended.
The following jurors were empanelled :- J. Benjamin (foreman), A. Sheffield, F. F. Eça da Silva, I. H. Amerudeen, A. Sinclair, A. P. Samy, and H. O. Siebler.
The Attorney-General stated that the facts in the case were very simple. The prosecutrix was a Chinese woman named Kae Mi, who lived att hekalung in the New Territory. She had been there for about a year, Laving returned from America where, apparently she bad been for the last twenty years. Like most of her countrymen who return from that land of promise, she appeared to be fairly well provided with this world's goods. On the morning of May 16th the door of ber house was broken open and ten men entered, two of whom were armed with knives. the two men bearing knives caught hold of the prosecutrix and secured her, while the rest of the meu rifled the premises, took everything of value they could find, and made off. In due course the woman want to the bhatin Police Station and reported the matter to the Sergeant in charge. On the evening of May 19th Bergeant Devency arrested five of the accuse. who were then in possession of part of the stolen property. The sixth man was arrested in Temple street, and the seventh in You Wo Lane. The defendants were paraded in the usual way with other Chinese at the
special prize presented by His Excellency, The winners in this instance were also rewarded with the hearty plaudits of the many onlookers, launches from Hongkong being particularly numerous, As the long boats with their upright crews were paddled through the water, and the gongs were beaten, the spectators realised the strangeness and novelty of the sight, but as the gorge were beaten quicker and the paddlers increased their exer- tions they further marvelled at the speed which the rather frail crafts attained. Fortunately nothing occurred to mar the pleasantness of the spectacle. and while the visitors returned homewards the Chinese prepared for further revelry. Most of the Chinese theatres remained open all through Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Each boat is nearly a hundred feet long, and is propelled by sixty paddles, the men sitting in pairs. Other men standing up arge the paddles by waving fans and yelling, while a man standing amidships beats a gong t time them. The time of one race. as counted by Professor Dyer Ball, was about 8 to the minute, bat. the men sometimes manage more than that. It may be pointed out, however, that the blades are lightly dipped, and the stroke is a short one. The paca, fast as it seems, is not up to that of a well rowed eight oar racer. The dragon's head and tail affixed to the respective ends of the boat were all that was left, with the tom-tom of course, to remind spectators that it was a barbaric spectacle The old array of flags was missing, and the sight of European policemen acting as starters, and the big crowd of steam launches, robbed it of much of its od impressiveness. The Dragon boat, in treaty ports and foreign settlements at least, is going the way of the Malay prahu, the South Sea war canoe, or the Burman paddle races.
|
(June 24, 1907.
SEPTUAGENARIAN PARSEE
TRAVELLEK,
INTERESTING VISITOR TO HONGKONG.
The fallness of years that bring grey hairs and wisdom, plus a broad intelligence and unflagging amiability make a woman a very queen sometimes, though her dominion le but the hearts of friends. Such a queen held court on June 17th at the King Edward Hɔtel, in the person of Mrs. Dossibai Cawaajee Jussawalla.
Accompanied by her two sons, this venerable lady, aged 73 years, is making her third vi it to Europe, this time via China, Japan, and America. At Hongkong she has been paid respectful hospi- Lality by leiding citizens, Parsee and other. To her on that afternoon, as on other days, weat numerous callers, including forsign ladies bearing tributa of flowers, and a representative of the Dily Press was also permitted to pay his respects. References to her career and personality in the Times of India mvde her an object of considerable interest. Fifty years ago she was the pioneer of English education for Parsee ladies, and suffered for a long time the displeasure and Censure of the orthodox Zoroastrians, but now they praise instead of blame Parsee ladies are still good Zoros- strians and their foreign accomplishments are no longer considered a drawback.
Mrs Dossibai was in England a short time ago, and smiled when a tentative referea de to the "Suffragettes" was made. "I am no politician," she declared, and woull not pass any opinion as to the political status of woman either in India or England. That they should all be allowed to enjoy a good education Was the most she claimed for her sex, and, of course, freedom to travel.
and "Travelling is good for both mind body," she said, and offered herself As
B
living example. At 73 years of age, with fishing eyes, a healthy appetite, and brave spirit, she pursues a round the world trip with the fearlessness of a young man. With Hongkong she is not particularly pleased, though it has pretty scenery and very kind people. But it is so hot; yes, much hotter than India.
Having come so recently from India, prhspa she could pass an opinion as to the true s'ate of affairs there, apropos the reparts of dis. affection? No. She believed wicked men w re going about trying to breed trouble, but if the papers told us the great ma's of Indian people were not loyal to the Emperor and Empress, they told that which was not true. She herself was taking for exhibition at Tokyo, Dublia, and Americs, a cap embroidered with pearls and gold thread by her own hands, without the aid of spectacles which later on she hoped the Queen might be gracious enough to accept from her. Fine work? It was kind of the visitor to admire it so much. Over that medallion showing the face of the late Queen Victoria, there was still to go a big diamond.
England was a dear, beautiful place. She loved it, and was glad to go there once more. Long ago, nearly sixty years ago, the made many friends there and wrote many letters. She used to attend parties at Govern- ment House, and remembered the great Lord Lytton and his lady very well. They were very great friends. Queen Victoria mat her a special invitation to attend the 1887 Jubilee. In 1878 she toured all over Europe, interviewed the Pope, and went up in a balloon at the first Paris Exhibition. See, here I have a souvenir, in this great gold medal. They said I was brave then; I was young ic those days-and the dear old lady almost seemed ready to apologise for not repeating such wonderful performances now. Yes, it was true she was writing her au'obiography, and that it would be published-before very long. She had many, many things to put in it; bat just nOW she must not neglect the ladies who had no kindly called to bring her flowers. It was good to come and talk with her, and the newspaper gentleman must pay her a visit at her Indian home when she returned,
Her two sons, Messrs. Dadabhoy and Jamshaji, are nice fellows, and justifiably proud of such a wonderful mother.
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