July 22, 1907.|
SUNDAY MORNING'S SENSATION.
MURDER IN DES VOEUX BOAd central.
CROWD PERMITS FOUR DESPERADOES TO ISCAPE.
Shortly after ten o'clock on Sunday morning (21st July) a quarrel with fatal results occurred in Des Voeux Road directly opposite the Daily Press office. A Chinese foreman in the employ of Messrs. A. . Watson and Co. was attacked by
four coolies, two of whom are said to have been previously employed in Messrs. Watson's soda water factory. In the mêtés one of the coolies attacked the foreman with a knife having & blade about four inches long. This he plunged to the hilt in the unfortunate man's chest, penetrating the heart. With the knife thus in his body the doomed man gave chase, follow. ing his assailant as far as the Taiwan Ginko (Bank of Formosa) where he dropped dead. The four men who attacked him then made good their escape, notwithstanding the large crowd of Chinese who witnessed the affair. It appears that deceased was an exceptionally conscientious foreman, and when he found that any of the men under him were not doing their duty satisfac. torily, he invariably had them dismissed Come such incident appears to have led up to the tragedy of yesterday. Because the two of his four assailants who were formerly employed in Messrs. A. 8. Watson and Co's factory, did not carry out their duties to his satisfac. tion he dismissed them, and on Thursday or Friday laat they sought revenge by assaulting him. On that occasion they were arrested and taken to the Central Police station, but, as the manager of the factory did not appear to prosecute, the Inspector on duty discharged
them. Two men have been arrested.
DEATH OF MR. JOHN DODD.
LATE OF FORMOSA.
Upon further enquiry, we have no doubt that the John Dodd whose death was telegraphed by our London correspondent on July 18th was not Lieut-Colonel John Dodd (as we assumed on receipt of the message) but Mr. John Dodd of the defunct firm of Messrs. John Dodd and
Co. of Formosa. Mr. John Dodd resided in "the beautiful isle" for many years and, in addition to carrying on his business as a tea merchant, acted as Consul for the Netherlands at Tamsui. Many old residents in the East will doubtless recollect the graphic and occasionally humorous sketches of the perils, anxieties and worries of the interned foreign residents at
Tamsui which Mr. Dodd contributed to our
columns during the Franco-Chinese war 1884.5, when the principal ports of Formosa were bombarded and subsequently blockaded by Admiral Courbet's fleet. These sketches, which were published as "The Journal of a Blockaded Resident in North Formosa," excited so much interest in Hongkong and the Treaty Ports that, in response to a very general request, they were reprinted in book form for private circulation, chapters descriptive of Keelung and the adjoining country, as well as of the camphor districts being added. In a short preface Mr. R. Chatterton Wilcox expressed the hope that the author would give to the world at some future date the benefit of his long and intimate connection with Formosa, the results of his
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. the first Chronicle & Directory (1863) we find the name of John Dodd entered as a clerk ia the Arm of Dent & Co., Queen's Road, It was in 1864, when the firm failed, that Mr. Dodd went to Formosa and started business on his own account. While he resided in Hongkong he of the Colony's best jockeys. Those were the was devoted to "the sport of Kings," and was one
days when local sportsmen despised the China pony and imported horses from Australia ant the Championship in 1863. The race lay be elsewhere. John Dodd rode in a famous race for
tween a horse from Dent's stables and one from Jardine's. Mr. Dodd rode Dent's horse and so skeen was the interest taken in the event tha one gentleman, just before the race, made a bet of 820,000 that Dent's horse would win. The bet was taken, and Jardine's horse oame in winner by a neck. The bet was paid with the best possible grace, and the winner of it took the next P. & G. boat home. Those were days when the Mexican was in batter repute than it is to-day.
close observations as an explorer and whilom sportsman, in a comprehensive work dealing with the topography, ethnography, zoology and geology of the beautiful isle. We are not aware, however, that Mr. Dodd ever set himself the task; no work at all events has been published. Mr. Dodd left the East fifteen or sixteen years ago and settled in North Wales, but in his quiet retreat he has had constant thoughts of the East and remained a subscriber to the Hongkong Daily Press to the day of his death. There are still many residing in Hongkong and the Treaty Ports who knew the late Mr. Dodd, and this news of his death will be received with regret.
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
A TAX ON MISERY.
July 20th.
Some time ago
a merchant, named Chan Sing Yeong, obtained from the Government the muopoly to tax all people who perform witch- craft and fortune-telling in the Kwangtang Province. The name of the monopoly is the Wo Ping Company. As there are thousands of blind men and women wh make their living by these "professions," the Wo Ping Company recently petitioned the Kwong Chow Prefect, the Nam Hoi and Poon Ya Magistrates, praying that the Company be granted permission to tax these poor creatures $2.00 per annum as thou- sands of them earn their livelihood in that way. The officials granted the request, and notices were accordingly sent by the Wo Ping Company to the Blind Men and Women Institution, notifying those that adopt these professions within the meaning of the rules laid down by the Company to pay the tax. At the same time Pak Ming, deputy in charge of the Institution, the manager of the Company called on Mr. Ki
promising to pay the latter 300 taels per annum, if he agreed not to interfere in the matter on Mr. Ki immediately called on the Acting behalf of the blind people. After the interviuw
Viceroy Wu, and reported the matter. 'The monopolist was arrested and fined 700 taels by the Nam Hoi. He is still in gaol.
An old resident, who knew the late Mr. John Dodd when he was a shipping clerk in the famous old firm of Dent & Co., supplements the information given in our obituary notice on Saturday. Mr. John Dodd's father was Captain of one of Dent & Co's famous clippers, and in
The kind action of H, E. Wu and Mr. Ki is thoroughly appreciated by the poor people and four Man-Man-San (umbrellas of honour) are to stitution, in recognition of his kind services. be presented to Mr. Ki, the deputy of the In-
A BEAR STORY.
A trader surnamed Wong, who recently
returned from Vladivostock to his native village, Tong Yuen, in the San Woi district, took two intention of exhibiting them in the village. A Russian bears, a male and a female, with the few days ago the male bear became very sick and seemed about to die.
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competent man to relieve him. Unless Shum is appointed Viceroy of the Liang Kiang before the expiration of bis sick leave, it is expected that he will proceed to Canton within the next fortnight to take up his appointment here, The Viceroy's Yamen here is now under thorough repairs, pending Sham's arrival,
FREE MARKET.
The new market in the Western Suburbs was
completed about a year ago, but the place was largely availed of. never let. It is now a fre, mrket, and is being
bear is regarded as
It is well known that the gall bladder of the a very useful medicine amongst the Chinese and could be sold at a very high price if taken from the animal alive. Wong
determined to make a handsome profit out of the animal. He took the male bear from the cage and got the medicine. On the same night the female bear broke the cage
and made its way to Wong's bedroom. Wong was absent, but the bear killed his wife The Chinese consider it and two children.
instance of ursine conjugal fidelity and intelligence.
an
THE LOITERING VICEROY.
MACAO.
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
July 19th.
DEATH OF THE REV. A. C. VICTAL
The 8.8. Sui-tai yesterday brought from Hongkong the remains of the late Rev. C. A. Victal, who died on Tuesday at the Peak Hospital. Father Viotal was born in Macao, and was ordained a priest at St. Joseph's Col. lege. For many years he was attached to the Mission in Malacca where he has many friends. His motter, a brother, and two sisters are among those who mourn his loss.
The exp-otation of the arrival of Viceroy Shum is still the one topic of conversation amongst all here. His Excellency's staff arrived here last week. It is said this morning that his family has also arrived, but I doubt it, as the official another 15 days' sick leave. Viceroy Taso Throne has quite recently granted the stubborn Fang, who is now almost scared to death over the assassination of the Governor of Anhwei, has that he may be transferred to Peking, and has memorialized the Central Government praying recommended Viceroy Shum as the most
THE TAXATION QUESTION. The Esorivão de Fazends is now hard at work distributing requisitions for the payment of taxes.
The race of Jeremiah continues to multiply in this "Holy City and lamenta hand. The Chinese regard the decree as an tions are heard from the housetops on every intimation by the Government that they are not wanted in Macao. Another petition, I am informed, is to be presented to Senhor Azevedo Continho, and, in the event of an unfavourable reply, something like a general exodus from Macao is contemplated by the
Chinese.
Timor
A REMITTANCE TO TIMOR.
is locally described AS Macao's sucking pig." The Mail leaving Hongkong ou the 27th inst. will take away from Macao the sum employed in the public service at Timor is of $40,900. It appears that the pay of those
thirteen months in arrear!
THE NEGLECTED STATE OF MACAO. antiquities. The authorities would seem to Maca o is in more senses than one a City of
have a great veneration for ruins of all kinds. There are many properties in a state of ruia in the City which have become not only eyesores but a distinct menace to the public health, for with a certain class of Chinese they appear to answer the purposes of public latrines. rapacious demands made on the local exchequer by the Home Government do not leave sufficient funds for the rebuilding of these properties, it is not too much to ask that the ruins (I refer
if the
especially to those in Rua Central) should be enclosed by a hoarding. The measures to prevent the spreading of plague might very well have extended to this matter, and also Bat
to the drainage of the city generally.
the authorities have contented themselves with the little spare of energy involved in the burning of the village of Mongha, though plague cases were by no means coadined that quarter.
THE PUBLIC LIGHTING.
to
Six months have elapsed since the elections to the Leal Senado. It was hoped that the new corporation would have given some attention to the inefficient lighting of the city by electricity. But the lighting, so far from being improved, has become steadily worse. Most of the streets are in darkness after mid- night. It is time that the Leal Senado took this matter into their consideration and did something to improve the present unsatisfactory lighting of the streets.
THE DEFAULTING SHROFFS. The thres shroffs, who absconded with a Fasenda as taxas, have not yet been arrested. considerable sum of money paid to the the control of the Department The fact that was so lar ai to enable this theft to be per- for hinting that other unpleasant discoverien petrated has given Dame Bamour some excuse may shortly be made.
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