R. v. Marrs.
William Martin, A.B., unemployed, was charged with stealing a cloth jacket value $2, the property of a native, from No. 286, noted the case for the police, informed his Broadway. Inspector Howard, who con
Worship that as the result of the theft which led to the arrest and subsequent rescue of the prisoner, the Sikh constable was knocked down and a trolley passed over him smashing one of his legs and injuring him very serious!
Moh Hung-zun, the keeper of " secondhand clothes-shop in Broadway, said that at about eleven o'clock on Thursday morning six or seven seamen, amongst. whom was the prisoner, walked into his shop and proceeded to put on some clothes. "Witness went off to the police station to complain, and, on his way back, met the prisoner wearing a coat which had Leen taken from the shop. Catching hold of him witness called for the police, and an Indian constable came up to his assistance. The prisoner was very violent and struck the constable. Besides the coat witness had lost a pair of boots, some handkerchiefs and other articles.
Inspector Howard said men were charged with stealing these articles and would be brought up at other Consulates.
Witness identified a coat produced as the one stolen from his shop. The prisoner was wearing it when taken to the station.
'A boy employed in the shop said six or seven men came in and began to help themselves to various articles. He saw the prisoner with the coat on (produced).
Prisoner, in reply to his Worship, said he was in the shop and paid the prosecutor $4.80 for a coat, shirt, and pair of trousers, He left wearing the coat and met some of his shipmates who were going to sea with him. They wanted tobacco, matches, and other articles and he took them back tothe complainant's store. They had wine with them and sat drinking it. Prisoner became drunk and remembered nothing more. The men who were with him had gone on board an American ship now in Po. shophedpen; r6-onlied; dunied that the coat was sold to the prisoner. On Wednesduy, however, the prisoner bought a pair of trousers for sixty cents.
"The boy, re-called, said he also sold a shirt to the prisoner on Wednesday for forty cents.
His Worship reserved his decision whilst the next case was proceeded with R. v, Jerrreys anp OrnErs.
Thomas Jeffreys, John Regan, John Horan, John Sloan, and John Ryan, unemployed seamen staying at the Sailors' Home, were charged with being drunk and disorderly in Broadway on the 9th inst., and unlawfully rescuing the prisoner William Martin from the custody of the police and together with Martin they were charged with causing serious bodily injury to P.C. 95, Mahan Singh, whilst in the execution of his duty.
Lieut.-Commander Barton, of H.M.S. Esl: sworn, said he could not ise: any of the prisoners; one man he could recognise was not present. As witness was going along Broadway at about eleven o'clock on Thursday morning he saw a number of men running by him, and then the Sikh constable on the ground. He assisted to put the man ina ricsha and sent another constable after the trolley.
Mr. Frederick William Godsil said he was~walking along Broadway and saw a crowd collected. "As he came up to the spot the crowd had dispersed. Witness could not identify any of the prisoners as being there. He saw a Sikh policeman and two native constables struggling with the men. Witness saw the Sikh constable pushed downes the trolley was going by, the wheels passing over him. Witness assisted to put the man in a ricsha, Sikh constable No. 99 said at about eleven o'clock on Thursday he was on duty in Broadway, and his attention was attracted by a police whistle. He saw two of the prisoners, Martin and Sloan, running away near the corner of Huakee Road. Witness seized hold of the Inst named, but the man got away and went into the Sailors' Home.—Witness then chased Martin, caught him near the Choufong Road, and, withtheassistance ofanotherSikh constable, took the prisoner to the station. Witness did not hear of any trouble about a coat, and did not see the injured constable being struck. A Chinese constable explained to witness the men had run away after assaulting Sikh constable No. 95.
Native Police-constable No. 434 identified Sloan, Jeffreys, Regan, and Horan as the men he saw running away from a Sikh constable.
Captain Barton, recalled, said he identified Taylor, an American citizen (who was sitting down during the witness's previous examination), as one of the men he saw running away.
A Chinese coolie, employed at the Old Dock,' said he saw Taylor, Jeffreys, and Martin strike Sikh constable No. 95. Regan and Sloan were present but did not do anything. The disturbance seemed to be about a coat.
Another Chinese witness said he heard that some foreigners had struck a policeman and he came out of his house into the street. He saw some men strike the Sikh constable and then'make off, but he could not recognise any of the prisoners. The Sikh policeman was lying on the ground badly injured.
Inspector Howard said this was all the evidence he proposed to offer, but. all the prisoners had been taken to the Hospital and put before the injured man, who, though very ill, had positively identified them as being concerned in the assault.
His Worship asked. whether Martin would like to go before the Chief Justice on the charge of larceny or elect to be now dealt with.
Martin said he would prefer to be dealt with by his Worship.
His Worship, remarking that Martin was apparently the cause of all the trouble, sentenced him. to one month's imprisonment, with hard labour, for the theft of the coat.
When asked what they had to say, the other prisoners, with the exception of Sloan, denied assaulting the constable.
His Worship said Martin for being concerned in the assault would have two months' imprisonment. 'The evidence against Ryan was not so strong, and he would have one month's imprisonment the others would have two months' imprisonment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.