102
DISTURBANCE IN A HAIRDRESSING ||
SALOON.
At the Magistracy on July 23 Mr. F. A. Hazeland heard a summons for assau It brought by A. Lander, manager of the Alexandra Cinematograph. against J. O. Spoiss, manager of the Paris Toilet Company, and a cross- summons brought by the latter.
When the case was called, his Worship asked if the matter could not be settled.
Complainant said he asked Mr. Speiss for au apology, but that gentleman refused to give him one.
His Worship If I adjourn this case for a week, do you think there is any chanco of your coming to a settlement?
Defendant-I don't think so. I don't want to settle it.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE TRAGEDY AT MURRAY BARRACKS.
ly.
[August 2, 1909.
STREET FIGHTING AT WANCHAI.
Wanchai was roused to great excitement on At the Magistracy on July 24th, before Mr the 25th ult. A pitched battle took place F. A. Hazeland, sitting as coroner, and Messrs. near Cross Street between the representatives E. G. Watson, R. Unsworth and G. Grimble. of two secret societies, and the neighbourhood jurors, an inquiry was held into the circum- was given over to scenes of the wildest turbu- stances surrounding the death of Private J.lence until the police arrived and quelled the Hadgley, D. Company, the Buffs, whose tragic disturbance. The causes of the trouble are end by shooting himself with a rifle was record- not known. It may
havo been society ed in the Daily Press nearly a fortnight ago. jealousy. At any rate it is understood that Drummer Moyer was the first witness. He the members of the Cheung Shun Society spoke to deceased calling at the guard room and challenged the members of the Yee Cheung asking if there were any absentees, to which he Hing Society, and 88 this was accepted received a reply in the negative. Deceased the combatants mot noar Cross Street then approached a table in the room, and later and cudgelled
each other pretty severe- went out to the sentry. Witness followed, but About 100 were engaged, and as W88 returned shortly afterwards to the guard room. natural they attracted a large number of
onlookers. He had not been long inside when he heard a
As a matter of fact the crowd was shot, and on proceeding to investigate ho found so dense that it interfered with all traffic. In- the sentry leaning against a bamboo-scaffold formation was sent to Inspector Kerr at No. 2 holding his rife in his hand, while deceased Police Station, and he with Sergeant Baker and was lying on the ground. The sentry informed a posse of Chinese police and district watchmen witness that he had not done it.
proceeded to the scene of the fighting. It took them some time to restore order. They suo- ceeded in arresting seven of the combatants. Six were placed before Mr. Hazeland at the Magistracy yesterday on a charge of fighting and were remanded on bail of $20 each, and the seventh, charged with assaulting a district
$50 in his case. watchman, was remanded, bail being fixed at One man had an artery of his wrist severed and had to be sent to hospital.
Complainant was then called to the witness stand, and deposed that on the morning of the 20th instant the defendant used abusive and insulting language to him in the Paris Toileted in the guard room with the last witness. Corporal Dixon also testified to seeing deceas. Co's, shop, caught him by the throat and pulled Deceased asked Moyer where Sergeant Jeffrey him round. The reason of this was because he
was, and the latter inquired what he wanted with complained about a hill he received, and which he considered excessive.
Deceased said he thought the sergeant His wife had been
had someone else's rifle. When asked whose next charged eight or nine dollars for having her hair dressed, and he told the defendant that Then he walked round the guard room for a few turn it was for duty, deceased said it was his, this was absolute robbery.
minutes, put a towel over his shoulder, and went out.
His Worship-That was a very strong word
to use.
Witness said he often heard the same word used by passengers in the Hongkong Hotel.
His Worship-Before this, had you been on friendly terms with the defendant?
Witness-Yes.
Defendant-Never. And the complainant did not tell me it was robbery. He called me a robber, and a robber.
His Worship (to complainant)-Did you use the word robber?
Witness-No.
Defendant was then called to the stand to give evidence on the cross-summons. He stated that at about 11.30 on the morning of the 20th instant the complainant entered his shop with some cinematograph posters. Before taking his departure witness asked him why he struck certain items
of the out
bill supplied, him. The bill was not excessive, but was $4 less than it should have been Complain- ant told him that his wife was not American lady, whereupon witness got angry, and taking the bill said. Never mind. If you don't want to pay it I will arrange that." Com- plainant said, "Look here, you are a rob. ber." Witness then seized the complainant. and gave him time to take the word back, but
he would not withdraw it.
•
Witness was questioned by the complainant
an
him.
A shot was heard shortly afterwards and deceased was found lying on the ground.
rivate Giles deposed to seeing the sentry being assisted to the guard room, and the body of deceased carried in. Witness had known deceased for five years, and had always found him bright and cheerful. Recently, however, he had become rather melancholy, and once he told witness that his sister had complained to the War Office on account of his not writing to her more constantly. Deceased appeared to be aunoyed at this, as he had been brought before the Company Commander.
Private Mumford, who occupied a bed along. side that of deceased, told the coroner and jury that at about 5.30 on the morning of the 16th instant he saw deceased sitting up in bed. The latter bade him good morning, and told witness he could have a twenty cent piece which was Witness replied that it was lying on the floor. not his, but deceased told him it did not matter, as he would not require it any more. When asked what was the matter, deceased said he
towel, and left for a bath. would be all right presently. Then he got his
The
approached him at 5.50 a.m. and asked if he had Private Fright, the sentry,said that deceased
deceased said, "Let me have a look at it." his own rifle. On witness replying that he had sentry complied with his request, and after looking at the number deceased looked down the barrel to see if it was clean." A report fol-
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PUBLIO VEHICLES.
AMENDMENTS TO REGULATIONS,
Tho current Gazette contains a number of
amendments, made by the Governor-in-Council, in the regulations relating to public vehicles.
The first is that licences for vehicles, and for drivers, drawers, or bearers, shall be issued by the Captain-Superintendent of Police, who may in his discretion refuse to issue any licence. Licences shall not be issued for more than 1,100 ricshas within the island of Hongkong, and all the current half-year. licences shall be taken out half-yearly, or for
For every wheeled vehicle, other than a ric- sha, licensed in Victoria, the fee is $18; at Quarry Bay it is $12; and at Kowloon and the New Territories (other than a motor-car) it is $12. The licence for a motor car is $24, while the driver is required to pay another $5 half- yearly in advance.
by fifty per centum. between 8.30 p.m. and 6 a.m. shall be increased In the City of Victoria the fares for chairs
At Kowloon the fares for public motor cars from the Star Ferry wharf to Kowloon Dock or Hunghom shall be ten priated by less than three passengers, each cents per passenger, while if the car is appro-
Which language did the conversation take lowed, and deceased fell to the ground, after passenger must pay 30 cents.
place in-In English.
And in what language did I make use of the word robber?-In English.
Pardon me, it was in French. And was not only your wife present in the front store? My wife and boy.
When I told you I'd pay the bill you took it and crushed it up Yes.
And you told me you would put me in Court right away if I did not pay it?—Yes.
And when I told you in Freuch, in a friendly way, that it was like robbery, didn't you strike me twice in the face?- No.
What right had you to insult my nation by calling me a dirty Jew? I am a Hebrew, and I represent one of the best nations in the world. I did not call you a dirty Jew. not aware you were a Jew.
I was
When you caught hold of my coat and tried to push me against a showcase, didn't I tell you I was not in a humour to fight, and did not intend to fight?—No.
His Worship was of opinion that both parties were in the wrong, but he thought the person most to blame was Mr. Lander, because he started the row by using the word "robbery," which was calculated to provoke a breach of the peace. Mr. Spiess, however, had no right to touch the other man, so he would bind both parties over in the sum of $100 to keep the peace for one year.
which witness fainted.
Captain Houblin spoke with regard to the letter he received on June 11th. Deceased's sister inquired if he was dead, as he had not written as often as he ought to have done. Witness summoned deceased before him, and told him it was his duty to write to his relatives.
His Worship, in directing the jury, informed them that it was necessary for them to find one of two things: either that deceased deliberately killed himself, or was of unsound mind. The sister who had written to him.
his Worship said, had threatened to take her own life because she had been jilted under dishonourable circumstances. There was also the fact that a brother had committed suicide, and the jury would have to take into considera. tion what was known in medical jurisprudence as a hereditary tendency to suicide.
The jury returned a verdict of suicide while of unsound mind.
A resolution in favour of the opening at Berlin, as at Hamburg, of a chair of Chinese, was moved by the Duke of Mecklembourg at the Congress of the German Colonial Society sitting at Dresden, recently, and carried. the Far East." said the Duke, the future lies not with those who have the biggest guns, but with those who possess the best economic outfit."
In
THE USE OF FERTILIZERS IN JAPAN.
The Asahi Shimbun has a detailed note with reference to the great increase in the use of fertilizers in Japan during recent years. The leading place is still occupied by what may be euphoniously termed farmyard-manure, which represents 60 million yen yearly, and another 100 millions are spent upon fish manure, oil cake and rice husks. But the great development has been in what are commonly called artificily fertilizers. Thus sulphate of ammonia, which in the year 1900 was imported to the amount of onla 200,000 yen, has now reached to 9 millions, or 1-14 of the total production of this chemical throughout the world. In the case of phos. phates the import in 1897 was 100,000 yen, and it is now 5 millions, which is 1/30 of the world's supply. Bean cake has also come to be imported as a fertilizer to the extent of 22 millions annually, and if we add to this the 20 millious which will probably soon be reached in the case of artificial fertilizers, we shall have a total of over 40 millions of imported manures, and the quantity of all kinds used throughout It appears that the greatest falling off is in the whole country will aggregate 200 millions.
fish manure, which is now used to the extent of only 1 millions annually,
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