28)
Having regard to the fact that you had taken a room in the Hongkong Hotel, did you think it necessary to carry all that jewellery about? I did it at Miss Dayton's request.
On that night, at the various houses to which you want, do you mean to suggest that you had the whole of that jewellery deposited on your person?-Yes.
Was deceased wearing any jewellery-One or two rings and some pins to pin her dress up. Two of those pins were mine.
Sh was going to these gay houses to meet her old friends, all of whom were well known to her, and she preferred you to carry
her jewellery in your pockets rather than to wear it herself!-She couldn't wear it all,
Ho many other houses did you go to ?- One or more, I don't remember.
How many do you think-I am not prepared to say.
Where did you leave the deceased?--I don't know.
Do you suggest you were so helplessly drunk that you don't know anything that took place?
Yes, sir.
And then you found yourself in a Japanese honse in Ship Street?—Yes.
Were you carried there by force, do you think?—I don't know how I arrived there.
Racher curious wasn't it, that when you had a woman living with you at the hotel hers, you subsequently visited some of the English houses, and then found yourself in a low brothel in Ship Street?-Not necessarily. I was not intimate with the woman.
If that is the case you were conscious of the fact that you were going to a Japanese house -No, sir.
You just suggested that you went intention. ally because the woman with you was unwell- I don't remember going, but would rather go any other place than be with her.
to
(Wha' was the number of the Japanese brothel ?—I don't know.
Have you got any witnesses to speak to the fact of your being there ?—No.
You paid, I suppose, the woman with whom you stayed ?- I suppose I did.
How did you pay, in English gold or Ameri- cn money ?-I don't know.
You were sober at that time?-I did not pay the woman in the morning; that I know.
Thea you didn't pay her at all!-I guess I didn't. I don't remember paying her.
I should think you would be a welcome visitor at Ship Street again. You say you awoke next morning as soon as it was light, about seven o'clock ?—It would be about seven as Dear as I could judge.
It would be light about five in the month of August?—Yes.
You were seen at the Hongkong Hotel at six o'clock that morning by the boy.-No, sir.
You deny that, do you?-Emphatically.
You never went to the hotel from the time you left it the night before when you went out to dinner antil-I arrived in the morning about eight o'clock.
What time do you say you bought the cam. phorwood box -Immediately after I left the Japanese house.
I put it to you that you were in the Hongkong Hotel at six o'clock that morning before you bought this box ?—No, sir.
Why did you want to avoid being seen leaving Ship Street?-I did not care about being seen coming out of a place of that kind when I was stopping at one of the principal hotels.
Do you mean seriously to suggest to us that you thought this box was a suitable peace offer. ing, and would be appreciated by a lady ?—Yes. She said before she was going to get one to put curios in.
And that was the only reason for you buying the box? Yes.
It was a rather curious sort of present to give a lady, wasn't it?—Not when she had a desire for one.
And this great big ugly box was to account for your misdeed in leaving her ?—It was no misdeed. I was my own boss and under obligation.
no
And you expect the Court to believe that story ---I do.
What cause had you to fear her anger --1 had no cause.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
I put it to you, now, that you murdered that woman, and got that box with the pure intan tion at first, of putting her body in it.—No, sir. And finding for 80mA reason best known to yourself that it did not suit your requirements you anbsequently put her body in the other box?-No, sir. I bought the box and then returned to the hotel, easier than the other box? --I suppose it would. That box being of wood would float rather
It would not be so easy to sink it from a 1 never tried sampan?-That I do not know. to sink one.
This shop where you bought the box is further east than Ship Street, isn't it?--I don't know. It was to my right facing the water front.
Now I will take you to the fading of the corpse. You must have been greatly shocked when you found it on the bed ?—Yes.
Was she dead?-She appeared to me to be dead.
Are you sure she was dead?-Positive.
If she had not been it would have been easier doctor, wouldn't it? -I saw she was dead. for you to call the hotel people and send for a
What was the position of the body-It was lying in the middle of the bat, on its back.
Was the bed made ?--Yes.
Did it appear to you to have been slept on ?- No, it was in the same condition as it was in on the afternoon before when Miss Dayton and I laid down on it for a rest.
Assuming that the blood on the maitress came from the deccased, and was on the lower portion, the bed must have been made by somebody before you arrived?-That is on the came from the assumption that the blood deceased. There was no blood or mark on the sheets.
Had she a band round her neck when you saw her? Yes.
[October 28, 1907.
And one of the thousand thoughts that passed through your mind Was whether you returned to the hotel before you went tɔ Ship Street?-I tried to think, but in the condition I was it was impossible.
Why should it be of any consequence to you whether you returned to the hotel?—I was the last one seen in her company.
Did you consider the fict of your staying at Hongkong with the deceased as man and wife sufficient to justify you in what you did ?— Partly.
Miss Dayton was a known prostitute, and wanted in Manila for taking insurance money, was that an element sufficient?—It would bring everything up against me, and I did not want it known at home.
You thought that justified you in getting rid of the body the way you did?-Partly.
Being up the street with her and drinking heavily, that surely was not so terrible as to disgrics you in the eyes of the world?—It was nothing in my favour to drink with a known prostitute.
You started away with her openly from Mauila, and took her to a room at the Hong- kong Hotel-On the understanding that I was leaving her here to never see her more.
You formed a biased opinion against the Hongkong police. A good many other people have done that, haven't they?—I had occasion to, sir.
That is the only explanation you have got to give? Yes.
Do think deceased killed herself?-I do
you not know.
You've no opinion at all as to who did it ?- No.
Do you mean to suggest that if you were sa innocent man you would not be perfectly safe ia reporting the matter to the hotel and the What sort of a band The band on police authorities - Everything looked black
exhibition.
Did that band belong to her?—I think it did, Had sbe one like it?-Something similar. Was she wearing it the night before? can't say. I don't notice women's apparel so much as that.
The hairbrush, was that there?—Yes. When you saw the body were there any rings on the fingers ?--I did not notice.
There were no rings found on the fingers when the body was discovered in the box-1 don't know.
She had rings on the night before? - Yes, sir. One or two.
What did you do, take them off? -No. What do you suggest became of the rings I have no suggestion to make.
When you put the body into the trunk the hands must have come in contact with yours. Didn't you notice whether she had rings on them?-I did not notice.
Now, Sir, when you found the corpse as you allege, why didn't you at once call up the hotel people?-I thought of the embarrassing and awkward position I was in, and could not
ember whether I returned before going to the Japanese brothel.
ስነ
re-
If you had been at the Japanese brothel as you suggest, it would be very easy for you to demonstrate your innocence ?—No, sir.
You do not know the number of the house in
Ship Street where you slept-No, they all look
alike.
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It ought to be very easy for you to find out the number when your life is concerned?-I do not see why that should be. I thought at the time of the box, and the circumstances all pointed against me.
How did you return to the hotel?-By riesha. It ought to be easy for you to get hold of the coolie-I did not see, and could not identify him.
You were rather doubtful whether you return. ed to the hotel that night-I was not doubtful, but I could not remember anything, and tried to collect my thoughts.
You're just sworn posit ̈rely that you did not return to the hotel ?—Yes.
And when yon saw the body you tried to think whether you returned to the hotel before going to Ship Stree! ?—Yes, I tried to make myself think whether I returned to the hotel, and came to the conclusion that I could not have returned
and left again in the condition I was when I went to Ship Street.
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against me.
It did not look half so black for you as it did afterwards.-Yes, sir. Almost,
I put it to you that if your story is true yon must have been mad-must have been a lunatic ? -Not necessarily. I was the only one in the room when the box arrived, and that would have b'en evidence enough in itself to have me srrested.
At any rate you were unable, notwithstanding the fact that the defence was carefully considered for you, to bring a single witness to Court to speak of your movements that night? -On my arrival in Hongkong I spoke to my solicitor, Mr. Harding, and told him where I had been, but he said it was no good, as I could He asked not be identified in a place like that. me when I was there, and I told him Saturday night.
You told me before that the murder was in connection with the Booth matter?-Every- thing flashed through my mind, and Miss Booth came up first beesuse Miss Dayton had stolen five or six thousand, and Miss Booth made the remark in Manila that she would get even with her. I am not here to accuse anybody.
How long were you in the room after you got there, before you proceeded to pack the body in the trunk?-Three, four or five minutes.
Did you sit down and think it over before you did this-No I stood by the bed.
in the trunk the way it was discovered ?---
And within five minutes you jammed the body placed the body in the trunk; I did not jam it in. I suppose you knew at that time that your conduct, if found out, was fatal to your life?
No.
Or that you were doing at any rate, an act which would render you liable to the gravest suspicion?—I did not stop to think of those things. Self-preservation was what I thought of.
And you did not tell the police or anybody, in suggest ?—Yes. order to save your good name; is that what you
And afterwards you were afraid to stay in the hotel. Why should the persons who did the deed wish to wreak their vengeance on you ?—I don't
know.
What do you mean by that?—I was in the company of the murdered womsa.
Then because some other person or persons murdered the woman, you thought they might come and murder you ?—Yes.
The deed was done in your absence. How would the person who did it know anything
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