A native was charged with "being concerned with others not in custody with stab-ving one Wong Poo with a knife at Poo tung on the 2%ad inst., thereby inflicting wounds from which he died."
Inspector Bourke said prisoner was handed over to the police by some employees of the International Dock, who said that accused had assaulted a man in a tea shop on the Company's property, inflicting thirteen wounds with a knife, from the effects of which the man had died. At 7 p.m. op Sunday the Shanghai Hsien held inquest on the body, at St. Luke's Hospital, to which it had been removed, and a verdict of wilful murder had been returned against accused.
The Assessor siid that, as the case had occurred out of the jurisdiction of the Mixed Court he would order tle prisoner to be handed over to the native authorities.
The Carpenters' Strike Case.
The adjourned hearing of this case took place in. the afternoon, Mr. Stokes appearing for Messrs. Farnham, Boyd and Ca and Mr. F. Ellis for the five Cantonese contractors, appearing as defendants.
Mr. Stokes said he appeared t" prosecute the four men arrested at the guild house and the five Cantonese contractors who had been made defendants by anier of the Court, having originally appeared 2s complainants. At the last hearing mention had en made of the absence of i prosecutor. Well, if the police were not taking any steps in the matter Messrs. Faroham, Boyd and Ca, the principal sufferers, would charge the accused with conspiracy to intimidate the Ningpo carpenters and preventing their return to work. He would ask that the order of Mr. Wilkinson be carried out, and that the men be detained in custody till they disclosed the proper numas of the principals in the strike.
Mr. Ellis said that this was the first time Messrs. Farnham, Boyd and Ca. had appeared on the scene, but he thought they should have appeared long ago had they intended taking up the prosecution. He was quite surprised to hear of this new move. He had understood, and he believed correctly, that the matter to be decided by the Court that day was the question of the alleged contempt of Court, and having prepared for that he was suddenly confronted with a charge of conspiracy. He would ask that the position be made clear. Let them have a definite issue before them, At the present time he did not really know where they were. His clients appeared in the first instance as prosecutors, and by some extraordinary procedure were converted into defendants. Finding the charge of intimidation likely to fail Mr. Stokes wanted them committed for contempt; now he wished to charge them with conspiracy. What was the true position? Let some definite charge be formulated against them and he would offer a defence, but at the present he had nothing whatever to go on. Mr. Stokes submitted with regard to the matter of alleged contempt that the defendants had given bogus names. What support was offered to that statement—which might of course be perfectly correct? He submitted that the Mixed Court proceedings had now reached a stage when some little gard should be given to evidence. The police said the men named could not be found, but he paid no more attention to their statements than to any other persons's. Let some corroboration be offered. The only charge in connection wi now was one of int not be said that detaining 2 man in a tea house was conspiracy Mr. Stokes asked that Mr. Tweatyman be allowed to give evidence as to the men leaving work and being intimidated.
Mr. Ellis would object to any farther steps being taken in the matter, as he had not received any intimation that Messrs Farnham, Boyd and Ca. intended to appear as prosecutors. 'There was at the present time absolutely no charge again-t his clients 'The Ningpo man had' refused to prosecute, and consequently they should now: eat liberty, and should never have been brought before the Court to-day Mr. Stokes said his clients would now assume the full responsibility of the prosecution Mr. Ellis was quite unprepared to go on with the charge of conspiracy, not having been instructed thereon. He insisted that a proper charge be made out, giving all the usual particulars, then he could answer it. The case had undergone some most extraordinary contortions, and there had been some very irregular procedure in connection with it.
Mr. Twentyman gave evidence as to the origin of the strike and the fear of the Ningpo men to return to work.
The Court said a proper charge would have to be made and the complaints distinctly indicated.
Mr. Stokes said the charge could be taken by the Court now, but Me. Ellis submitted that it should be made through the proper: channels.
Ultimately it was agree to postpone the case till next Thurslay afternoon at 3 p.m., Mr. Stokes undertaking to lay an informa: tion with the accused were allowed police a once, andthe bail in the ori al securities.
Cushny and/or Cushny, Smith Ying Ho-shing, alias Yin alias Yen Wen-sun, Adjourned hearing Mr. Stokes, for the plaintiff, applied for a further adjournment of one month to enable his client to secure the attendance of Mr. Hyndman.
Mr. Ellis on behalf of the defendant would offer no objection to the request, but would stipulate for an order by the Court that if Mr. Hyndman did not appear within the specified time, the title deeds of the} lands held in trust by plaintiff for defendant be returned to defendant after he had} satisfied the judgment previously made.
Mr. Stokes agreeing to the proposition, the order was made as requested.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.