Inspector Srerextxc said he was prepared to. go into four charges of theft against the risener, but, with sanction of the Court, would only adduce evidence in sup of one of them, and apply for a remand. to enable him, to' get up three, other similar which he had not quite completed. Tt apagainst the prisoner, the evidence for that prisoner, in company with two the habit for the past fortnight of visiting the ortoguese and a Manila man, had been in pawn and jewelry shops of the settlements, and in the course of examining things, either that one of them after examining the show case for a time would suddenly take to his heels with some valuables, or that on their departure, jewelry and other valuable things would be missed. There had been several complaints at the stations by these shopkeepers of such depredations; in one instance a silver watch valued at Tls. 60 was missed. On the prisoner and his panions being arrested, they were promi euously placed with other prisoners, but we instantly recognised by the prosecutors as those after whose visits at their shops they had lost valuable articles. Prisoner had several articles on his person when arrested, which were recognised by the prosecutors rheic property. The four charges before the Court were Is.—A. gold stud, value $ 2.50 2nd.—A silver watch,...../TIs, 60.00 gra. jSgold ring," 4.50 (A pearl ring, $12.50
It was decided to go on with the 3rd charge.
Prisoner pleaded that they wore given tohim by one of his companions. He, himself, had not stolen them.
Loo-an-cum, cautioned, stated—I keep silver-smith's shop at No, 334 Sze-chuen Road. Prisoner and a Portuguese boy came my shop the day before yesterday at noon, They wanted to buy, a hair-pin and. ear-rings. It was prisoner who spoke to mn—he spoke in Cantonese. Prisoner came inside the counter =the boy remained on the outside. Prisoner opened a glass show-case, as if he were examining the contents. I called out tohim to desist, as there was no English jo ry there. After a little tine he went away.
examined the case that ho had been look ing into after ho was gone, and I missed two: rings. One wasa gold ring, and the other ras pearl ring, (which had been brought tobe mended.) There were only these two. rin in the case. There were heaps of other things besides. After I missed them, I went to the station and reported the altair. I my rings again at the station last night. Tam sure these are the rings that were taken from my shop. He had not been out of my shop-more than five minutes before I missed them. Nobody came in meanwhile, [Shown therings.) These are they. I can produce the man to whom the pearl one belongs. 1 saw Reis the man who came into'my shop. I sioner at the station yesterday. 1 am sure-identified him amongst a number of others, The value of the gold ring is $2}—the other: about $124.
PRISONER said he went into the shop to buy a hair-pin. When he was arrested he was searched at the Central Station, and the rings were not found on him. But'when he was-searched at the Hongkew Station they wore found in his pocket. How they got there, he didn't know.
'A. MaLcouat, serjeant of Police, sworn, stated—I am stationed at Hongkew. searched the prisoner yesterday afternoon, and found the two gold rings produced, between the left hand waistcoat pocket and. the corner of the waistcoat, under the lining, They couldn't have been noticed by merel putting the hand in the pocket. It was from the outside I felt them. The bowl of the: rings was inserted in the thick part of the waistcoat, and the hoop inwards, It was with difficulty that I could get them back through. the hole, The prisoner said he got them from a friend.
Prisoxer asked no question, but said he bought the waistcoat from a Manilaman two-days ago, who in the meantime had gone to Japan in a steamer.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.