It will be remembered that at the last hearing, on the 5th instant, of the case which has arisen out of the shooting affray at West Hongkew Police Station, the accused was remanded on bail for a further period of fourteen days, and it was decided that in the meantime the evidence of the wounded soldier, Beblo, who was still unable to come to Court, should be taken at the German Camp, Bubbling Well Road. On Saturday morning, therefore, Mr. E. H. Burrows, Police Magistrate, proceeded to the German Camp for that purpose and was accompanied by Captain F. Tweddell, 28th P.I., Special Service Officer, who had again kindly consented to act as interpreter.
Mr. W. A. ©. Platt (Crown Advocate) attended to conduct the case for the prosecution, Mr. D. McNeill (Messrs. Dowdall, Hanson and McNeill) was present on behalf of the accused, and Chicf-Inspector Howard represented the Municipal Police, The wounded soldier, who was sufficiently recovered to walk from the Camp Hospital to the room in which the examin; tion was held, was examined by Mr. Platt and stated:—My name is Adolf Beblo. I am a grenadier in the 9th Company of the Ist East Asiatic Regiment. On the 9th of last month I remember being in a tea-house, at 7 o'clock in the evening, in company with a comrade named Lehmann. The tea-house was in North Honan Road, at the corner near the canal. We went in and ordered an ordinary evening meal. Wo also ordered tea, which was brought, and we drank it and paid twenty cents for it. Wo then ordered more tea, but the Chinaman simply brought some hot water and poured it over the old tea-leares. We objected to this and ordered him to bring some fresh tea. The man took it away, but apparently brought back the same pot of tea, for I recognised it by its light colour. We told him to change it and ho did so. We: then ordered ten cents! worth of cigarettes and paid for them. Whilst we were drinking the tea a large crowd of Chinese men, women and children, collected at the door-way and to frighten them away, drew out my bayonet. I had tried to drive them away before this, but they simply laughed at me and it was not until I drew my bayonet that they went away. Two other men were present, one of whom was wearing a black uniform with what seemed to me like a French kepi. I did not notice the recond man until later. The man in uniform sat down at our table and we shook hands with him and were very friendly. We offered him tea, but at the same time I made signs to him that it was not very good tea. He then gave me to understand that we could get better tea somewhere else. As we wore going away, I produced a dollar to pay for the tea, but the man in uniform made signs that everything was paid for. We went out and the man in uniform offered mo his arm. T hooked my arm in his. I noticed Lehmann in front of us walking with a civilian who was dressed in grey clothes. The civilian offered Lob-mann his arm and he took it. We went about 300 or 400 paces along a narrow canal to a dar' courtyard, at the back of which stood—house built in European style. In the right-hand corner of the court-yard was a door which was lit up from the inside. Some steps led up the Goer." They led us towards the steps dnd we went up, the man in uniform first, myself second, and I believe Lehmann was directly behind me. As I reached the top of the steps, I felt that my bayonet was being drawn out and at the same time the man in. uniform held his revolver at my chest. At that time I noticed several Chinese policemen around us. When the man in uniform pointed his revolver at mo he was from two to three paces away from me. When I felt my bayonet being taken away, i turned round to Lehmann and shouted. "My bayonet! My bay-oner!" At the same moment I heard a report and felt my left arm drop. I felt as though somebody had struck me a blow on the muscles of the arm. My erin felt quite powerless. Seeing that I had no bayonet and that my arm was helpless, I ran out of the court-yard, along the canal, to the bullock station. When I got there I shouted out to a man named Bahr, who was asleep, and asked him to take my duty. I understood him to reply that he would do so. I then got into a ricsha and came out here (Bubbling Well Road Camp). Iam not quite certain, but I think that from the place where the shot was fired to the bullock station would be 600 yards or 4 or 5 minutes' walk. I ran all the way there. After the shot was fired felt no pain, except that my arm was useless; I did not know whether I had been shot, or whether I had received a blow on the arm. It was only whilst running that I felt a pain in my chest and then I thought I had been shot in the chest, but was not certain until I arrived out here.
Cross-examined by Mr. McNeill: came here in a riesha, straight from the bullock station. It takes about half-an-hour. On reaching the camp I reported myself to my Unter-offizier, and he took me to the Company Sergeant-Major. I was then taken to the camp hospital. I did not see thd doctor then; he was away at the time. I saw the hospital-assistants, and they attended to me and dressed my. wound." At the bullock station I had no conversation with anyone, except that I called to Bahr to take my duty. From the time that the shot was fired until I arrived here I never completely lost consciousness, though a few times, when in the ricsha, I felt black spots in front of my eyes. My duty at the bullock-station was to be ready to assist in case of alarm or of fire. There were two other men there; we had no particular time for duty, but had to sleep there. It was dark inside the courtyard, but I think there was a lantern over the entrance gate. The room was lit up inside, and we could see the steps from the courtyard. It was light enough on the steps to recognise peoples' faces. The man who pointed the revolver at me was standing in the room, just beyond the threshold of the door. I' think I trad reached the top of the steps when the shot was fired. I may have been.on the second step, but I don't remember. I was. outside the door, but with all the pulling about and row, I don't exactly remember where I was. Between the top of the steps and the door I believe there is a flag but I cannot say exactly.
The proceedings then terminated.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.