268
THE RAILWAY SENSATION.
CANTON
MR. BUTLER WRIGHT AT CANTÓN.
Mr. Butler Wright was brought up at the British Consulate at Canton on Sept. 23 in con- nection with the charges of embezzlement preferred against him. Accused arrived on board the steamer Anhui, which was two days overdue, in charge of Detective Welch of Shanghai. He landed about seven o'clock and went to the Victoria Hotel, but did not proceed
to the Consulate until some time after ten o'clock. "Mr. L. Giles, Vice-Consul, conducted the proceedings in the absence of Mr. Fox. Acting. Consul-General. Mr. Frank Grove. engineer-in-chief of the Chinese section of the Kowloon-Canton Railway was in attendance on behalf of the prosecution.
The accused, who was neatly dressed, appear- ed quite composed. Prior to the proceedings he read letters which were handed to him at the Consulate, and in conversation he seemed quite confident as to the result of the trial.
The preceedings, which were purely formal, were commenced by the Vice Consul reading the charge in the following terms: Frank Grove, engineer-in-chief, Canton-Kowloon Railway, duly sworn, complains that William Butler Wright, chief accountant, Canton-Kowloon Railway, did on September 14th, 1908, and again on December 30th, 1908, transfer without authority from his *official account standing in the name of the Chief Accountant of the Canton-Kowloon Railway in the International Banking Corpora- tion at Canton, to his private account in the same bank the sums of 5,000 and $13,000 as is shown by the bank statement herewith produced, and the said Frank Grove charges the said William Butler Wright with fraudulently embezzling the said sums of money, the property of his employers. Sworn the third day of September, 1909.
Detective. Welsh, of the Shanghai Police
Force, went into the witness box and said-Last hursday I received a warrant from the British Consul-General at Shanghai to receive over William Butler Wright from the British gaol at Shanghai and escort him to Canton. We arrived here this morning.
The warrant was produced.
The Vice-Consul (to Mr. Grove)-Do you want to make an application?
Mr. Groves-Yes. I want to make an application for a remand.
The Vice-Consul-Mr. Wright's barrister has written to ask for a remand until Monday, the 27th instant. Will that suit you?
Mr. Groves---Yes.
The Vice-Consul-There will be a remand
then until the 27th of this month at ten o'clock
and the accused will be allowed bail in two sureties of $10,000 each. You will have time. The inspector will take you to the hotel where you can write letters or attend to other business. If you cannot get the sureties you will be: detained in Hongkong in custody.
Accused÷I hank you. This terminated the proceedings, Mr. Wright being transferred from the custody of Detective Welsh to the charge of a petty officer from one of the British gunboats.
THE PROCEEDINGS AT SHANGHAI.
The following report of the proceedings in H. M. Police Court, Shanghai, on the 12th inst before Mr. G. W. King is extracted from the N.-C. Daily News :-
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
William Butler Wright, on remand, was charged on a warrant with having on Septem- ber 14, 1908, and again on December 30, 1908, at Canton, fraudulently embezzled the sums of $5,000 and $13,000, respectively, the property of the Canton-Kowloon Railway Administration (Chinese section).
Mr. S. H. McKean, on the instructions of the Crown Advocate, appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. J. C. F. Douglas appeared for the accused.
Mr. Douglas said that his client was willing to give every facility to the authorities for his return to Canton to go into any matters which might require his attention. He would like to know the amount of sureties to be fixed. His client was quite a stranger in Shanghai, and did not expect to find his sureties here. There fore, he would like the Court to fix the amount of the sureties required.
His Worship said that the course he proposed to adopt was to return Mr. Wright to Canton in custody,
Mr. Douglas remarked that he 'supposed that course would be necessary, as his client could not find sureties here.
Accused-No.
Mr. Douglas continued that the Court had the power to fix the amount, subject to the sureties being approved by the Consul. If the Court would do that, it would help accused very much. He would ask the Court to release his client immediately he arrived at Canton.
His Worship replied that Mr. Douglas would see the difficulty that the Court was in. The warrant mentioned two charges. Supposing that subsequently, after investigations, it was discovered that the amount of the alleged embezzlement was higher-
Mr. Douglas asked the Court to fix sureties without relation to the amount of embezzlement. He thought that Mr. Wright would find per- fectly satisfactory sureties.
His Worship said that he would prefer that application be made to the Consul.
Mr. Douglas pointed out that Mr. Wright would arrive in custody and would then have to make the application to the Consul there, who might not be familiar with such things. If the Court refused to grant his application, he would have to apply to the Judge, who, perhaps, would be the best person to settle it.
His Worship concurred, and said that he without knowing the facts. could not settle any question of surety on bail
it would hamper the Court for his client to go Mr. Douglas said that he did not think that back to Canton and find his surety there.
there was just as familiar with such matters. as His Worship said that he thought the Consul they were in Shanghai.
Mr. Douglas said that. Mr. Wright would be ready to go back at the convenience of the
Court.
His Worship stated that he would have to consult the Consular authorities regarding that
matter.
Mr. McKean then applied for a warrant to be issued.
His Worship replied, that he did not think was necessary for Mr. McKean to apply, as he-his Worship-would do it as a matter of
ourse.
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT]
18th September, 1909.
COMMEMORATION STAMPS.
The Imperial Chinese Post Office have noti- fied that special issues of 2, 3, and 7 cent stamps are now ready, and those who want them in large numbers are requested to apply to the Post- master in time before the supply arrives.
LORD KITCHENER,
This disting shed soldier will arrive in Canton on 28th inst., and will stay here a day or two.
THE NEW TREASURER.
Lum, will be delayed owing to the death of one The arrival of the new treasurer, Chan Kwei
of his sons. He has applied to H. E. the Viceroy to grant a few days' leave.
THE OPIUM HABIT.
H.E. Yuan-shi-fan, the new Viceroy, is very strict in suppressing the opium habit. He asked the Anti-Opium Society to supply him with the list of names of all the officials here, (1) who do not smoke opium, (2) of those who still smoke opium, and (3) of those who cannot break off the habit, that he might deal with them accordingly.
FIRE FESTIVITIES.
This year the Chinese police are very strict interdicting street singsongs (ta chew), which a feature of the Chinese 8th and 9th moons, to propitiate the god of fire.
are
22nd September, 1909. IMPERIAL CHINESE TELEGRAPHS. The French Consul sent a letter to H. E. the Viceroy, calling his attention to a joint complaint sent by the French firms here, about the frequent interruptions in the telegraph lines. A breakdown in the lines is reported every week, and the foreign merchants thereby suffer consider able inconvenience and loss. A similar complaint
[September 27, 1909.
in the form of a letter signed by the British firms has also been communicated to Mr. H.H. Fox, the Acting Consul-General, for communication to the Chinese authorities. It is to be hoped the Telegraph Administration will give the matter- their prompt attention.
FIRE AT HONAM.
On Sunday midnight there was a fire at Honam. It originated in a fantan shop by the fall of a large foreign lamp such as are usually hung at the doorways of fantan shops. About 30 houses were destroyed by this fire, but happily there was no loss of life. A poor deaf man was most severely burnt about the body.
'THE WEATHER.
Yesterday afternoon we had a good fall of rain, and to-day also we had a downpour. This has cooled the atmosphere, and the effect of the rain on the standing crops will be very beneficial.
THE NEW TERRITORY MURDER.
At the Magistracy on the 23rd instant before Mr. J. R. Wood, Li Ng was arraigned on two charges, one of murder and one of cutting and wounding.
Mr. P. P. J. Wodehouse, Deputy Super- intendent of Police, prosecuted, and prisoner
was undefended.
Dr. Hartley, Medical Officer in charge of the Railway, testified to being present at the
post-mortem held on the murdered woman.
three inches deep. The wound was a mixture There was a wound on the right buttock about four inches long and from two-and-a-half to of a stab and cut. Witness considered that deceased bled to death.
Li Luk deposed to being a shroff in the Land Office. The murdered woman was his wife, and lived at Sancheung in the New Territory. This was his native village. The accused was his elder brother, and witness knew of no reason why his brother should have killed his wife.
After further evidence the hearing was adjourned.
THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY.
POSSIBILITIES OF COMPETITION,
Mr. Stuart J. Fuller, the acting Consul General of the United States in Hongkong, in a report to the State Department on the Kow- loon-Canton Railway, adds, the following interesting comment:-While construction on the british line was still under way another railway presenting possibilities of competition was opened on January 6,1909. This road is known as the Sunning Railway, and it was financed, designed, equipped and constructed wholly by Chinese. It is planned to extend from a sea- coast harbour known as Sam Kap Hoi, point west of Hongkong and Macao, across the Sunning district to a connection with the Canton-Hankow railway's Samshui branch. Efforts were made to have a treaty port estab lished at Sam Kap Hoi, and the question is said ernment. to be under consideration by the Peking gov. The Imperial Maritime customs made an examination of the harbour and declared that with a little dredging it could easily be utilised for coasting vessels. This line has not yet been entirely completed, but it is said that it will be finished from Sam Kap Hoi to a connection with the Canton-Hankow Railway in about 8 or 10 months. though this competition has not been very seriously regarded by the Kowloon-Railway people, it would, nevertheless, in capable hands, prove an active competitor of the Kowloon- Canton line. Especially would this be true if in anyway it should come into the control of the Canton-Hankow Railway Company and be used by them as a feeder in competition with British line.
Al-
As will be noted from the agreement govern- ing the construction of the Chinese section of the Kowloon-Canton line, care has been taken to insure the British influence and control to which the capitalists at home who have advan- ced the money are deemed entitled. Special attention is called to the requirement that "at equal rates and qualities goods of British manu- facture shall be given preference over other goods of foreign origin.
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